Saturday

Sculpture by the Schools 2006 People's Choice Award


Sculpture by the Schools had its inaugural launch at Bondi Public School (BPS) , in Wellington Street, on the last weekend of that better known sculpture get together down Bondi Road on Nov 18 and 19.2006
There were no prizes but the people’s choice award went to nine year old Ruby Lowenstein from St Catherine’s School who’s always wanted to be in Sculpture by the Sea .
Her entry called Bondi Bottlenose featured more than 2,000 unused crown seals from beer bottles arranged in the shape of three dolphins complete with waves. Each bottle top was filled with a few drops of water with the help of pupils from BPS.
Six local schools, ranging from Waverley College to pre-school Wee Care, submitted work based on the local environment. Two weeks later BPS’ jellyfish were still hanging from the trees at the front of the heritage school.
The event was the brainchild of the school’s artist in residence Jade Oakley and teachers including Damien Moran. “The school environment was awash with vibrant colours and kinetic sculpture made by so many talented young artists in the Waverley area,” said Jade.“The community’s response has been fantastic and I’m very impressed with the work that was submitted.”

Tuesday

K/1 prepare to make clay Kokatha moles


K/1 prepare to make clay Kokatha moles
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.

K/1 with the support of our AiR- Jade Oakley - participated in a fund raising exhibition and auction to raise awareness of the endangered
Kokatha (miniature marsupial) Mole. The 20 piece installation was sucessfully sold at auction.

Jade and BPS school captains with the Gormley inspired installation


Jade and BPS school captains
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.

This year has seen the BPS Artist in Residence Program successfully integrated into the school curriculum. Jade's work with the school has included excursions to the NSW Art Gallery, the Sydney Biennale2006, Powerhouse Museum. Each term she has devised a 3 hour (over 3 weeks) art exercise with each of the 4 classes. During these sessions Jade has been supported by artist/parent Anne-Louise Rowe. Together they have communicated art practice, and in the case of excursions - art theory- to the Bondi public school community.Since term 3 Jade has also conducted after school classes that have included children from the neighboring schools.
Jade also initiated, with the support of the AiR committee and the tirelessly enthusiastic teaching staff, Sculpture by the Schools. Local schools and youth groups have been invited to participate in a weekend festival, 18th and 19th November, to explore ways to represent Bondi and its environment through sculpture. It will be an annual event, giving local children a chance to
represent their work during the dynamic period of Sculpture by the Sea.
Throughout the year Jade has continued to produce a huge body of work for an exhibition in early 2007 at the Bondi Pavillion.

Monday

Fish Mobiles at BPS


Fish mobiles
Term One

During the last weeks of Term One, Bondi Public School students took part in art workshops with artist in residence Jade Oakley. The task was for each class to make a mobile of sea creatures. We experimented with new media, such as marbling with oil based paints and also marbling with spray paint on water. The students drew sea creatures from their imagination. They created prickly puffer fish, jellyfish with long tentacles, scary swordfish, dancing dolphins and moray eels as well as little creatures, like prawns, blue bottles and what appears to be single celled organisms! The sea creatures were drawn onto acetate, then marbled.

Each class came up with their own way of doing things. SR enjoyed marbling with spray paint on water to create lovely watery patterns. K-1 drew beautiful creatures and took enthusiastically to the task of painting and experimenting with marbling. 2-3 produced meticulous drawings depicting many of the smaller creatures of the sea, using paint very delicately and carefully. Year 4-5-6 cut their sea creatures out and added sculptural elements like fins and flippers. Jade has since made a mobile out of the sea creatures made by each class. These colourful mobiles will be displayed in the school.


Term Two
So far in Term Two K-1 have worked with Jade to make jellyfish from objects found in Reverse Garbage. 2-3 have created beautiful oil pastel drawings of waterlillies and sunflowers inspired by Monet and Van Gogh. 4-5-6 will be decorating masks to be used in a drama production.

Thursday

Jade Oakley's "snowy detail 1"


asnowy detail 1
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.


2004 - 2005
Elizabeth Farm Parramatta -
buttons fishing line wire and lead

Jade Oakley's "a scarlet fever"


a scarlet fever
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.


2004 - 2005
Elizabeth Farm Parramatta -
hand dyed silk and synthetic string,
steel frame

Jade Oakley's "A Dragon And Reflection"


a Dragon And Reflection
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.


May 2000 Bundanon Artists Centre-
made from denier,dowel fishing line and rope

Jade Oakley's "Sound Waves"


Sound Waves
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.


2002
Sound Waves
Jade Oakley and Kate Moore
Noosa Regional Gallery -
organza,fibreglass rods and found objects

Friday

A student's response to the Air Project

Tuesday 30th August, Mrs Margaret Whitlam launched the Artist in Residence (AIR) studio named in her honour.
One of the Bondi School Students welcomed her and expressed the advantage of having an artist on campus -
Here's what Frey Robinson had to say:
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, our honourable guest Mrs Whitlam,
It has been a great experience to have Caroline at our school. Since she set up her studio across the playground from our school it’s very convenient for us. She often invites our class to her amazing studio. It is really cool making stuff with caroline because she’s interesting to work with. She goes around our group helping, and offering suggestions that really help us get the idea. We have worked with vinyl and Perspex. One day she asked us to bring in our favourite treasure and we had to draw it, we have great fun and it has inspired me to do more art at home. She is a great sculptor "

Monday

Studio named in Margaret Whitlam's honour

Margaret Whitlam, one of Bondi Public School’s most esteemed former pupils, is returning to her alma mater to officially open the Artist in Residence (AIR) studio and an exhibition of work which has flowed from it.

Margaret, who attended the Wellington Street landmark between the years 1925-30, will have the classroom turned studio named in her honour. She will also launch a collection of work from Caroline Rothwell, the first artist in the program, and some of the art she has produced in collaboration with the children.

“It’s been a wonderful experience to collaborate with the community of the primary school and see what an extraordinary and complex job the education of kids is” said Caroline.

“Contemporary art is all about reflecting the world that exists around you and I think the kids are enjoying the challenge of making art that has a relevance to the way they live.”

Friday

sculpture @ bondi


sculpture @ bondi
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.


Students of 4/5/6 spent a few hours with Caroline exploring different forms of sculpture.
Please stand by for the official opening of the
Margaret Whitlam Studio
30th August 2005