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Posted on February 14th 2012
‘There’s more to art than drawing’
The art department is enjoying a new lease of life under the guidance of two new heads of department, Clare Stanhope and Lara Carter, who joined the Academy this year.
‘We want to create a vibrant, art-studio learning space – a safe place to experiment with ideas and personality,’ says Ms Stanhope, who job-shares the head of department role with Ms Carter.
‘We are introducing a wider range of media including video, film, sound, animation and sculpture, as well as drawing and painting,’ says Ms Carter. ‘We try to make it like art school, with group tutorials and students feeding back ideas to each other.’
Both stress that art can be a very good subject for job prospects. ‘So many jobs require visual awareness, including TV, magazines, websites and graphic design,’ says Ms Stanhope, pointing out that creative industries are the fastest growing job sector in the UK.
All students study art in years 7 and 8, with the GCSE course beginning in year 9. ‘In year 7 we like to challenge students’ ideas about what art is,’ says Ms Carter. ‘The first thing we do is dispel the myth that all art is about drawing and has to be perfect!’
A recent collaboration with the Royal Academy gave GCSE and A level students a chance to do life drawing with a nude model.
‘Through art we can explore really important issues about body image and the pressures on young girls to look a certain way,’ says Ms Stanhope. ‘Life drawing is a really good way to develop a deeper awareness of your own skin.’
Pictured:
Heads of art Clare Stanhope (right) and Lara Carter (left) with art teacher Senemaa Amoakohene.
