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THE Minister for Education David Bartlett recently had the opportunity to view a special project by Bellerive Primary School – its own special The Big Draw.
In 2006 Bellerive successfully applied for a grant through the artists in schools program. The project was the initiative of teacher aide and artist Lorraine Snadden and could not have succeeded without her continuing hard work.  Minister for Education watching one of Bellerive Primary School’s Grade 6 students working on a life drawing during his visit to celebrate the work achieved in The Big Draw at Bellerive. The school was granted $1500 to organise a school-based project engaging artists and purchasing materials. The school took inspiration from a British art educator, Eileen Adams, who shared her experiences from The Big Draw, a regular art spectacle in England.
Bellerive wanted to involve all students from kinder to grade 6 and as many family and community members as possible. Its duration was six weeks culminating in a celebration of work.
The objectives were to focus on drawing and its importance in children’s lives.
“Students learned to draw from observation, to concentrate, to gain confidence in drawing and finding it an enjoyable way to express themselves. They were required to think in different ways, to develop their skills and become critical of their own efforts. The many classroom displays are evidence of the variety of students’ experiences said Anne Medlycott from Bellerive Primary.
Students have benefited from working with artists, both from the community and from the school:
‘Polly’ John Farmer, a local newspaper cartoonist, Caroline Amos, community artist, Alison O’May, calligrapher, Mark Lleonart, Rosemary Wilcox and Lissa Alexander, who are all parents, Colin Menadue, head of Rosny College’s art department and Janine Miller, head of Rose Bay High School’s art department.
“Our greatest achievement as a school has been the creation of two murals – a tile mural and a wall mural. All students and staff drew a representative design on a porcelain tile. The tiles were baked and put together to make a large rectangular mural on an inside wall of the school. Our second mural is painted on an external wall of the school. This came into being due to the commitment and ingenuity of one of our talented parents, Mark Lleonart, working in partnership with another parent and a teacher. Mark has spent countless hours working with children to create Boats in Books at Bellerive which was opened by Mr Bartlett.
“The output of work from the Big Draw is of a very high standard and comprised of a fascinating variety of activities thanks to the hard work and collaboration of staff and students.”
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