Grade 9 Students Showcase Independent Visual Arts Project

July 2, 2020

Academics

GNS

Our Grade 9 artists followed their passions and used their creativity for an independent project as a way to finish the year off in IB Visual Arts. The students looked at exemplar artists for inspiration, found tutorials and resources to help guide their learning, created a schedule, and documented their progress.

Students used a range of media in their pieces including drawing with pencil, chalk, digital software, or embroidery thread. Students also painted with watercolour, acrylic and spray paint, while some sculpted with clay, sea glass and papier maché. Art pieces had many inspirations, including Andy Warhol designs, social issues, landscapes, and more.

This was the first year Grade 9 Visual Arts students have had the opportunity to do this independent project.

“As hard as it was not to be in the same physical space together, it did provide the opportunity for students to pursue whatever interested them so long as they had the materials,” said Ms. Jennie Greven. “Students had a little over a month to plan, practice, and create their artwork. The intention was for their art-making to be something they looked forward to that provided a break from screen time while also acting as a means of processing the experience of this unprecedented and often difficult time.”

Some challenges included the amount of time that was allotted for the project, as some students struggled to come up with a self-management schedule. Ms. Greven hopes the skills acquired will set students up for success with their Grade 10 IB MYP Personal Projects.

“Some students ran into unexpected challenges that forced them to reevaluate and shift course midway through the project, their renewed interest and momentum resulting in excellent pieces,” she said. “Some students thrived with the opportunities, advantages and challenges of being their own teachers. All in all the Grade 9s developed their skills, and hopefully, both learned a few things about themselves and found some respite from the times in the creative process.”

Way to go Grade 9 students on showcasing your artistic abilities! Check out their independent art projects here.