Students are finishing off the year in style with a show at Thirroul Library, writes teacher Tony Cabassi

It has been a very successful year for the inaugural running of the Bulli High School Art Academy. This extra-curricular program was designed to provide students, who were identified through an application process as being gifted in the Visual Arts, to pursue areas of interest and develop their expertise in an art discipline. It also supports the Year 7 Enrichment Arts Class and Stage 5 Visual Arts Elective programs run at Bulli High School.

The students have thrived in the program, which has both supported and challenged them to push themselves to produce some outstanding works. These works will be on view to the public thanks to the generous support of Thirroul Library.

The 25 students, from Year 7 to 10, have produced 17 paintings, eight drawings, two lino-prints and two ceramic works. The students explored a range of themes, from highly realistic portraits to abstract palette-knife paintings.

The response from the students has been overwhelmingly positive. They have appreciated having the freedom to choose their own learning and the opportunity to try new things. They have also stated that they really enjoyed being able to work in a way that wasn’t restricted by time or curriculum constraints.

The students are very excited that they will get to exhibit their works at Thirroul Library. This exhibition will begin on Friday, 2 December and will run for a few weeks.

Sincere thanks to Thirroul Library and Katrina Henze for supporting the students at Bulli High School.