A studio is a space to work in but it also indicates a creative practice. Sometimes the ‘studio’ can be as small as the personal space you make yourself while sitting on a train, while some studios are large scale commercial spaces and others are a desk.

Some practices are careers; some are small, personal and slow burning. When pondering the concept of a studio and the associated practice, we considered that in the year of the 125^th Celebrations, we could showcase a range of studios and practices, not just work from our School studios. As a result, we have many exciting programs in development.

Millie Fraser-Smith – home studio in 2020

Isabel Simons – home studio in 2020

We are very proud of the specialist studios at St Catherine’s School; however, students, artists, designers and media producers in our St Catherine’s School community may have had to create a studio in their kitchen for much of 2020. Indeed, our 2020 students brought the studio into their homes enabling a continued practice that supported excellence and facilitating student choice in future tertiary studies.

Of note, the 2020 Art and Design Captain Isabel Simons will have her visual communication displayed at the Melbourne Museum from 17 April – 11 July 2021 at the Melbourne Museum as part of the 2021 Seasons of Excellence Top Designs Exhibition. Margaret Handolias and Millie Fraser-Smith will exhibit at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in the 2021 Top Arts exhibition held from 26 March – 11 July 2021. Both Seasons of Excellence exhibitions are open to the public, and showcase outstanding work created by students who have completed VCE study designs.

We also begin our 125 Years’ celebrations accumulating in a Visual Arts Show (11-15 September 2021) showcasing the breadth and depth of the Visual Arts from ELC through to Unit 4. When a year punctuated with working at home left us pondering the importance of community connection, we also decided to invite community members to connect with the Visual Arts within the School.

Keisha Hine and Lucy McAllister -Year 8 Ceramics St Catherine’s Studio 2021

Planned is a community online Photographic Exhibition in which a selection of photographic artworks will be exhibited within the School. Other plans in development for 2021 are an artist residency, a community sketchbook project which will be promoted in Term 2 and an Old Girls’ exhibition running concurrently to the 125 Year Visual Arts Show. That doesn’t even start to describe the Year 8 installation or the Grade 6 abstract paintings that they are fully engaged in refining.

Aeryn Lee -Year 8 Ceramics St Catherine’s Studio 2021

As mentioned, we have much to celebrate during our 125^th year and we look forward to inviting your studio to join with our studios regardless of the size of your practice.