2024 Art Immersion Camp at Bundanon

We are pleased to share the highlights of the Year 5 and 6 Art Immersion Camp at Bundanon, which took place from Monday, 26 August to Wednesday, 28 August. This art immersion camp provided an enriching experience for our Stage 3 students, who had the opportunity to explore their artistic talents in the breathtaking surroundings of Bundanon on the NSW South Coast.

The fine weather only added to the unique experience of the location, which allowed the students to fully engage with the outdoor activities and art sessions. The beautiful landscapes of Arthur Boyd’s property, Bundanon, with its diverse ecologies and stunning views, served as the perfect inspiration for the students’ creative endeavours. Arthur Boyd was a highly respected Australian artist known for his contributions to the world of painting, sculpture and ceramics. Born on 24 July 1920, Boyd grew up in a family deeply involved in the arts. His grandfather, Arthur Merric Boyd, was a renowned landscape painter and his father, Merric Boyd, was a potter and sculptor. This rich artistic heritage shaped Boyd’s passion for creativity from a young age.

Cranbrook’s own Art teachers, Mrs Ann Arora and Miss Rebecca Armstrong led two of the many exceptional art sessions that encouraged our students to connect with the environment and express their interpretations through charcoal and watercolour. Students participated in activities such as en plein air painting, creating works inspired by the natural surroundings, and exploring the connections between art and the environment.

The evening activities were equally engaging, with a special “Confluence” night-time photography session and a Wayapa Wuurrk workshop led by Dharawal artist Jaz Corr. Both sessions provided unique opportunities for students to learn about different cultural perspectives and artistic practices.

Overall, the 2024 Bundanon Art Camp was a resounding success and we are incredibly proud of the behaviour, creativity and enthusiasm displayed by our Cranbrook students. We look forward to seeing how these experiences will continue to inspire their artistic journeys.

“Art is not a luxury, but a necessity for the human spirit,” – Arthur Boyd.

Richard Baker
Deputy Head – Operations and Staffing

BUNDANON 2024: A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
by Alexander Pontifix 6W

I’ve always found art a way to relax, to submerge myself in a world where I can make anything, change anything to create something. Bundanon allowed me to explore a number of different media other than my usual pencil-and-paper sketches and delve into many unique compositions that I wouldn’t usually consider. For instance, this year’s Bundanon differed significantly from last year’s landscape-orientated curriculum, in the sense that more abstract composure was encouraged, using more permanent substances, i.e. paint, which I believe made me feel more comfortable than I regularly would using such enduring mediums. This is because the staff at Bundanon showed us that these ‘mistakes’ could be turned into a major component in a work of art.

But the thing that has not changed throughout the differing program was the focus on the unwavering connection to the natural environment, which is often the subject for our pieces of art. This lends a different perspective on the art world for me, one that will help me grow not just as an artist, but as a Cranbrook student.

Bundanon, like all camps was not just an engagement of activities but also a place of social development. Through Bundanon, I have formed bonds with students over our love of art not only in my year group, but also those a year below. This opportunity has allowed me to expand my friendship circle, and we now share a common experience outside of the school environment yet still learning and developing. Bundanon also allowed the opportunity to see our teachers out of context and allowed a different perspective to regard them not just as teachers but the wonderful, inspiring people that they are.

I think overall the Bundanon experience as I have mentioned is a natural and organic way to alter the perspectives that we have and allow us to explore ourselves and our lens in a way that can challenge and inspire us to grow into someone and something that we had not had the opportunity to imagine. I think this links in with the PYP learning framework but addressing a topic wholistically because this encourages Open-Mindedness, a Learner Profile Attribute greatly supported here at Cranbrook. For anyone in the Junior School who is passionate about art, this is one experience that I would strongly recommend.