Art

Art studios:

We have two art studios, one inside and our most recent addition our outdoor art studio. Our art studios provide a space for discovery and experimentation, provide opportunity for active engagement and sustained involement, and encourage intrinsic motivation by providing                                                                                                            children with choice.

Our art studios have large tables and easels that allow plenty of space for the child to create. There are many open shelves full of art materials such as good quality paper in different sizes, a large variety of tools such as scissors, sticky tape and string, as well as many different mediums for the children to make marks with including, pencils, textas, charcoal. pastels and many different coloured paints.

We believe that these high-quality materials empower the children to feel like real artists and allows them to make marks and create with a wide variety of materials and technigues.

Educators set up the art studios with provocations and inspirations such as real art works, pictures, and photos as well as props, toys and real-lifeobjects such as flowers and natural objects. Educators use the children's interests, popular culture, or topics that the children are researching and learning about.

Educators are readily available to provide support and encouragement and at John Brotchie, children who need or want assitance, know that the educators are always available to share their knowledge, skills, time and attention.

The educators also spend time displaying the children's creations within our classrooms. Proudly, displaying them to our families and visitors.

Art gallery excursion:

In term 2, we visit the Art Gallery of NSW. Throughout the year at John Brotchie the children are "learning through art"and when we go to the art gallery children have the opportunity to "learn about art". The childrenhave the opportunity to develop and appreciation for art, viewing and leaning about Australian and International artists.

The children study and become inspired by John Olsen, Sidney Nolan, Picasso and Monet to mention a few. During their visit to the art gallery, they view artworks and sit down and sketch their favourite paintings.

After our visit to the art gallery, we find that the children have a new inspiration for art and painting. They are more confident and always keen to participate in our annual Art Show. The children work with our art teacher or one of our educators to recreate a master piece from one ofour favourite Australian artists - John Olsen or Sidney Nolan.

During Term 4, we hold our annual Art Show. All the childrens master pieces are on display, We change our preschool into ourown art gallery.

The Opening Night of our Art Show is a parent event. All our parents attend to see the children's  amazing aret work. The parent's have an enjoyable evening viewing the art work's, socialising and they even have a chance to create their own masterpiece.

It's an enjoyable evening well attended by all our parents. We keep the art works on display for the children and other family members to admire during drop off and pick up times.

Activities masquerading as creative arts:

Our art program prides itself on being open ended and providing opportunities for children to express themselves.

Therefore, we do not let stencils, tracing patterns, cutting around shapes and pasting activities or colouring books into our art program.

These are more closed ended, don't allow for self-expression. These activities are part of our educational program in other areas of our curriculum.