Talking about artists in schools

Western Riverina Arts invites you to enjoy an evening of guest speakers at the Leeton Multipurpose Community Centre on Thursday 5th March from 6pm. 

He'll also be running a workshop on the following day, see information near the end of this post

The theme for the evening will be Artists in Schools, and all of the speakers will give short and engaging ‘petrol kulture’ style presentations (a quick talk accompanied by images).

Heading the line-up will be noted Australian artist Jason Wing. Wing is an artist of Aboriginal and Chinese heritage and has exhibited work both nationally and internationally. His work is held in both private and public collections including the National Gallery of Australia. Wing is well known for his innovative and collaborative mural projects, and while in Leeton he will be developing a new mural work with the students at Leeton High School.

Joining Jason Wing to speak will be a group of local artists and arts workers who have also undertaken different arts projects working with schools:

• Sarah McEwan is an artist based in Narrandera – as a part of the CAD Factory she has worked with a number of schools on arts projects, including recently developing a smartphone app with the students of Narrandera High School.
• Melanie Baulch is an artist from Griffith who has been running art classes for children for many years. In 2014 she was one of the lead artists employed for the Western Riverina Arts project ‘Eco-Deco’, a project that saw her lead creative workshops using natural materials in schools across Griffith and Leeton.
• Louise Cooper is an artist from Leeton who is currently engaged in managing the Western Riverina Arts project ‘For Prosperty’s Sake’, an oral history project that will see her work with children to animate recorded stories. She will also be employed to be Wamoon Public School’s first artist-in-residence in 2015.
• Renee De Saxe is an artist from Griffith. In 2014 she initiated and managed the Lake Wyangan Public School’s inaugural photography festival, a project that involved artists working in the school to run workshops, and also to develop an exhibition outcome. 

This evening will be lively and engaging and will definitely be of particular interest to teachers, art enthusiasts, or anyone concerned about the role the creative arts should play in our education system. RSVP via the event on the Western Riverina Arts Facebook Page.

On Friday 6th March from 5pm Jason Wing will also run a FREE masterclass for artists and teachers, a practical workshop where he will guide people through stencil-based techniques that can be easily adapted for use on fabric. This event will be held in the art workshop area of the Leeton Multipurpose Centre.