This week, we celebrated our annual Arts Faculty in the Senior School Assembly with Visual Arts Captains, Lara Nattrass and Isabel Simons, providing a synopsis of being a VCE Art student in 2020. At this time of year, the Dorothy Pizzey Hall is normally transformed into a stunning gallery exhibiting the finest of the VCE Visual Arts works across Studio Arts, Visual Communication & Design and Media Studies. Each year, the VCE Arts Show provides an opportunity for students to showcase their work and to explain the finer detail of their works.

Owing to COVID restrictions, the artwork this year is being showcased through our social media channels – the Visual Arts Instagram Page stc_inthestudio and a Website currently being constructed as the girls’ work is completed. Younger students who have selected courses of study in The Arts next year are encouraged to view the girls’ VCE works. The website will be released upon completion in the coming weeks.

Isabel Simons reflected on her role as captaincy, describing her year as somewhat of a rollercoaster. Working from home as an art student was undoubtedly challenging, without the inspiring environment of the Wiltondale Arts studios and teachers who provide encouraging suggestions and share their expertise across each discipline. Isabel regales how many times she asked her Mum this year “how does that look?”

Our Head of Arts Faculty, Mrs Vicki Marinelli, has enjoyed the buzz of engagement with the girls’ return to campus, and, in particular, the joy in Wiltondale that is experienced by so many students. Mrs Marinelli acknowledged the students’ trust, focus and determination this year, in addition to the input of their families. A calm and reassuring approach by our Arts staff was ever-present, despite the challenges of COVID. This year, teachers have been agile in their program delivery, often necessitating the need to re-write curriculum within short timeframes and coordinating COVID Safe curb-side collections of resources. Mrs Marinelli aptly described the ‘paddling like ducks’ phenomena which is a well-understood experience across many teachers this year.

My congratulations to the following students who were awarded the 2020 Art Prizes in Assembly this week:

• VCE 1&2 Media Studies – Zara Carter
• VCE 3&4 Media – Stella Heidenreich
• VCE Studio Arts 3&4 – Penny Drummond
• VCE Studio Arts 1&2 – Anita Yang
• VCE VCD 1&2 – Emily Maren
• VCE VCD 3&4 – Millie Fraser-Smith
• Anna Tegner Award – Isabella Bufe

At the Senior School Assembly this week, we also announced the incoming Captains across the many Cocurricular endeavours in the School and the new House Captains for 2021. This is their opportunity to bring forward ideas, to inspire and motivate girls, to assist others and to demonstrate a willingness to accept responsibility.

Congratulations to our 2021 Captains

My best wishes for the long weekend and look forward to warmly welcoming the Year 8 and 9 students on Monday morning – in fact, we just can’t wait!