Reflecting on the importance of bringing student awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and bringing about change, I have been working on incorporating a number of the goals into the art curriculum.
I have placed an emphasis on providing students with opportunities to create artwork which sends a powerful educational message to the viewer. I also focused on encouraging students to re-use and recycle found materials to create art, thus reducing the impact they have on the environment.
I have also begun to explore with students the possibilities of creating artwork with no impact on the environment such as using digital media and materials such as natural pigments and dyes.
In the art room there is a culture of using sustainable materials wherever possible. Daily recycling routines are in place as well as a scrap store of materials which students are encouraged to use to create artwork such as old papers, magazines, newspapers, plastic bags, donated toys and found materials.
I was also a member of the 'Sustainability Strategic Group' working with colleagues to promote and improve sustainability across the school.
I have placed an emphasis on providing students with opportunities to create artwork which sends a powerful educational message to the viewer. I also focused on encouraging students to re-use and recycle found materials to create art, thus reducing the impact they have on the environment.
I have also begun to explore with students the possibilities of creating artwork with no impact on the environment such as using digital media and materials such as natural pigments and dyes.
In the art room there is a culture of using sustainable materials wherever possible. Daily recycling routines are in place as well as a scrap store of materials which students are encouraged to use to create artwork such as old papers, magazines, newspapers, plastic bags, donated toys and found materials.
I was also a member of the 'Sustainability Strategic Group' working with colleagues to promote and improve sustainability across the school.
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FOBISIA plastic fusing art workshop series
As part of the FOBISIA (Federation of British International Schools in Asia) art and design technology conference, I ran a series of art workshops for visiting art teachers from a range of international schools in Asia.
The conference focused on sustainability and innovation within art and design and enabled teaching staff to take part in workshops and share good practise. Using only found materials such as plastic bags, wrapping and packaging the workshop focused on highlighting sustainability and reducing the impact our actions have on the environment.
The workshop I ran introduced plastic fusing techniques to create painterly compositions using recycled plastic bags and packaging.
The conference focused on sustainability and innovation within art and design and enabled teaching staff to take part in workshops and share good practise. Using only found materials such as plastic bags, wrapping and packaging the workshop focused on highlighting sustainability and reducing the impact our actions have on the environment.
The workshop I ran introduced plastic fusing techniques to create painterly compositions using recycled plastic bags and packaging.
Natural pigment painting- Year 3 (age 7-8)
Inspired by the use of natural pigments in ancient cave paintings, students experimented with creating their own painting pigments using natural materials. Using only these pigments and recycled paper, this project focused on highlighting sustainability and reducing the impact our actions have on the environment.
Students experimented with using pigments made from natural materials such as blueberry, pomegranate, strawberry, turmeric, tea leaves, coffee grounds, charcoal and graphite.
Students experimented with using pigments made from natural materials such as blueberry, pomegranate, strawberry, turmeric, tea leaves, coffee grounds, charcoal and graphite.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
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Collaborative sculpture- our oceans, Year 5 (age 9-10)
Students created mixed-media clay sculptures of coral reefs in order to raise awareness of the environmental impact our actions are having on the oceans, in particular the issues surrounding plastic waste. Over 220 students worked together to create the final artwork. A focus for the project was highlighting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Under Water.
Students and staff donated colourful plastic bags, plastic wrappers and plastic straws and students explored creative and innovative ways to re-use and re-purpose them and combine with clay in order to create their coral sculptures.
Before creating their sculptures students collected a range of research about coral reefs and their destruction.
The sculptural installation was displayed in the school library alongside a selection of books about this topic to encourage students to explore this topic further.
Students and staff donated colourful plastic bags, plastic wrappers and plastic straws and students explored creative and innovative ways to re-use and re-purpose them and combine with clay in order to create their coral sculptures.
Before creating their sculptures students collected a range of research about coral reefs and their destruction.
The sculptural installation was displayed in the school library alongside a selection of books about this topic to encourage students to explore this topic further.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
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Collage- under the sea, Year 5 (age 9-10)
Using only found and unwanted papers this project focused on highlighting sustainability and reducing the impact our actions have on the environment.
These collages were created as part of larger under the sea scheme of work focusing on using the creation of artwork to raise understanding of a range of environmental issues such as coral bleaching and plastic pollution.
These collages were created as part of larger under the sea scheme of work focusing on using the creation of artwork to raise understanding of a range of environmental issues such as coral bleaching and plastic pollution.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
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Social enterprise art group- Year 6 (age 10-11)
Members of the Social Enterprise Art Group worked in collaboration to found their own company to manufacture artwork to sell in support of the school's nominated charity, the UWS Gnang Som Toch School in Cambodia. A focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals promoting quality education and reducing inequalities were an emphasis of this initiative.
Members of the group launched a series of pop-up shops selling a range of hand-made glazed ceramic decorations and greetings cards inspired by traditional Cambodian textiles. Students also developed sustainable packing solutions using recycled materials.
Members of the group launched a series of pop-up shops selling a range of hand-made glazed ceramic decorations and greetings cards inspired by traditional Cambodian textiles. Students also developed sustainable packing solutions using recycled materials.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
Pop-up stall selling products to raise funds for the development of UWS Gnang Som Toch School in Cambodia.
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Creating recycled packaging solutions using donations of old books and magazines from the library
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Collaborative assemblage art- Year 6 (age 10-11)
Inspired by their investigations into the assemblage art of Louise Nevelson, students worked in class groups to design, plan and create a collaborative piece of sustainable assemblage art.
Students were only allowed to use found and recycled materials to create their piece, even the canvases used were re-purposed from unwanted and damaged artwork. An emphasis was placed on sustainability, using resources which would have ended up in landfill to create artwork.
The whole school became involved in creating this artwork through donations of old, broken and unwanted toys.
Students were only allowed to use found and recycled materials to create their piece, even the canvases used were re-purposed from unwanted and damaged artwork. An emphasis was placed on sustainability, using resources which would have ended up in landfill to create artwork.
The whole school became involved in creating this artwork through donations of old, broken and unwanted toys.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
Experimental printing- Year 3 (age 7-8)
Students experimented with using unusual recycled materials to create textured printing blocks. Materials such as plastic egg cartons, bubble wrap, fruit packaging and plastic bottles were re-purposed to create re-usable and sustainable printing tools for the art room.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
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Our oceans clay sculpture- Year 5 (age 9 to 10)
Inspired by the powerful large-scale clay environmental sculptures by artist Courtney Mattison, students experimented with creating their own responses.
Students were challenged to re-use found objects such as unwanted and broken plastic toys to create clay coral sculptures. Through testing, experimenting and trial and error, students explored ways to create convincing surface textures in clay using a variety of objects.
Students were challenged to re-use found objects such as unwanted and broken plastic toys to create clay coral sculptures. Through testing, experimenting and trial and error, students explored ways to create convincing surface textures in clay using a variety of objects.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below.
Endangered- Grade 8 (age 13-14)
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In this unit of work students were given the challenge of responding to the theme of 'Endangered'. This unit of work focused on developing student's painting and drawing techniques.
Students chose one of the UN sustainable development goals to focus their research and raise awareness of these issues. Students researched, designed and created original artwork to highlight issues contributing to the extinction of animal species. Issues students chose to address were wide ranging including climate change, poaching, illegal animal trade, overfishing, pollution and invasive species.
Students chose one of the UN sustainable development goals to focus their research and raise awareness of these issues. Students researched, designed and created original artwork to highlight issues contributing to the extinction of animal species. Issues students chose to address were wide ranging including climate change, poaching, illegal animal trade, overfishing, pollution and invasive species.
To view this project in more detail please click on the button below