The Fine Art of Photography: A pop up show in the Trapezium Gallery

 click for a larger image

Come along and check out the work in the Trapezium Gallery by students studying fine art photography at NADC. The students are enrolled in the Diploma in Fine Art, or as part of a Program of Selected Study. Photography is one of a range fine art subjects the students are studying as part of their course.

This is a ‘pop–up’ and in some cases ‘pin-up’ show, put together somewhat spontaneously. We saw a gap in the exhibition program and decided to put together some work and work-in-progress gathered from the recent mid-year assessments. 

The show is open on weekdays from 9am-4pm until next Thursday July 26.

A vital part of the process of developing artwork is to take the opportunity to look at the work you are making, and reflect, evaluate, and gather feedback, and plan how the work can be improved or refined. This exhibition gives the selected artists an opportunity to do just that.

The represented classes will use the exhibition as a learning tool in numerous ways including creating a platform for discussion and ideas generation.

Studies in fine art photography gives the student an opportunity to not only develop technical skills in the medium of photography, but also to develop and refine a personal aesthetic or visual style. Projects are developed over numerous weeks, and students are mentored in the production of a body of work, a process that includes research, capture, editing, re-capture (if required) and printing.

The generation of photographic images has never been more prolific than it is now in the digital age. The study of art photography ensures that an image moves beyond capture into a well-considered print that has been refined, finessed and presented to create an art object suitable for exhibition. This pop-up show is a valuable tool to assist the artists on that journey.

 To find out more about studying fine art photography as an elective, or as part of a Program of Selected Study, contact Head teacher Cath Barcan at Catherine.barcan@tafensw.edu.au

The Making of Al Pacino

Have a look at the new video of the experimental drawing project by Diploma of Fine Art Year 2 students.  As well as exploring contemporary practice through the use of a maverick art material (did we mention the image has been drawn with coffee?), the students have developed skills and confidence in the fine art of mural production. Congratulations to the artists and their teacher Di Holdsworth!

Me, Myself and I

We're gearing up for our annual open entry self-portrait show again, opening on Thursday April 26th. So far we appear to have a massive amount of entries - it was great to see so many works come in before the holidays - but if you're feeling inspired over the break there's always room for a few more! If you're a current student or staff member of NADC and bring your A4 self-portrait in to the gallery on Monday April 23rd you can help hang your work. Don't forget the rules! A self-portrait, A4, portrait format, preferably on paper. Works will be blu-tacked or pinned to walls. Please remember to put your name, class, and contact details on the back - it's a big job returning 800 works to their rightful owners - the more info the better.

Of course don't forget to join us for the opening on Thursday 26th at 12 noon, where we will also be launching a book of selected works from the 2011 show. Books will be available to purchase online from this date - unfortunately we can't sell them to you directly, but there will be several hard copies to view at the opening. All works entered in this years show are eligible for inclusion in our next book.

Click on the invite below to view larger.

Me Myself and I: the entries are coming in......

 From top to bottom: Suzanne McDonald, Tony Fogarty and Robert Musgrave 

with their self-portraits from their Diploma Fine Arts, Year 2 drawing class. 

Entries are starting to flow in for our annual A4 self-portrait show. Pictured above are some drawings, by Diploma of Fine Arts Year 2 drawing students, made in Di Holdsworth's drawing class. The aim of their drawings was to interpret themselves through a mask for the  annual “Me Myself and I” exhibition. 

Each year, the Trapezium Gallery at Nepean College is filled to over-flowing with A4 self-portraits from students and staff of the Nepean Arts and Design Centre. If you are a student or staff member of NADC and  thinking of entering our annual A4 self-portrait show, you have until 9am Monday March 28 to get your work in.

This year's exhibition will open in the Trapezium Gallery on Wednesday March 30th at 12 noon. The exhibition opening will also be an official book launch for Me Myself and I: 101 self portraits. This  stunning  publication features 101 selected works from last year's exhibition reproduced in full colour. The book has been edited by Fine Arts teacher Jo Newton. Watch this space for more details about the launch.

Drawings from our Certificate IV students

Oil pastel drawing by Julieanne Bartolo,

Certificate IV Visual Arts and Contemporary Craft, 2010

The students in Dalia Maron's  CIV drawing class have recently completed a class project based on landscape and colour theory. Students have continued to sharpen their representational drawing skills, whilst also showing form in space with colour.

The same group of students have also been researching and producing  images based on still life and portraiture. These genres have been explored using a range of different media. Please visit our flickr page  linked below to see a full  range of the student's work. We think you will agree there are some terrific results from a dedicated group of students, many of whom first started studying fine art at the beginning of the year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157625084204179/
For information on our fine art and ceramic courses, visit our website  at http://nadc.wsi.tafensw.edu.au/art/about.aspx

Studio open days in Balmain and Rozelle, Saturday 23rd, and Sunday 24th of October

Invitation to Studio One+2 open day this Saturday in Rozelle and Balmain. Click for a larger image.

After an excursion to artist studios in the city, Diploma of Fine Art student TJ Combos was inspired to increase his commitment to his art practice by leasing a studio. Read what he has to say:

"For our 2nd year Diploma painting and drawing class, our teacher Shadee Selim took us on an excursion to One+2 Studios in Rozelle and Balmain. It was fantastic to see artists and their working spaces outside of an educational setting. We spoke to a few of the artists and gained an insight into their work, hearing about their aesthetic and philosophical interests and how they help shape their work.

It was very exciting to envision myself working in one of these spaces, so I contacted the director and am now leasing a space in Rozelle. It has proven to be a substantial development in my view towards becoming an established practicing artist. The interaction between others working in the studio has been a very positive experience and has helped me greatly in understanding my own personal interests, as well as having the opportunity to take on board what others are doing in their practices. I feel that my work has benefited greatly from the whole experience so far and it will continue to progress strongly in the future.

One+2 Studios in Rozelle is having an open weekend and group show coming up on Saturday and Sunday the 23rd and 24th of October. I will be displaying my paintings and works on paper in my studio space, as well as organising a collaborative project for all visitors to my space for a bit of fun. It would be great to see you there!"

Photograms photoshopped

digitally altered photogram by Diploma of Fine Art student Alex Curtis

Photography students from the Diploma of Fine Arts year 1 are currently producing some beautiful photographic images that combine old and new photographic technologies. These evocative images have been initiated in a traditional wet darkroom using photogram techniques. Photograms are silver-based images that are produced by placing objects directly onto photographic paper and exposing it to light. Once produced, the students have scanned their images and manipulated them in photoshop. Final output is to photo rag inkjet paper. For more examples of this lovely project, see our flickr set at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624618884587/

The Wool Drawing

study for wool drawing by Elizabeth Dubi, Diploma of Fine Art student, 2010

The wool drawing was a collaborative project produced this July by students from second year of the Diploma of Fine Art, TAFE NSW, Western Sydney Institute, Nepean College. The drawing is based on a black pen sketch of sheep in a field by the English Sculptor, Henry Moore (1898-1986). The students made a large scale drawing, that was approximately 3 x 5 metres, using black wool as the drawing medium. The wool was used to 'draw' lines on white paper to create the image of the sheep and additional wool was added to create darker areas of tones in the drawing. The project was created and exhibited at the Trapezium Gallery during July 2010. A time-lapse video of the students creating their drawing can be viewed on Youtube at WSI Fine Art channel, by following this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaetbebV0so

'Framed': Advanced Diploma of Fine Arts students exhibit at the Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest

Andy Petith's assemblage portrait of Margo Lewers, installed in the Gallery window.

'Framed' is the name of a exhibition project being undertaken at the Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest by students of the Advanced Diploma of Fine Art. The exhibition is part of the Advanced Diploma professional practice program, and has been a valuable opportunity for our students to interact with a Regional Gallery, and gain exposure for their work.

As part of the project, students were given a lengthy briefing by Gallery staff including CEO John Kirkman, Gallery Director Anne Loxley, Manager - Education and Public Programs Naomi McCarthy, and Curator and Collections Manager Shirley Daborn. The students were then invited to make a pitch for a site specific work, relating to the history and context of the Gallery site, including the lives and practices of its former artist occupiers Gerald and Margo Lewers, and/or the work of Sydney abstract artists. As part of their professional development, the students were required to present their proposal to a curatorial team comprised of Gallery staff, who gave constructive feedback on their work. Each artist then returned to the studio to produce an artwork designed to be displayed in a window of the old Lewers House, which is now part of the Gallery. This work is on display in the windows until Wednesday June 23, 12 noon. The garden also forms a significant part of the site, and is something many of the students chose to respond to.

The second phase of this exciting project will be on display in Lewers House from July 3 - August 8. This will be an exhibition of large photographic artworks created by the students. These photographs will re-interpret and respond to the site specific work that has been on display in the windows of the house. The official opening of this aspect of the show will be held on July 9, between 7 and 9pm. All welcome, we hope to see you there.

For some pictures of the work in progress, visit our flickr set at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624170320971/

The final photoworks can be viewed here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624249726173/

For more information about the Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest, including contact details and how to find the Gallery, visit
http://www.penrithregionalgallery.org/

Night shoot

Untitled image by Katherine Fallah

A few weeks ago, students from the second year Diploma of Fine Art photography class went on a night shoot. The normal class time was rescheduled so that instead of morning, the class met in the late afternoon. This allowed us to take advantage of other possibilities of light, as the afternoon changed to dusk and dusk changed to evening. Several types of cameras were in use, including lo-fi plastic film cameras , compact cameras, and digital SLRs. The visual results were varied, and include moody, poetic, melancholic, abstract, playful and gritty images. For more images from the shoot, visit our flickr site :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsifineart/sets/72157624047065529/