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Art and Textiles
Head of Department: Mrs C Lugsden
Mrs J Brearley
Mrs S Johnson
Miss R Page
Mrs C Randall (in charge of Textiles)
Technician: Miss N Denton
Accommodation and Resources
We have two general purpose Art Studios with a separate Computer Graphics area, a Ceramics studio and a well equipped resources and tutorial room which is shared with Design Technology.
Art
Lower School
All girls in Years 7 and 8 spend two periods a week for half a year pursuing Art; the remaining half-year is spent in Textiles. Girls in Year 9 can opt to take Art for a whole year in order to experience a practical subject in greater depth.
Whilst always encouraging creativity and imagination, our teaching attempts to balance the need to learn about materials and techniques with the need to understand the basic aesthetic principles of the subject. Most of the work is carried out using fairly traditional Fine Art and Graphic Design techniques and all girls have the chance to produce some ceramic pieces or sculpture and carry out elementary print making.
Upper School - GCSE
The GCSE course is a flexible one which allows candidates the opportunity to approach work in a variety of ways using a wide range of media, including Computer Graphics and some Ceramics or Sculpture. Assessment is in the form of an exhibition of each candidate's coursework, based upon three themes or subjects, in addition to one piece carried out during a ten-hour examination. Research and the ability to learn from existing art or design are important,.
Sixth Form - AS / A level
AS and Advanced levels form a natural progression from GCSE. Most students will approach their work from a broad Fine Art direction which can include sculpture and printmaking, but it is possible to follow a more general course which may include various design disciplines. There is also an after-school life drawing class.
The department normally offers a visit each year to Amsterdam, Paris or New York as well as to London, but it is also important that students have sufficient interest in the subject to visit galleries and exhibitions of their own accord.
In the second year, candidates are able to delve more deeply into the relationship between some elements from existing art and their own work, and to pursue specific aesthetic problems relevant to their own art. They complete a final 12 hour practical examination.
Textiles
Lower School
All girls in Years 7 and 8 study Textiles, where they have the opportunity to learn specific skills such as using the sewing machine. We encourage girls to take an interest in fashion, to be aware of the effect of colour and to develop an enjoyment and an appreciation of the many facets of Textiles.
Year 7
All girls make a cushion cover. This will be inspired by the study of an art movement. They will develop their ideas focussing on colour, pattern and shape to produce a fabric painted cushion cover. This can be enhanced with quilting, stitching, beading and embroidery.
Year 8
All girls make a bag, taking their inspiration from the study of architecture and a 20th century artist/designer. Skills such as appliqué, machine embroidery and the application of fringing and tassels will be covered.
Year 9
In Year 9 Textiles is optional and, if the girls choose to do so, they will study the subject for the whole year. This will allow mastery of new skills and consolidation of previously acquired skills.
The projects are thematic in preparation for future study at GCSE.