Art Show Invitation and Term Overview

Students have had a very successful semester learning about various artists and art forms, exploring what art means to the artist and the impact it has had on the world. I would love for them to have the opportunity to share their hard work and creativity with their families and friends.

Therefore, I would like to warmly invite the St Mary’s community to our Art Show, which will be held in Week 1 of Term 3, on Wednesday, July 23rd, from 3:00–4:00 PM. This event will showcase our students’ hard work, dedication, and creativity. Please note that the Art Show will be the main focus of the afternoon, and classrooms will not be accessible during this time.

The exhibition will feature both Term 1 creations and artwork from our rich and varied learning throughout Term 2.

Term 2 in Art

This term, we explored a range of new artistic techniques and celebrated significant events through our creativity. We began with Easter-themed art, where students created eggs or bunnies inspired by the holiday.

● Foundation students learned how to use pastels and practiced smudging techniques In creating their ‘Eggcellent Eggs’.

● Grades 1 and 2 used a shadowing method to outline their bunnies and demonstrated an understanding of how two primary colours make a secondary colour in the creation of their ‘Shadow Bunnies’.

● Grades 3 and 4 learnt the techniques of using different patterns within a Zentangle bunny that also taught the children about how mindful art can help us to calm or improve our feelings/ moods.

● Grades 5 and 6 used recyclable materials such as cardboard and egg cartons to craft unique ‘Bunny Portraits’.

Next, we celebrated Catholic Education Week by creating a whole-school artwork themed around this year’s Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope.

Each class learned about the Jubilee—an event that occurs every 25 years in the Catholic Church—offering people a chance to grow closer to God, celebrate His love and kindness, and embrace forgiveness and new beginnings. The collaborative piece included elements from every class, culminating in a beautiful and meaningful display.

We continued our theme of unity and inspiration by creating a whole-school installation titled “St Mary’s Garden of Hope.”

Here, students learned that hope is the belief that something good might happen, even if it hasn’t yet. Each class contributed a flower, footprint, or stone, with a message of hope for themselves or the world.

We then explored the work of Yayoi Kusama, a contemporary Japanese artist known for her dot artworks and infinity rooms.

● Foundation students worked on their fine motor skills creating their own Obliteration Room-inspired artwork using white paper, felt dots, and stickers for texture.

● Grade 1 students painted Kusama’s iconic dotted pumpkins, presenting them on black paper with additional coloured dots in the background.

● Grade 2 students also created Yayoi’s famous pumpkins with an added 3D element, constructing pumpkins from coloured paper they added their black dots too.

● Grades 3 and 4 designed an infinity net background, then used one of Yayoi’s favourite topics to cut and glue flowers and vases onto their infinity nets, covering them in dots for a Yayoi inspired look.

● Grades 5 and 6 created Yayoi-inspired sculptures using air-dry clay, crafting flowers, pumpkins, or mushrooms decorated with Yayoi’s infamous dots.

To conclude our Creative Arts program for the year, we are currently exploring the work of the renowned — and often controversial — graffiti and street artist Banksy.

Students are learning that graffiti and street art, while visually striking and culturally impactful, are only legal when created with permission. They are discovering why artists like Banksy choose public spaces as their canvas and how Banksy uses his art to convey powerful, often hidden, messages to the world. Inspired by his unique style, students will have the opportunity to either recreate one of Banksy’s iconic pieces or use his work as inspiration to develop their own expressive street art.

As you can see the students have had a wonderful semester of learning and creativity. We look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements with you and hope you can join us at the Art Show!