Mosman Art Gallery

See Me: at the Beach

April School Holidays
PHOTOGRAPHY AT BALMORAL BEACH

Balmoral Beach was bathed in sunshine when children aged between between 9 and 12 took to the sands armed with their camera and a colourful array of imaginative beach props. Here, they were guided by fine art photographer, Caroline McLean-Foldes, in the art of portrait photography at the beach.

Drawing inspiration from famous photographs such as The Bathers by Anne Zahalka and Sunbaker by Max Dupain, the children had fun stepping into the role of both model and photographer whist seeking to replicate these iconic Australian photographic images.

Caroline McLean-Foldes has a Master of Documentary Photography.

• See some of their photos on Flickr

A welcome to Xina Crowther

Each year thousands of students from local schools including Mosman Public, Middle Harbour Public School, Beauty Point Public School, Cammeray Public School, Sacred Heart and Blessed Sacrament participate in 90 minute creative workshops, appreciating and discussing art works, as well as creating their own which are inspired by Gallery exhibitions.

At the end of 2012, Gallery staff and Volunteers gathered to farewell Pernille Elmgreen who had worked for the past two years at Mosman Art Gallery as a Primary School Art Educator. After spending fourteen wonderful years living in Mosman, Pernille and her family have moved to Denmark, her country of origin.

Xina Crowther

As the school bookings pour in for 2013, the Gallery welcomes Xina Crowther to the Education Program team.

Xina is a Mosman resident who has worked as an Art Educator both in Australia and overseas. In addition to joining the team at Mosman Art Gallery, Xina works part-time as the K – 6 Visual Art Specialist at Mosman Prep School. We look forward to the creative and innovative contributions Xina will bring to the Education Program.

The Balnaves Gift gives students the opportunity to learn from the Masters

The new primary school education package, Painting En Plein Air in Mosman was launched at the Mosman Art Gallery on Tuesday 20 November 2012.

In 2011, long term Mosman resident, Neil Balnaves AO donated from his personal collection sixteen Australian Impressionist and early twentieth century artworks valued at one million dollars. This is unquestionably the most important donation ever to be received by Mosman Council. The collection includes several key works by Arthur Streeton, Conrad Martens, Will Ashton, Henry Fullwood, Elioth Gruner, George Halstead, James Ranalph Jackson, Matthew Charles Meere, Adelaide Elizabeth Perry, Sydney Long, Ethel Carrick Fox and Margaret Preston.

Year 2 students from Mosman Primary School gathered in The Balnaves Gift gallery space where they had the opportunity to learn about and engage with the paintings that comprise this magnificent collection. Students discussed the historical significance of the vistas featured in the artworks and their observations of the same geographical areas as known to them today.

Following their tour of The Balnaves Gift, the students relocated to the parkland adjacent to the Mosman Art Gallery. Equipped with a kit that included soft pastels, pastel paper, a paper view finder and a small mat on which to sit, the students had the opportunity to connect with the skills and vision of the artists featured in The Balnaves Gift as they painted En Plein Air.

Art Attack!! in January

Jan Hook helping children, January 2011

Special thanks to our distinguished guest artist Josefia Lemon for her engaging watercolour creative workshop, SPLASH!, she presented for 20 lucky children in January. Josefia demonstrated paint and brush techniques, including a step by step how to paint landscape details such as trees. They later put this all together to produce their own vibrant watercolour landscapes.

Younger children joined workshop leader Janelle Patchett to produce vibrant Pattern Portraits of their own faces. They learnt where to position key facial features or they participated in the Print, Press and Paint workshop experimenting with relief printing.

During each holiday workshop there are a team of volunteers assisting the workshop leaders and tirelessly working one on one to help our young budding artists fulfil their creative potential. A big thank you in the summer holidays to Clare Stockdale, Gill Lee, Valerie McDonald, Sue Frew, Jan Hook, Jill Swart, Carol Lye and Robyn Beckhaus for all the art materials she prepared.

The next ART ATTACK children’s creative workshops will be held during the April school holidays on Wednesday 13 April, 10.30am-12.30pm for 5-7 years and 1.30pm-3.30pm for 7-12 years and Wednesday 20 April, 10.30am-12.30pm for 5-7 years and 1.30pm-3.30pm for 7-12 years.

Cost $15.00 per child. Book now, these workshops are popular!

Education team expands! Gallery welcomes Janelle Patchett

Janelle Patchett (left) and Margaret Clarkson

With the big demand for schools to participate in the Mosman Art Gallery education programs, a new education contractor has joined the Gallery’s team.

Janelle Patchett, a Mosman local with a strong visual arts background, has years of experience working with children and local schools, especially Beauty Point Public School. With a warm, patient and enthusiastic nature Janelle has been a delightful addition to the team. Janelle has been participating in education and Art Attack programs since the beginning of the year. She joins Margaret Clarkson, education contractor and Suzanne Davey, the Gallery Education Program Co-ordinator.

Each year thousands of students from local schools such as Mosman Public, Middle Harbour Public School, Beauty Point Public School and Blessed Sacrament participate in 90 minute creative workshops, appreciating and discussing art works, as well as creating their own inspired by Gallery exhibitions.