Flowers in Print

Following their paintings of flowers, the Form Primary translated some of their drawings and ideas into lino prints.

Katie Stewart                        George Perceval

Marta Carlotti

Form Primary's Flowers

Recently Form Primary took advantage of the beautiful surrounding in which they live.  Using the seasonal daffodils the pupils of Form Primary  ambitiously attempted large mixed media compositions. The results are spontaneous,  playful, colourful.

Colour

In our final look at Victoria Finlay's book 'Colour, Travels Through the Paintbox', we look at the chapter entitled RED. The author's quest for carmine leads her to pre-colonial America, specifically to Santiago in Chile. Here she discovers the reds of the Incas. The Incas had numerous reds; deep pinks from the wood of the brazil tree, orange-coloured dye from the dried annatto plant seeds but the most treasured red was the ruby red colour derived from the cochineal insect. This cochinal red was used as blusher and used in the decorating of pottery and of textiles. The author discusses the differences between the origin of carmine red and the cochineal red used by Turner in the 19th Century and also the red derived from the cochineals Indo-European cousin the Kermes insect which had been used a few centuries earlier. She also refers to the Polish Cochineal, a cousin to the Kermes, whose red dye was found on a Persian rug that had been knotted 2,500 years ago. The chapter also examines the reds that come from the plant root, madder and the mineral cinnabar. 

The other chapters in this book include the colours OCHRE,  BLACK and BROWN, WHITE, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, INDIGO, and VIOLET. 'Colour, Travels Through the Painbox', was recently presented by Mr. Brett to the SCC Library where it now resides.

Exhibition of work by OC Rebecca Curling

Old Columban Rebecca Curling has her first solo exhibiton of work 'Reflections', opening at the Urban Retreat Gallery, Hanover Quay on Thursday 27th May. Since leaving St. Columba's College Rebecca has studied at the NCAD and attended an artists private tuition program in Florence.  She has also completed a residency in the Burren College of Art and at Cill Rialaig in Co. Kerry.  She says 'My work is mainly about translating my memories and experiences of a place or person'. She also comments that her up-bringing in the Burren has been a strong theme in her work.

Other examples of her work can be viewed on her website HERE.
SCC Art wish her all the best in her first solo exhibition.

Anti Smoking Poster Competition

Congratulations to the winners of the SPHE Anti Smoking Poster Competition, L. Johnson, G. Bewley, A. Esses and M. Allen in Form I. Mr. Jackson was most impressed with the winning poster for its attention to factual detail about the effects of smoking.  The Art Department wish to make a special comment about the 4th place prize winner Matt Brooke in Form II.  From an artistic point of view they were very impressed with Matt's clever use of imagery to communicate the messge of the poster. Well done to all the prize winners. The posters will soon be displayed in all Houses.

1st Prize

G. Bewley, A. Esses, L. Johnson, M. Allen

Form I

2nd Prize

D.Gernon, S. Sheeran.

Form II

3rd Prize

B. Dickerson, J. Mathews

Form II

4th Prize

Matt Brooke

Form II

Anti Smoking

As a cross-curricular activity the SPHE Department has joined forces with the Art Department to produce an anti smoking poster to display in the college. The competition was made available to Form I and Form II and was intergrated into the SPHE lessons to become part of the Substance Abuse Module. Mr. Jackson has been asked to judge the competition and the winning poster (or posters) will be anounced on Monday. Posted today are some of the entries.

The Last Supper

Form IV has completed its depiction of 'The Last Supper' It is a large piece of work incorporating a mixed media approach. The influence of a number of Artists and Art Movemments are evident. Paint is the predominant medium but there is also the interesting inclusion of newspaper collage (reminiscent of early Cubism). The figures themselves are cutouts which echo the work of Matisse who brought the'cutout' to the fore as a viable art form. The bold shapes and strong outlines coupled with a primary colour scheme go some way to replicate Gauguin's work in the early part of the 20th Century and also brings to mind the Pop-art Movement of the 1960s.  The work is put into today's context with a slightly more modern twist to the food items on the table (spot the jar of marmite flying above the head of Matthew) when contrasted with  Da Vinci's original (also note the i-phone held by the disciple James on Jesus' left!). 

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Colour

Today's post again makes reference to Victoria Finlay's book 'Colour, Travels Through the Paintbox'. Last week the colour OCHRE was introduced and today SCC Art is featuring BLUE. In her chapter on BLUE the author travels to Afganistan in search of lapis-lazuli; 'the stone which yields the azure colour ultramarine'. She discusses the relevance of the arrival of the colour ultramarine in Italy in the 13th Century and its impact on religious painting, and its uses and qualities as a glaze for pottery. There is also some discussion of the three colours derived from lapis lazuli,' the colour of water', 'green', and 'red feather' (the colour of the deepest moment of fire). The chapter also makes for interesting reading about her travels through Afganistan and her journey as the first woman to visit the stone mine at Sar-e-sang (place of stone). This lovely book is housed in the SCC Library and was recently presented to the college by Mr. Brett.

Summer Concert Poster Designs

Posted today are two more of the designs entered for the Summer Concert Poster Design Competition.

Samuel Clarke                             Form I

Kaila Korschen                        Form VI

Summer Concert Poster Competition

Posted below are two more poster designs for the Summer Concert Poster Design Competition. Milly Murphy's poster came second in the competition and John Clarke's design received the junior prize.

Milly Murphy                           Form V

  

John Clarke                              Form V