Gippsland Art Gallery

East Sale Kindergarten is a member of the Gippsland Art Gallery & they provide a wonderful program for Kindergartens whereby we can have the Gallery come & visit us twice at our Centre AND we get to go on a bus trip twice & visit the Gallery over the course of a year!

 

Today in the 4 Year Old Program, it was our turn to have Louise was from the Gippsland Art Gallery came to East Sale Kindergarten and talked to us about the 'Printing' art process. We started by all creating a background page with foam shapes & PVA glue. We put them in the little bit of sun that was shining & then all came together as a group to listen to the story - 'Miffy The Artist'.

We talked lots about what being an artist meant & then Louise showed us some real artist prints by Gillian Kline that have been on display at the Gippsland Art Gallery. The lino etching which were were able to feel created a lot of discussion - "it's rusty" - "it's bumpy & smooth" - "there's a bird - a crow - an eagle" - "a reflection - maybe water - mirrors" - "binoculars let you see trees, birds & butterflies" - "the moon can be blue" - "the picture is the same but backwards" - "smooth bits are black" - "bumpy bits are white".

 

In respect of the artist I won't feature the photos of Gillian's work online BUT families may check out our 'Learning Journal' at Kindergarten to see Gillian's amazing art that we got to look at.

Louise then showed us another of Gillian's prints - this one was framed behind glass like a photo but it had been created using a copper plate. It was harder to feel the bumpy & smooth bits but we could see lots of things on the plate - "it's a photo" - "there's a boat" - "the boat crashed into the tree" - "it's sandy" - "it's rusty" - "it feels old" - "it feels bumpy but there's no soft parts" - the boat has really crashed".

 

Louise then showed us how we take a print - you use a special ink - Louise had blue and then you use a palette knife to spread some onto a plastic tile - "the blue stuff smells yucky" - "it smells like paint". You then use a special tool called a brayer to spread the ink & then you gently roll it across the foam 'plate' to completely cover all the pieces. Louise then laid a piece of paper on top of the ink plate and used a baron to rub the ink onto the paper. Louise then peeled the paper away & she had a blue print of her foam background!

 

Louise then got us to all go & get our foam backgrounds and then with the help of Mrs. Fyfe, Denise & Jaspa's Nan, we had ink rolled onto our 'foam printing plates' & we then got to create our own prints. They turned out fantastic & we're even going to extend the priniting experience next week when we come to Kindergarten!

 

At the end of the day, Louise invited us to come on a bus trip so that we could go & visit her at the Gippsland Art Gallery! We can't wait! I wonder what we'll see there?

 

You may be interested in checking out Gallery Geckos Membership for your school aged children! Gallery Geckos is an art club for school children aged 6-14 years. Junior members have the opportunity to participate in practical and fun workshops, which encourage them to learn about art, artists and to gain an understanding of the gallery's role within the community.

 

Mrs. Fyfe & Denise