Art

Art is a subject enjoyed by the children at Hall Grove, where high standards are attained and with some pupils going on to achieve scholarships to their senior schools.

Pre-Prep and Middle School Art is mainly done in the classroom (occasionally the Art Room) and will follow the topics being covered that term. Children will also study the work of a specific artist such as Monet, Hockney or Kandinsky. A visiting artist may visit to share their expertise.

Most work begins with observation and drawing, and the children are encouraged to develop compositions, often concentrating on specific skills and techniques. Many projects involve some three-dimensional work and pupils work in a wide range of media.

Art in the Upper School is more project based and encourages the children to work more independently and look at other artists' work associated with that project, exploring ideas and techniques for themselves.

The pupils will follow a theme for a term, such as Rag Restyle or Objects and Viewpoints and will use their sketch books to develop ideas into a final piece of work which may be two or three-dimensional.

All the children have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and techniques so as to develop their passion and knowledge of the subject and to find out what it is they enjoy most and excel at.

A variety of external competitions are entered by the pupils and we have had considerable success each year in the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Schools' Global Art Competition with many pieces of artwork being displayed in the Natural History Museum, London. Also following a successful art exhibition fundraising for Asian Moon Bears, Animals Asia invited our Art scholars to design a blanket for the Animals Asia Elephant called 'Hope of Freedom' displayed in Green Park, London for the Elephant Parade 2010. elephantparadelondon.org

Above all, it is a matter of loving art not just understanding it.          Fernand Léger