Year 6 Artist in Residence

St Peter’s Woodlands Artist in Residence program is an exciting opportunity for our Year 6 – DARE Graduate Diploma students to work collaboratively towards a large scale project. Our students participate in a series of workshops with an established local artist where they learn about the processes used to create public art. Collaborating with their peers, students develop a concept to create a lasting public artwork to be enjoyed by our local community.

Special Art Project
In 2023, our Year 6 students have been working on a special project with Kaurna/Narungga custodian Jade Brook. In visual art lessons, students participated in an initial workshop exploring the concept of deep listening which is a fundamental part of Aboriginal cultures throughout Australia. This intentional practice is important for regulation and a purposeful engagement with a persons surroundings and place.

Yarning Circle 
Following this students worked through a variety of idea development activities culminating in a day of painting with Jade and Miss Hancock, Visual Arts teacher. The students painted their own designs on tree stumps that have been installed in a new garden space next to the Law Smith Building as a deep listening circle creating a Yarning Circle. This is a space for reflection and connecting with others.

Native Plants 
SPW was awarded a Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant which has gone towards funding a native garden amongst the deep listening circle. It features local native and native plants that have significance in Kaurna and other Aboriginal cultures. The students also created artwork of the native plants in collaboration of creating a sign for the area, detailing the plants Kaurna name, common name, scientific name and the unique features of each plant.