Trinity College School was proud to welcome students from Grades 10-12 for an exciting day of creative exploration during the fourth annual Conference of Independent Schools Visual Arts Festival on February 22nd. Young artists had the chance to learn about various techniques and media and explore future careers in the arts.
The theme of this year’s festival – “ARTivism: Ideas in Motion” – was woven into the day’s six workshops, which were run by professional artists. Jeff Macklin led the session on print-making where students learned about the history of public postering, carved a soft block with an image inspired by the lecture and made postcards which could be sent to elected officials or posted in public places. In the painting workshop, James Matheson led a discussion of artists like Gentileschi, Hannah Hoch, Jenny Holzer and Barbara Kruger, whose work tackles issues including feminism, anti-war activism, power structures, and critiques of the art world itself. The students worked together to brainstorm ideas for a politically based work, and produced a visual proposal for a public work of art on a current political theme. In the public art session, Julii McMillan helped students experience the creation of public art through painting, as students created stencils and spray painted the designs on two decommissioned clothes dryers.
In the photography session, Jeff Bierk, whose brother Alex Bierk instructs oil painting at TCS, introduced early image-making techniques (cyanotype) and the paper, chemicals and process of printing. Students also had the chance to broaden their understanding of how to create a comic and learn techniques for strong visual storytelling in the zine art workshop with instructor Steph Brennan. These skills were then applied to short comics created by the students. And students worked collectively, under the guidance of John Marris, to create an art installation using everyday materials, images and text. Using techniques of cluster and redaction poetry, and collaging images and texts, students transformed a classroom into a place where words and pictures took on new meanings, giving voice to fears, dreams and ideas.
Teachers also had a chance to network with their peers during a professional development session focused on how to grow and ensure the continued success of the festival. CIS Executive Director Sara Craig sat in on the session, sharing the council’s commitment and support. CIS is in the process of creating an online forum to provide Conversation Circles and Group Stash Boards, making communication between member schools and art teachers easier and more efficient.
In the afternoon, one of the highlights of the day took place in Cirne Commons. In teams of eight, students from participating schools applied paint to canvas in the “Art Battle,” demonstrating what ARTivism means to them. With just 30 minutes, students from each school had to work together to derive a unified narrative, combining thoughts, ideas, different styles and techniques. We were honoured to have Mr. David Blackwood, accompanied by his assistant, Ms. Janita Wiersma, attend the battle. Mr. Blackwood watched the event, spoke to the students, and deliberated on a winner of the challenge based on set criteria. Hillfield Strathallan took home the hardware, with TCS in second.
It was an amazing day of learning, exploring and creating! Our visitors loved the workshops, our facilities, the friendliness of our TCS family and the wonderful meal put on by our culinary services team!
- By Ms. Sally McKay-LePage and Ms. Jessie Ironside, TCS visual art teachers and festival co-chairs
