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THE ART OF CREATIVE THINKING

As art educators, we have many students initially say "I'm just not creative" and then rapidly change their mind to "I love art" once they’ve started the program. Sequentially, this is a result due to studies that have found;

  • Art stimulates both sides of the brain.
  • 33% of kids are visual learners.
  • Students who make art, read better and achieve better grades in science and mathematics.
  • Art encompasses using ALL of your sense, which is essential for engagement and learning
  • Students describe art as a place to express themselves

But most importantly, the arts are one of the most influential subjects on Student Wellbeing, Esteem and Creativity.

Within the modern workplace, creativity happens any time a person thinks of a novel way to solve a problem—whether it’s improving the human experience or making an idea come to life. Therefore our art programs are focused on creativity, critical thinking and student wellbeing as an indispensable, necessary skill for students to bring to the community or workplace.

According to the World Economic Forum as well as a study compiled by Linkedin, the top 3 most important skills for recruiting employers in 2020 are creativity, complex problem-solving and critical thinking. With the ever-growing innovation of new products, new technologies and smarter ways for companies to work, employers are searching for personalities that can think outside the box, creatively problem solve and critically reflect on the process of their work.

At St Brendan's College Yeppoon, we recognize the importance of creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. This is why the programs reflect project-based learning and the critical thinking process. The students take place in projects that mimic the process of a workplace (ie. research, reflect, develop and resolve) which foster creativity, provide opportunities for problem solving and enable reflection. This is through practical-based lessons and various excursions and visual art experiences from Years 8 to 12.

St Brendan's Visual art students explore themes such as

  • Techniques and skills
  • Abstraction and styles of art
  • Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Art
  • Car and technology design
  • Graphic design
  • Politics and art
  • Religion and art
  • History and at
  • Environment and surroundings
  • Communication and visual expression
  • Visual merchandising
  • Digital photography and editing with apps
  • Art from other cultures
  • Australian art
  • Contemporary art

Within Year 7, students study two units in one semester, The Art of Disguise and Media Journey. They complete assessment in the Making (66%) and Responding (33%) Criteria, producing both two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks displayed at the College and compose a Written Artist’s Statement. The study of works produced by contemporary artists is undertaken.

In Year 8 Visual Art, the subject is an elective choice. Students can choose to complete one or two semesters. The units are landscape painting, clay dream machines, flora and fauna printmaking, graphic design -commercial clothing company design. Again, students perform assessment in the making and responding criteria, creating artworks using multiple media and writing a research essay and an artist’s statement. The work of inspirational artists from Australia and overseas are explored.

Similarly to Year 8, Year 9 Visual Arts is also an elective where they can choose to participate in one or two semesters. The units developed are: Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Art, Lego Masters, Street Art, along with Book Illustration. A large array of art materials are experimented with and utilised to make various art products. Replicating the other year levels, a research essay and Artist’s Statement are produced for assessment. The students are encouraged to choose artists that appeal to them personally at this level.

Within Year 10 Visual arts, the units investigated prepare students for further study into the Senior programs (Visual Art (ATAR) and Visual Arts in Practice). Alike to Years 8 and 9, each semester is offered as an elective. The units studied are: Observation, Lost and Found, Cultural Pottery as well as Self-Biography artwork. The making assessment replicates year 11 and 12 visual art in that folios of multiple artworks are created and compiled as a presentation. The students are urged to use art media inventively and make innovative artworks. Responding tasks require more sophisticated writing to produce a researched essay and Artist’s Statement.

Year 11 and 12 General Visual Art  is the ATAR senior program for Visual Arts. Students in senior art progress from teacher-directed learning activities to student directed where it is more independent. The units are studied in an alternate sequence due to the composite nature of the cohort. The units undertaken are: Art as Lens, Art as Code, Art as Knowledge and Art as Alternate. The assessment consists of three internal tasks of an Investigation and two Projects followed by an external exam.

Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts in Practice is the non-ATAR senior program.  Visual Arts in Practice is designed to incorporate art industry and community engagement. The students progress through two modules each semester. Each module is directed through an exploration and development in the use of art materials. The modules consist of: Painting Genres 1 & 2, From the Earth 1 & 2 (Ceramics), Portraiture 1 & 2 (Drawing and Graphic Design) followed by From Nature 1 & 2 (Multi-media). A range of assessment is completed and includes creating Products, participating in Projects and producing Investigations.

If you are wondering what the study of Visual arts can lead to - there are so many possibilities and opportunities! The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority highlight the following occupations as possibilities from studying visual arts;

  • advertising
  • arts administration
  • communication
  • creative industries
  • design
  • education
  • galleries and museums
  • film and television
  • public relations
  • science and technology.

There is an abundance of evidence that art is a valuable tool in all areas of life, and we encourage you and your son to explore the world that art has to offer and the MANY pathways it can lead to as a valuable choice in subject selection.

Inez Goves
Head of Visual Art

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Ph: (07) 4939 9300

139 Adelaide Park Rd
YEPPOON QLD 4703

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