Art

The Art facilities comprise a painting studio, a sculpture studio, a sixth form studio, a combined art history and digital media room, and an art gallery. The gallery features a continually changing exhibition of drawings, paintings, sculptures, architectural models and prints by our students.

The Head of Art is Mr Simon Brook (Fine art/ Sculpture ) Mr Brook continues to be a practicing sculptor . Mr Tom Drew is responsible for  Fine art/Graphics.  The department prides itself on developing and nurturing creative independence whilst hand in hand recognising the fundamental importance of skill acquisition in the development of a well rounded artist and designer.

The basic course is delivered through a weekly art lesson of 80 minutes’ duration, throughout the year in Year 7,  for two terms in Year  8 and one semester in Year 9. In Year 7 students are introduced to, portraiture drawing, 3D studies and painting in acrylics. In Year 8 they learn further 3D figurative techniques, perspective drawing skills and they are introduced to painting still-life or landscape. In Year 9 they learn about design, with projects such as architecture, fashion design, animation, printing and graphic design.

The GCSE course is offered as an option. It builds on the skills learnt in the basic course and is delivered through two weekly art lessons of 80 minutes duration in Years 10 and 11.. The pass rate is usually 100%, with a good proportion of the highest grades being regularly achieved.

The advanced course is a fast-track programme designed to develop skills to the level required for university entrance. It is delivered through three 80 minute studio sessions per week in Years 12 and 13. In addition Year 12 have one 40 minute theory lesson, and Year 13 have two.. One of the highlights of the course is the combined Art/Art History trip to either London or to some other major art centre in Europe. The pass rate is normally 100%, with the majority scoring A/B grades.

Artwork is regularly entered into local and national competitions.  In 2010 one student was crowned junior artist of the year by the Amateur Artist Association and another student making the last 13 of the national final of the Vision of Peace Competition.

Many students have gone on to study art or design at university, in areas as diverse as architecture, industrial design, fine art, art history, graphic design and fashion. However, the department is not exclusively dedicated to academic excellence, and is concerned with many aspects of school life, such as providing extra-curricular activities, stage set painting and support for other departments.

To view Ashville's entries to this year's Saatchi School Competition please click here: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/portfolio/PupilArtWork.php