Art

Subject Statement

“Art is not what you see but what you make others see” Edgar Degas

The paintings in the Cave of Lascaux in France from over 15000 years ago demonstrate that since prehistoric times even before the written word the creative process has been used to communicate. A work of art is not just something nice to look at; it can speak to people on many different levels. Art has the power to influence; it can be an act of celebration, an exchange of information, ideas, thoughts and emotions within and across different communities. Developing our awareness of images enables us to contemplate, reason, reflect and think beyond what we already know; overcoming the barriers of language to experience and appreciate the diversity of other cultures. Art is a reflection of our society; it expresses our identity.

To this day artists and designers use imagery to communicate, with the world around us adapting and changing on a daily basis we are bombarded with these visual representations which our brains must decipher and decode. Britain’s Creative Industries have harnessed the potential of visual imagery to engage us with the new, the rediscovered or the reimagined. Art is linked to all aspects of life; by studying art we are able to be more observant, more aware.

At St Peter’s our students explore creativity through the study of a variety artists with the aim of being conversant with the work of other times and cultures whilst becoming independent creators able to communicate their own ideas. The students LEARN through a wide-ranging and balanced curriculum which aims to:

develop students' understanding of the formal elements of art and design and the characteristics of materials, tools and techniques to enable them work with confidence to implement their ideas.
engage, inspire and challengeeach student irrespective of ability to reach their full potential
develop students' capacity to learn about and observe the world in which they live.
enable students to communicate ideas using written, visual or verbal language using subject specific vocabulary
develop students' ability to value the contribution made by artists, craft workers and designers and to respond thoughtfully, critically and imaginatively to ideas, images and objects of many kinds and from many cultures.
make students' aware of how art and design can reflect history and culture and how in current society it contributes to the diversity and wealth of our creative industries.

The Art curriculum at key stage 3 prepares students with the skills and abilities for independent enjoyment and appreciation of Art; enabling them to think and communicate creatively. Our students ASPIRE to careers within the creative industries; we work in partnership with local galleries and universities to create opportunities for students to experience the pathways to these professions and gain invaluable information and guidance. We support our students to EXCEED through direction and support, assessing skills and techniques and the application of their knowledge through the creation of increasingly independent, imaginative work.

“Art is about finding your voice and feeling confident to use your voice” Bob and Roberta Smith

The validity of Art in the curriculum stretches beyond practical skills with art-based media, the diversity of the creative process means our students will gain skills transferable to other subjects and to their future employment:

Communication and self-direction – projects require decision making, these may be based on choice of imagery, media or context
Creativity and risk taking – using imagination to experiment, innovate, make independent choices and solve problems which arise as a part of the process
Collaboration and critical thinking – creating a supportive working environment, being aware of their choices and how these influence others. To make connections and analyse the impact of the wider art world on their work
Reflection and resilience – creating an artwork is just the start of the dialogue, embrace the setbacks and evaluate to develop diversity and discover solutions

With Britain’s creative industries contributing a record breaking £111.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018, opting for creative subjects offers an exciting, varied and viable career path the ambition for which we wish to foster and support in our students.

“Creativity takes Courage” Henri Matisse