.

Zart Extra Term 1 2010

Artist In Residence Project: Max Darby

Wanganui Park Secondary College

The aims for this project, which began in mid year, 2009, were four-fold

1. To provide an enriching experience for students to work with an artist and to learn about the processes of design and professional art making.

2. To make 3 very large painted interpretations (approximately 4 X 2 metres) of the whole Shepparton area.

3. To get students to make their own smaller (9“X 5”) painted interpretations of the area of Shepparton in which they live.

4. To enhance the atmosphere in the school auditorium (The Visy Centre) by providing quality student artworks for the walls and to make that an on-going project in subsequent years.

A joint decision was made between the art staff and myself to work with the Year 9 students who are divided into 2 classes of about 24 students. The major reason for choosing Year 9 was because younger students are often well looked after and senior students are always well supported because they are preparing for, or undertaking, VCE. It was also felt that Year 9 students, who, perhaps, sometimes miss out on such opportunities, would find the project highly motivating and interesting. This is proving to be the case.

Each of the three canvases is 4 X 2 metres in size and is being painted in acrylics. Details may be added later using oil paints, if required. The background has been completed using broad brushes and hand brooms and much of the dotted detail is being made using cotton buds and cigarette filters.
The large scale provides enormous space on which to work. It also presents some enormous artistic challenges to be met by the students. These include designing and working on a large scale, using canvas (and all of its peculiarities) for the first time and using a range of thinking and imaginative skills. Most importantly, from an educational perspective, working with other students has provided invaluable experiences in cooperation, flexibility, negotiation and tolerance. This has been one of the most successful components of the whole project to date.

Each of the 2 classes is creating a separate canvas of its own. One class is making an aerial view of the Shepparton area as it might appear in Winter (that is, in greens, turquoises and blues) while the other class is making its own aerial view of the area as it might appear in the Summer (that is in yellows, ochres, browns, oranges and reds). The third canvas is being painted by myself and will continue the aerial view of Shepparton theme but will be interpreted at night. A black/blue background with hundreds of small dots in yellows, oranges and reds will represent the lights of buildings, houses and cars. An evening flight over the city in a light plane will provide the opportunity to take suitable photographs on which this work will be based. The three canvases will be hung side by side.
Students have taken the responsibility to visit Google Earth and Google Maps to locate views of the area and to find the location of their own homes. The Municipal Council was also very helpful (as has everyone else in the community) once the nature and scope of the project was explained and official survey maps were provided.

Small groups of students in each class have been organized to focus on specific areas so that views of the countryside from each side of the city, views above and below the city, and views of the city area itself were investigated. Each of these smaller groups has been responsible for the initial sketching of their own area on to the canvas and has also been responsible for the initial painting of those areas. Currently, all students are working all over the works wherever a need is isolated.
Students are also making their own smaller 9”x 5” interpretations of their home and these have been deliberately linked to the Heidelberg School works made in a similar size and format. The history of those works was shared with students making the project a well-integrated project.

Max Darby
To see more images, please go to our website under the Artist in Residence link.


Download a PDF version of this article

© Copyright Zart Art 2010

Key words: Zart Extra, newsletter, article, school projects, teacher resource,