Visual Arts

Whiria te Tangata ka puta he oranga.
Weaving people promotes wellbeing, weaving the arts promotes excellence. (Whakatauki)

“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.” David Thoreau.

The Arts have traditionally been an integral part of a well-rounded education. Art education teaches the whole person, which includes intellectual, emotional and social skills as well as cultural awareness and identity. Moreover creative and imaginative skills, taught in the Visual Arts, are recently being recognised as valuable and essential 21st century skills across many domains in education. For teenagers who are exposed to incessant streams of visual information every day, the opportunity to learn the elements and principles of visual expression opens doors to deeper understanding for many learners to make sense of themselves and the world they live in.

In an age that thrives on change and innovation young people need to become creative in order to be successful in their future careers. In the Art Department at Mount Roskill Grammar School we challenge students to develop the best possible solutions, be it in the disciplines of Design, Painting or Photography. Students are encouraged to think laterally, experiment and integrate digital technologies into their visual art practices.

To help all students realise their potential, Visual Art programs are diversified, and aimed at individuals or small groups within the class. Teachers actively demonstrate and share their skills and expertise and make the art facilities available for students during breaks to further develop their art projects and grow as self-driven learners.

HOD Visual Arts – Justina Groeber

Qualifications: I studied Painting and Art Education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Germany. Later, while teaching in New Zealand I completed a Master of Fine Arts at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and a Doctorate of Fine Art at Auckland University.
2008 Doctor of Fine Arts, Elam University, Auckland
2001 Master of Fine Arts, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
1982 Diploma of Teaching, Franz Ludwig University, Munich, Germany
1981 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, Germany

Experience: I taught Visual Arts in Germany, and at Hillary College, South Auckland as Visual Arts teacher and HOD of Visual Art before I started teaching at Mount Roskill Grammar School in 1995. In 2013 and 2014 I presented at International conferences on influences of video gaming on Visual Art education. After being Co HOD of Visual Art in 2017, I took up the full Head of Department role in 2018. Since 2017 I have been a ‘Within School’ teacher of the Mount Roskill Community of Learning.

Why I teach my subject: I am passionate about Art and love awakening that same passion and dedication in my students. It is both inspiring and fulfilling to help young adults to discover their potential and to grow their creative abilities.

Why I teach at MRGS: At Mount Roskill Grammar School the Visual Art Department is a vibrant hub of innovative practitioners joined together by our vision and ethos for student centred learning. The art teachers are highly skilled and love teaching. We work closely together to develop programs and share ideas and knowledge. I enjoy the school’s rich tapestry of cultures and Art backgrounds and find that I gain daily insights by working together with people from all parts of the world.

Courses and Pathways

Year 9 & 10 Art

Entry Requirements:

N/A

Credits:

N/A

BYOD Recommendations:

N/A

Who is this course for?

Year 9 and 10 Visual Art offers an inclusive program that encourages learners to tap into their own cultural heritage, learn about Art from other cultures, especially those in New Zealand and become inspired by a vibrant and highly skilled team of teachers, who take a keen interest in learners and are passionate for everybody to achieve their very best in the Visual Art.

Students can select Visual Art as one of their options for one Semester and gain credits towards their Junior Diploma in these1courses. The curriculum is varied offering a wide range of varied learning opportunities. During their time in the Visual Arts Junior students will acquire basic knowledge and skills in the areas of drawing, painting, design, photography, printmaking and sculpture. The exposure to the full art making spectrum will enable learners to make informed decisions about continuing their studies in the visual arts during their Senior Years at Mount Roskill Grammar School.

Year 11 Practical Art

Entry Requirements:

N/A

Credits:

Up to 30 Credits at Level 1

BYOD Recommendations:

N/A

Who is this course for?

Students who are creative thinkers who want to learn both traditional and contemporary approaches to artmaking and enjoy expressing their own ideas in a variety of materials.

Achievement Standards:

AS 90914 1.2 Use drawing methods and skills for recording information using wet and dry media. INT
AS 90915 1.3. Use drawing conventions to develop work in more than one field of practice INT
AS 90916 1.4 Produce a body of work informed by established practice, which develops ideas, using a range of media. EXT
AS 90917 1.5 Produce a finished work that demonstrates skills appropriate to cultural conventions. INT

Year 12 Design

Entry Requirements:

Year 11 Visual Art

Credits:

Up to 28 Credits at Level 2

BYOD Recommendations:

Laptop – support Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Who is this course for?

Students with an interest in completing design briefs using their imagination and creative thinking to create successful design solutions. The majority of design work is completed using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator .

Achievement Standards:

AS 91305 (optional) 2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to Design INT
AS 91310 2.2 Use drawing methods to apply knowledge of conventions appropriate to design INT
AS 91315 2.3 Develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established design practice INT|
AS 91325 2.5 Produce a resolved work that demonstrates purposeful control of skills appropriate to a visual arts cultural context. INT
AS 91320 2.4 Produce a systematic body of work that shows understanding of art making conventions and ideas within design EXT

Year 12 Photography

Entry Requirements:

Year 11 Art

Credits:

Up to 28 Credits at Level 2

BYOD Recommendations:

Laptop – support Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Who is this course for?

Students with interests in Photography as an Art medium who like expressing their own ideas and exploring photographic mediums and digital platforms.

Achievement Standards:

AS 91307 (optional) 2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to photography INT
AS 91312 2.2 Use drawing methods to apply knowledge of conventions appropriate to photography INT
AS 91317 2.3 Develop ideas in a related series of drawings appropriate to established photography practice INT
AS 91325 2.5 Produce a resolved work that demonstrates purposeful control of skills appropriate to visual arts cultural context. INT
AS 91322 2.4 Produce a systematic body of work that shows understanding of art making conventions and ideas within photography EXT

Year 12 Painting/Printmaking

Entry Requirements:

Year 11 Art

Credits:

30 Credits at level 2

BYOD Recommendations:

Laptop or tablet

Who is this course for?

Students with solid painting and drawing ability who want to extend their knowledge and skills in the visual arts and enjoy expressing their own ideas.

Achievement Standards:

AS 91306 (optional) 2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to painting INT
AS 91311 2.2 Use drawing methods to apply knowledge of conventions appropriate to painting INT
AS 91316 2.33 Develop ideas in a related series of  drawings appropriate to established Painting practice INT
AS 91325 2.5 Produce a resolved work that demonstrates control of skills appropriate INT
AS 91321 2.4 Produce a systematic body of work that shows understanding of Art making conventions and ideas within painting EXT

Year 13 Art History

Entry Requirements:

Level 2 Literacy

Credits:

20 Credits at Level 3

BYOD Recommendations:

Laptop

Who is this course for?

Senior Practical Art students are advised to take this subject. Any student who wishes to gain aunderstanding of the relevance and importance of the visual arts in contemporary society.

Achievement Standards:

AS 91485 3.4 Examine the impact of media and processes on art works INT
AS 91487 3.6 Examine the different values placed on art works INT
AS 91488 3.7 Examine the relationship(s) between a theory and art works INT
AS 91482 3.1 Demonstrate understanding of style in art works EXT
AS 91484 3.3 Examine the relationship(s) between art and context EXT

 

Year 13 Design

Entry Requirements:

Year 12 Art

Credits:

30 Credits at Level 3

BYOD Recommendations:

Laptop – support Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Who is this course for?

Students with a sound knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, who are organised and enjoy using their imagination and creative thinking skills to create successful design solutions.

Achievement Standards:

AS 91440 3.1 Analyse methods and ideas from established design practice INT
AS 91445 3.2 Use drawing to demonstrate understanding of conventions appropriate to design INT
AS 91450 3.3 Systematically clarify ideas using drawing informed by established to design INT
AS 91450 3.3 Systematically clarify ideas using drawing informed by established design INT
AS 91455 3.4 Produce a systematic body of work that integrates conventions and regenerates ideas within design EXT

Year 13 Photography

Entry Requirements:

Year 12 Photography

Credits:

30 Credits at Level 3

BYOD Recommendations:

Laptop – support Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Who is this course for?

Students with a creative flair, interested in using photographic mediums and processes, keen to expand their skills and explore ways to express their ideas.

Achievement Standards:

AS 91442 3.1 Analyse methods and ideas from established photography practice INT
AS 91447 3.2 Use drawing to demonstrate understanding of conventions appropriate to photography INT
AS 91452 3.3 Systematically clarify ideas using drawing informed by established photography practice INT
AS 91460 3.5 Produce a resolved work that demonstrates purposeful control of skills appropriate to visual arts cultural context INT
AS 91457 3.4 Produce a systematic body of work that integrates conventions and regenerates ideas within photography practice EXT

Year 13 Painting/Printmaking

Entry Requirements:

Year 12 Art

Credits:

30 Credits at Level 3

BYOD Recommendations:

Tablet or Laptop

Who is this course for?

Students with solid painting and drawing ability who want to extend their knowledge and skills in the visual arts and enjoy expressing their own ideas.

Achievement Standards:

AS 91441 3.1 Analyse methods and ideas from established painting practice INT
AS 91446 3.2 Use drawing to demonstrate understanding of conventions appropriate to painting INT
AS 91451 3.3 Systematically clarify ideas using drawing informed by established painting practice INT
AS 91460 (Optional) 3.5 Produce a resolved work that demonstrates control of skills appropriate to a cultural context INT
AS 91456 3.4 Produce a systematic body of work that integrates conventions and regenerates ideas within painting practice EXT

Madhu Bandla

Subject I have taken: I am studying year 13 photography.

Why am I studying this subject: In university I would like to get a degree under bachelor of arts at Auckland University and photography is an area I am highly interested in and will directly support me with skills and understanding for the course I want to at university.

What this subject offers me: Photography enables me to see the world through a different perspective and to see the beauty in everyday things. It also helps me pay attention the little details that many people miss.

Why I love this subject: I love Photography because in class I able to express my true self through my art and learn more about myself. The teachers are truly amazing create a calm and friendly environment that allows me to be myself which is reflected in the work I create.