Art Encounter Day 2024: A Celebration of Creativity

July 24, 2024

Our Art Encounter Days are a highlight for our Year 11 Visual Art and Design students, who partner with guest artists for a full day of creativity, learning, and exploration. This annual event provides a unique opportunity for our students to engage in workshops with professional artists, learn new techniques, and experience various art forms.

Last Sunday, our Design students teamed up with Tessa Dorotich, while our Visual Art students spent time with Brendan (aka Hope) and Jane Barwell, as part of this year’s Art Encounter Day.

Tessa Dorotich

The Design girls were thrilled to work with Tessa Dorotich, a multidisciplinary artist who’s extensive experience spans painting, drawing, sculpture, textiles, and wearable art. As a Visual Art educator, she has a passion for facilitating learning within the arts and exploring the human form and movement in her work.

During the workshop, Tessa guided the students through the techniques she uses in designing and creating murals. The hands-on experience allowed the students to understand the intricate process behind mural creation and gave them the chance to experiment with Tessa’s innovative approaches.

Brendan aka Hope

The Visual Art students had the extraordinary opportunity to work with Hope a contemporary graffiti artist based in Boorloo (Perth). Hope, who has a unique background in ballet and holds a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma of Secondary Education from Notre Dame, shared his journey from using graffiti as an outlet during tough times at home to becoming a celebrated public mural artist.

Hope’s workshop introduced the students to the doddle mapping technique, which he learned from the renowned street artist Adnate, who in turn was taught by Rone. The students had to work quickly and expressively, capturing the essence of street art in their creations.

Jane Barwell

In the second half of the day, the Visual Art girls worked with Jane Barwell, an experienced visual artist skilled in contemporary art, arts administration, theatre design, and scenic art. Jane, a graduate of Sydney College of the Arts, took the students through a series of life drawing activities, exposing them to various materials and techniques for the first time.

Student Reflection

The impact of Art Encounter Day was evident in the enthusiastic feedback from the students. Visual Art student, Margaux, shared her excitement about exploring two vastly different art styles in a single day:

“Art Encounter Day was a positive experience for me because I got to explore two very different art styles. It was exciting to explore mural artwork as I have never tried street style before, and I think in the future, girls will enjoy having that fun, reckless aspect to the incursion. Our guest artist was great as his presentation was engaging and he taught us helpful techniques such as the scribbles on the canvas we can use in future projects.

“The second half of the day was also really enjoyable as we got to explore a more contemporary, modern course with our still-life drawings. When Jane said it was going to be 3 hours long, I originally thought it was way too much time but it ended up being perfect because of how many artworks we got out of it and how many different mediums we used.”

Art Encounter Day 2024 was a great success, providing students with an invaluable opportunity to immerse themselves in diverse artistic practices. The blend of graffiti-style portraits, classical painting, and drawing offered a dynamic and enriching experience. This annual celebration of art continues to foster creativity, innovation, and a deeper appreciation for the arts among students.

Art Education, Art Encounter Day, Creativity, Featured, Workshops, Year 11

Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.