Miltaburra Area School
Miltaburra Area School caters for students R–12 although currently the highest level being studied is Yr 10. In 2007 the school had an enrolment of 77 students. It is located on the Eyre Peninsula, 750kms north-west of Adelaide. It is not situated in a town, but a paddock. The nearest town is 23kms away. Most children live on a farm or one of the small rural towns (Haslam or Wirrulla) – approximately 30–50 people live in these towns
PROJECT COORDINATOR: Libby Kelsh
ARTIST: James Parker
PROJECT: ‘Working Together to Build Our Future’ – a found-object sculpture project
Aims:
- To expose students to a real Artist, to learn about their approaches to art and to work collaboratively;
- To celebrate the uniqueness of our school and to expose students to different forms of art by involving students from start to finish;
- To work with different materials;
- By building this sculpture we will see a sense of belonging and a sense of place tied to the school motto – “In a Field of Its Own”; and
- Students will begin to see the possibilities of creating sculptures with material that they find on their own farming properties.
The Artist:
James has a broad range of arts experiences. His areas of arts practices include: Printmaker: monotypes, lino prints, etching and photo-polymer techniques. Sculpture and mixed media. props builder and buyer for film and commercial industries. Various children’s workshops, e.g. Monotypes, bookbinding and making, dioramas and various other workshops developed to meet the students’ needs.
The Process:
- Discussions with James to plan and share ideas in organizing a structure for the visit.
- Introductory session with James looking at sculptures from around the world and an introduction of himself – his own art and his background.
- James worked with all students, in small groups, undertaking a sensory drawing exercise.
- All students completed a mono-print workshop designing possibilities for a sculpture representing our living/working environment.
- All students completed an assemblage activity.
- Collection of ‘found objects’ and stones by a variety of students.
- Older students cut shapes from corrugated iron.
- Select groups of children worked with James to attach shapes to poles and set into the ground and to distribute small rocks at the base.
Outcomes:
- James worked with all students in the school.
- James gave students different approaches to creating art.
- James shared his own work and background, including sharing work prospects such as set deign and commercial production.
- Students worked collaboratively to create a final sculpture.
- Students saw a real live artist at work.
Other outcomes included:
- A positive happening in our time of drought.
- James being a positive male role model as the arts are traditionally seen as a female pursuit.
- Career education for the older boys.
Highlights:
The creation of our final iron, wood and stone sculpture that reflects our community and the way we all work together to build our unique environment and community.
‘I liked having my body traced onto the corrugated iron… You get to learn lots about working with art… Our sculpture looked funny… I liked making sculpture from junk… Making the assemblages was somewhat confronting at first, not knowing what to do, but when you got into it, it was heaps fun…
Art doesn’t have to be perfect to be great… It bought out my inventive side.’ Students
‘Already students have furthered their use of printmaking in the form of monoprints, continuing to explore this technique.’ Project Coordinator
‘The staff and the equipment supplied by the school were excellent – I wanted for nothing and was included in everything… Working in a school environment has made me realise that complex ideas can be achieved by simple means.’ Artist
77 students participated in this project
