SKSS Visual Arts

Just a Chunk of Mud!

2012-02-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

Portraits can be the toughest thing to represent in art. Every day we look in the mirror, to check our own appearance. We go to school, or to work, and look at faces; eyes, mouth, nose, ears. We are very familiar with these features, and yet ask someone to draw a face and you'll most likely hear, "I can't draw faces!" So imagine these students being told to not just draw, but to sculpt faces!
Beginning with nothing more than a block of clay and a balled up peice of newspaper, the students began forming and manipulating their clay to resemble a real face. For most, it was a challenge to see how much the eyes sink in, or how much the nose protrudes. To be able to sculpt a lifelike jaw-line or to bend the clay to create a believable ear was not easy. Then of course there are lips and nostrils (most students don't even like to say the word "nostril")! And let's not forget finishing details like hair - and maybe a gothic, spiked choker! The students persevered. I wish parents and random people from the community could do a walk through on these constructive days. They would see a highly focused group of teens; collaborating and problem solving. They would see creative thinking and admire the way artists can make something incredible - from a chunk of mud!

*Special thanks to Rhona Armes for sharing her time, knowledge and enthusiasm with this class.

Kamloops - Rediscovering Our Past

2011-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

This year, we are proud to celebrate the Bicentennial Anniversary of Fort Kamloops. This has been a great opportunity for our students, living in the modern community of Kamloops, to reflect on this area’s historic beginnings and transformations through the decades. Starting with a trip to the Kamloops Museum and Archives, students searched through stacks of black and white photos to choose personally meaningful images as references. Back in the classroom, students researched notable Canadian Artists and found ways to incorporate these recognizable styles into their artworks. The wide variety of styles and colour palettes seen in this calendar reflect the diversity and creativity of our students. The compelling nature of the images reflect the rich history of Kamloops: the people, the landscape, and the culture.

Special Thanks!

On behalf of the Visual Arts Department at South Kamloops Secondary School, we would like to sincerely thank all the members of our school and community who helped make this project successful. We would like to thank Elizabeth Duckworth, who welcomed us into the Kamloops Museum and Archives, and shared a rich collection of historic images from the Kamloops area. Her knowledge of the people and their stories truly helped bring the images alive for our students. Thanks to our community jurors: Elizabeth Duckworth, Noreen Pankewich, the District First Nations Coordinator, and Ken Rife, SKSS Vice Principal. These jurors shared the very difficult task of selecting these calendar images from a large collection of quality artworks. Thanks to Barb Berger at the City Of Kamloops, who continues to support us with enthusiasm for student artworks, and a shared sense of community culture. Thank you to Menzies Printers, for caring, professional support as we bring our calendar to print.

Most importantly

Congratulations to the students who created these artworks with creativity, enthusiasm, and perseverance!

Fine Arts Department

South Kamloops Secondary School

Reconstructing Art History .

2011-05-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Working together in small groups; grade 9 and 10 students separated, created and reconstructed an oil pastel replica of some original pieces of artwork from well known artists of the 1900's-1950's. Through hard work, and collaboration the students managed to created a window back into art history!

-Amy Piquette

Finished Sound Sculptures

2011-05-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

The Ceramics & Sculpture students at South Kamloops have been busy completing work for the end of the school year! Clay heads, shown above here, were finished in a variety of ways including: glaze, spray paint and acrylic paint. Each face is intended to portray a sound - a chanting whistle, snoring, anger & pain and a friendly kiss!

BOLD Identity

2011-04-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

Each year, District 73 Secondary Art Show presents high school students with the opportunity to display their artwork for the community to see. This year, the students also acted as curators for the show.

Between February and March, students from across the district met with Fine Arts students from Thompson Rivers University to learn about organizing an art show and critiquing art; and to appreciate art from others in the community. As a group, they created a title for the show, structured a logical layout for the pieces, and finally set up the show in the Sagebrush Lobby.

This hands-on experience gave the students a chance to see another side of art while connecting with and being inspired by other artists. It was an involved process, and the final product clearly met its purpose: to illustrate the talent in SD 73. The students did not just create the art in the show;
they created the show.

Special thanks to all art teachers in SD 73 who prepared artwork and organized this group of fantastic artists. Congratulations to the following students who participated in this exciting youth curatorial project.

TRU Art Leaders: Dani Kohurst, Kathleen Chartrand, and Brenna Adkins

SD73 Student Curators:

Westsyde- Jocelyn & Devin

South Kamloops - Shannon & Sydney

Sahali – Levi & Fonda

Valleyview - Vanessa & Marleigh

Picturing Sound

2011-03-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ceramics students at SKSS are working with clay to create 3D heads! They also have the difficult task of representing a metaphor of a sound.

Inspired by the work of Franz Xaver Messerschmidt (1736 – 1783) a German-Austrian sculptor most famous for his busts of faces contorted in extreme facial expressions.He was a gifted sculptor in Vienna when Mozart composing. Then his mind went began to go, he continued to sculpt. He would pinch himself to make his face contort and then sculpt it.

Here are the students at work in class. We are excited to see the outcome of this project!

A Valentine Heart: Style Your Sole

2011-02-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

Toms shoes is a company which devotes itself to the distribution of much needed shoes. Using the system of One for One, when you by one pair of Toms shoes, they will match your purchase and send a pair to the shoeless in places such as Guatemala, Kenya, Argentina, Peru, Haiti and many more. In the style Your Sole event, students had the chance to create and design their own pair of Toms shoes in the way they think best reflects their personality. In participating in this event, 20 pairs of shoes were sent out to children in need from the students. Not only did the students leave with their own personalized pair of shoes but also with the knowledge that they've made a difference in the life of a stuggling individuel. Thanks to all those who participated in this year's Style Your Sole event.

Written by Rosemary and Chelsea

Inspiration!

2011-01-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

Cicyetkwu brightens the upper campus hallway with a splash of colour and shares her artistic viewpoint with the school. "Inspiration can be found anywhere". To see this mural life size, come up to J116. And while you're at it, why not come into the art room and see what else is going on!

"Creativity is not dependent on you being an artist or musician or actor - it is a way of thinking. Creative Living is taking joy in thinking outside the box. It's finding abundances in the most simple things: basic ingredients for a healthy supper, uncut fabric, a camera, a crayon, a thought. It's colouring outside the lines and sometimes on walls. It's daring to be different when everyone tells you to be the same. " - Tara Gentile

Grade 3 Art Buddies Create Clay Salmon

2010-12-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

It's salmon season, and for Mrs. Yamaoka's senior Art Foundations class that means buddying up with the incredibly talented grade 3 class of Lloyd George.

As a student in Mrs. Yamaoka’s class, I have always loved teaming up with the younger students to create something special. The kids are always so inspired; my buddy particularly so. She was so excited to make a fish to give to her mother for Christmas. She knew exactly what she wanted it to look like too. It’s fantastic to have that sense of confidence.

All of the students got right to work, tracing the body of the fish, cutting out the shape, and then adding detail. The young students were surprisingly well behaved and focused! At the end of the class, the fish looked absolutely amazing.

A week later, the students returned to glaze their fish. Once again, my little buddy knew exactly which colours she wanted to use. She walked around the class on several occasions, asking every person if they had the glaze she needed to use. She’s the most determined child I have ever met.

When the fish were glazed and fired, the kids finally got to see the finished product of their work. From what I’ve heard, they were absolutely thrilled.

At the end of one class, my buddy told me that art is important because without art, we wouldn’t have colour. All of the grade three students were so insightful and inspiring. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to work with them.

Written by Shannon Charlebois

Art Buddies Visit SKSS Grade 1 Star Tiles

2010-12-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

In early December, Mrs. Yamaoka's ceramics class had the opportunity to work with grade ones from Lloyd George Elementary. In part with the holiday season, the kids were focusing on a "star" theme, so we decided to make ceramic star tiles.

Each student was paired with a grade one and given a square of clay. The children were given an array of textures, tools, and cut-outs to make their projects unique. Under the guidance of Mrs. Yamaoka's students, each grade one created a one of a kind tile. During their second visit, the grade ones learned about glazing and did a fantastic job adding colour to their creations.

The collaboration was a huge success; everyone had fun and it helped everyone to get into the holiday spirit.

Great job grade ones!

Written by Sarah & Ariga