Tag: fine arts

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Senior School Unveils Mural Inspired by the Works of Emily Carr

Mural-SrSchool_30May2016-1415-2You may have noticed a beautiful new mural that is prominently displayed in the Senior School atrium.

The mural project was spearheaded by Senior School Art Teacher Angela Jurgensen. She was looking for a project that would allow for the three Senior Art classes to interact and collaborate together. According to Ms. Jurgensen, the mural is a celebration of what “sparks” students at York House, their individual personalities, and the strong bonds they share with each other. Thirty-six students, mostly from Grades 11 and 12, worked cooperatively on each of their “puzzle pieces” and created elaborate designs to convey their ideas. Though the overall theme was the works of Emily Carr, the girls incorporated their own individual themes – their life as a York House girl. Any style could be used, as long as that the same colour palette was used throughout.

The mural’s overall design was created by Jessica, Grade 11. Ms. Jurgensen gave Jessica the following criteria: the mural should have flowing borders and not be contained by any particular shape (i.e. square or rectangle). The Facilities Department provided and cut the wood into pieces. The mural puzzle pieces were divided up for the girls to work on individually. Some girls got chose bigger pieces, others smaller ones. The overall goal was that an observer would not be able to tell where one student stopped, and another started. Everyone has enjoyed seeing the final result and the individual pieces each girl worked on are great conversation starters.

View photos of the process here and read the girls’ reflections on their individual pieces here.

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New Darkroom Introduces Nostalgic Techniques to Enhance Learning

Jonathan Lee, Fine Arts and Digital Media Teacher

Darkroom_01xSubmerged within the liquid, a blank sheet of paper hovers. The murky image begins to reveal itself, as the print comes to life before your eyes. From the sweet smell of the chemicals; to the fashionably hip equipment, the rebirth of the analog photography process is coming back to life in the world today.

York House School wanted to embrace the revival of the film photographic process for both creative and educational purposes. However, the old darkroom, located in the art room, desperately needed a facelift as the rotting countertops, rusted pipes, poor ventilation, and general neglect of the facility were yearning for revitalization.

Darkroom_03xDuring the restoration process, the revolving door, which stops light from entering the room, was left untouched while everything else was demolished. The plumbing was completely replaced and a temperature controlled, three-faucet unit was installed. Where the old rusted sink used to lie, a brilliant eight-foot sink was mounted allowing for a variety of processes to be performed, such as resin coated and fibre based developing. The countertops, cupboards and drawers were replaced and the dated salmon pink walls were painted over with a more suitable mid-tone grey.

Darkroom_02xFor safety and general health reasons, the ventilation was completely reviewed and calibrated to ensure a suitable amount of fresh air is constantly circulated throughout the room. A new overhead exhaust unit was constructed specifically for this purpose, complete with the correct lighting for the working environment. In addition, the art department procured some very useful equipment to complete the photographic area and offer the students a fully functional and comprehensive facility.

The facilities are using the most up to date chemicals, which take into consideration the safety of the students and the greater environment. We follow all WHMIS guidelines and have all Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each Ilford Photo chemical product posted for review. Our aim is to make the photographic darkroom a safe and sustainable place where students take responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the facility.

The Art Department is embracing a nostalgic technique in an age which relies heavily on forms of instant gratification instead of product and process; there is something to be said for learning a skill that involves time to think, focus and understand the finer points of that concept. Learning about and utilizing this new artistic space will expose students to the creative process, encourage personal responsibility, and also result in the production of work that demonstrates a thorough understanding of this cross-disciplined form.