Art
There is a quote by Eric Gill, sculptor amongst many others on the walls of the Art Department which reads, Every artist may not be a special kind of person, but each person is a special kind of artist. The school’s philosophy of developing the unique abilities of every girl and boy is nowhere more visible than in the work of this department. We believe fundamentally in Eric Gill’s statement, and do not waste time waiting for talent to come to us; we place young people in situations where, with a bit of effort, they can not fail to discover the latent talent that lurks within each and every one of them.
Drawing from observation, forms the backbone to all our courses. This first process leads on to the development of themes and ideas and thence the liberty to exercise the Divine Arts of Imagination. (William Blake)
Art for us is not so much about teaching people a way to make art, as teaching them a way to see… Anything seen without predjudice is enormous. (Mervyn Peake)
The making of exciting art objects- paintings, sculptures, set designs, ceramics, is just the by-product of this process.
Visual Literacy is essential in the modern world. Art can be the key which opens the door to visual imagination. (Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate Modern)
At Sixth form level, our course structure is designed to equip students to deal effectively with the rigours of Foundation and Degree courses in Art and Design and Architecture at university. Many Sixth Form artists go on from Clayesmore to achieve highly in these areas.
Our pupils benefit from the many facilities that this department can offer. The three teachers in the department, specialising in Painting, Printmaking, Ceramics, and Sculpture make it possible for an individual to explore his or her ideas in an extraordinarily wide range of media, utilising many techniques, from cast concrete to watercolour, from high-fired porcelain to welded steel, from slab built forms to delicate etching.
Work by Clayesmore artists is exhibited regularly throughout the school. Exhibitions have also been held in prestigious locations in London and Salisbury.
All project work at GCSE and A level starts with a visit to a stimulating location of significance. Seeing the art and artefacts in galleries and museums such as the Louvre and the Pompidou centre, Paris; The Pitt-Rivers museum, Oxford, The British Museum, the Tate and National Galleries, London provides a vital component to the process of making Art, and is central to the way we teach our courses. Equally, visiting exciting sites such as Corfe Castle, Stonehenge or the Eden Project, can also be used as starting points for creative work.
The department’s well designed and comfortable central library and suite of i-mac computers helps pupils explore their ideas further.
