The Project

A Carclew Youth Arts Creative Education Partnership, Artist Residence Initiative, in partnership with Country Arts SA and Murray Bridge North Schools, Big Journal – Big Draw will take place between April and September 2010 at Murray Bridge – The Regional Centre for Culture.
Inspired by a concept that originated in the United Kingdom, Big Journal - Big Draw takes students, teachers and the school community on an artistic journey of exploration. A journey where they learn and practice new visual arts techniques inspired by their school, their heritage and where they live.

Artists, John Whitney, James Parker and Sebastian Humphreys, supported by Project Coordinator, Ella Pak Poy will work with 120 Yr 4/5 students in four one-week blocks. These drawing workshops provide students with a chance to experience many mediums and techniques as they fill their journals with thoughts, dreams, ideas and reflections.

From the outset, only two main rules have applied in ‘The Shed’ where the workshops take place – ‘no erasers’ and ‘there’s no such thing as a mistake’ – from there, anything and everything is possible and the drawings are flowing.

Big Journal – Big Draw provides students and teachers at Murray Bridge North Schools with a unique chance to engage with professional artists as well as an opportunity to be involved at all stages of the project - from research, concept, planning and design through to creation, exhibition and evaluation.

Mostly, everyone is learning that drawing can be heaps of fun and in the words of one of the students... ‘Give me a real drawing – I can handle it!’

The Team

Program Manager: Leigh Mangin
Project Coordinator: Ella Pak Poy
Lead Artists: James Parker
John Whitney
Emerging Artist: Sebastian Humphreys

... and over 120 very talented Year 4/5 students from Murray Bridge North Schools, and their teachers

Big Journal – Big Draw is a Creative Education Partnership - Artist in Residence Initiative, funded by The Australia Council for the Arts through Arts SA and managed by Carclew Youth Arts, in partnership with Country Arts SA and Murray Bridge North Schools.