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Art & Design

Field Visits

  • Artists of the week
    Claire Norton 9LMI

    artist of the week

Amsterdam – Last February ½ term we visited all the cultural delights of this diverse and quirky city.  Canal cruises, visits to museums, local and ethnic foods plus various flea markets.  Students learnt about Dutch Art in the Van Gogh and Rijks museums.

Links with Galleries

The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art Continued to feature strongly in our links with mainly exam students – as follows.

New Key Stage 3 Curriculum

The new requirements come into effect this term with Yr 7 and growing into Yr 9 by 2010.  We have piloted the new orders which ask for “compelling” learning experiences, innovatory practise and links with other departments.  Yr 7 and 8 looked at Science-Led sustainable technologies and built part shelter, part sculpture with willow.  What could be more compelling than carving ‘ice’ as a response to global warming and the melting of the ‘ice’ as a response to global warming and the melting of the ice-caps?  Yr 9’s took the opportunity to study local architecture, comparing plans for the new Middlehaven with Gateshead Quays.  Watch out for the film of these 3 separate new curriculum changes on film – released here – in November!

Enrichments

Mainly Yrs 7, 8 and 9 benefited from a variety of Art and Craft clubs.

Our Exhibition Space

We are delighted with our new corridor gallery.  If you haven’t already seen it, come up to the department and view the salon – style interior, complete with maroon red covered panelling from floor to old breeze block line.  The space above this is white, to maximise the light.  Our first exhibition is from a community group from Stockton who call themselves “full circle against discrimination” which shares space with our wonderful.  Year 7 Art shoes located on podia. 

The year ahead for exhibitions is as follows:

Artist Residencies

Anne Mason has worked with Yr 7’s.  Her work takes inspiration from the link between visual art and sounds.

Bob Watson worked with Sixth Formers during his residency using Durham Cathedral as a stimulus for some very adventurous painting.

Looking Forward 2008/09

Link with Middlesbrough Youth Theatre

Art teachers are using their first terms Enrichment to help our students produce willow sculptures for the MYT production “Pendragon” in November.

Visits

Paris in February, 42 students and 6 staff are taking the train from Darlington to Paris to look at the French capitals various cultures.

Department Staff

Name Position
Mr I Lightfoot Head of Department
Mrs A Charlton Second in Department
Mr K Moore Full time Art and Design Teacher
Miss L Clapham Full time Art and Design Teacher
Mrs E Spencer Assistant to the Art Department
Mrs C Ellington Displays Manager