Art flies high at Alawa School
Thursday 27 April 2006
Alawa Primary School students and school community members will enjoy a special preview of their completed woven artwork Birds Nest Baskets – Vessels of Knowledge this Friday 28 April.
Students and members of the school community developed the collaborative artwork with renowned NT fibre artist and Alawa parent Aly de Groot for the forthcoming Sea Breeze Festival. The artwork depicts six woven birds in flight.
Ms de Groot has been working closely with students for the last six weeks as the resident artist, teaching regular basket making workshops with all year levels from transition to year 7.
Alawa Primary School Principal Sharon Reeves said the Birds Nest Baskets – Vessels of Knowledge Project was funded under the Artists in Schools program and has been a valuable learning tool for students, as well as parents, carers and school staff.
“Alawa School prides itself on its strong ties with its community and this completed work of art really displays the cooperation and effort shown by the whole school community.
“The project saw students create individual baskets in preparation for the major collaborative woven pieces made from fibres and feathers, and other natural materials found in the school environment,” said Ms Reeves.
“We chose woven baskets to symbolise vessels that can store knowledge – knowledge to be shared with others. This aligns with the school motto of ‘Learning, Caring and Sharing’,” she said.
“Aly has an exceptional talent in working with fibres and is also a very supportive parent in our school. We would like to thank Aly for working closely with our students and the wider community on this fabulous project,” Mrs Reeves said.
The final artwork will be released and exhibited on the Nightcliff foreshore during the Sea Breeze Art Festival on the Saturday 8 May. After the festival the artwork will be permanently located at the school.
The Artists in Schools (AiS) Program is jointly funded by the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET )and Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts (NRETA).
2006 AiS applications close on 26 May.
Application forms and further information are available on the AiS page.