This 90 - minute workshop is developed and delivered by our Education officer. It is designed to be for all age groups and aims to broaden a student’s engagement with Contemporary Art by encouraging understanding, looking and critical thinking.

Workshop 1: Ways into Looking at Art

Dates available: Wed/Thurs and Fri

Times available: 1:00 – 2:30pm

Duration: 90 minutes

Year Level: 1-13

Student numbers: 15 - 30

Cost : $2 per student

Hands on activity: In this workshop students will make a simple sketchbook in which they will record two artworks with annotations (artworks to be viewed are agreed and discussed with teacher prior to visit )

Back at school: Tell a story about your own artwork.

Conduct an interview where you explain your artwork to the interviewer using appropriate vocabulary.

Write an artist statement about your own work

Artist Models: Various depending on your own concept/ theme or focus (agree with Ed officer prior to your visit)

Curriculum links: Visual arts UC/CI level 1-8

Social Sciences, English – making and creating meaning, Technology

Key comp/Values: Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing self/Values and  thinking

NCEA: L1/2/3 Visual Arts 1.1/2.1/3.1

Workshop Learning experience:

• Students will interpret the subject within the artworks they are shown from a personal viewpoint. They will consider the presence of the work, what it is about and its context. They will annotate their recordings using appropriate visual art vocabulary.
• They will explore how to read artworks critically – gaining an understanding of the messages that artists are communicating through problem solving and critical thinking methods.
• Older students will discuss how they could use thinking skills to help evaluate their own artwork. They will develop their confidence in articulating their opinions and debating skills related to given artworks.

The ‘I can draw’ 120 minute technique workshop below has been developed and is delivered by our Education officer. This workshop is designed to be for all age groups and aims to broaden a student’s skill based knowledge within the field of drawing. Broad based themes are used to encourage students to compare and contrast, styles and techniques, using works from the gallery collection as examples. Themes offered include Portraiture/Self/Representation, Human Form, Landscape and Inspired By Nature. These workshops contain a practical element that can be developed later in the classroom at school.

Workshop 2 : “I can draw”

Dates available : Weds/Thurs/ Fri

Duration : 120mins 9:30 – 11:30 or 12:30 – 2:30

Year Level : 9 -10

Cost : $2

Learning objectives : Development of drawing techniques –

proportion, mark making, line, tone,

texture, structure and form.

Hands on activity : Experimental mark making and drawing from observation using wet and dry media

Back at school : Apply to future visual art projects

Artist Models : Various - These will be selected prior to your visit depending on your theme /direction

Curriculum links : Visual arts UC/CI/PK/ level 1-8

Key competencies : Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing self/Values and thinking

• Students will explore ways of using wet and dry media to record objects within a previously chosen theme. They will experiment with duration/speed and control in response to given words. They will then produce a final work using appropriate drawing methods. Works produced will be of an expressive nature.

Sketchbook mentalities is a 120 minute workshop that aims to promote, inspire and encourage the creative use of sketchbooks in primary and secondary schools.

‘Sketchbooks can be a vital tool to encourage creative and critical thought and action across the whole school, and beyond the art curriculum. Sketchbooks, when used to their fullest, put the owner at the centre of his or her experience of the world, allowing him or her to collect, sort, rationalise, share, reflect, dream and discover.’ Paula Briggs and Sheila Ceccarelli of AccessArt.

Workshop 3 : Sketchbook mentalities

Days available : Weds/Thurs/ Fri 

Duration : 120mins 9:30 – 11:30 or 12:30 – 2:30

Year Level : 1-10

Cost : $4

Learning objectives : To develop understanding of how a sketchbook is used by an artist to help develop ideas. Students then apply this knowledge to their own work

Hands on activity : Students will make their own sketchbook and personalised front cover and draw from a work in the gallery.

Back at school : Continue to use on a daily basis

Artist Models : Selected from a range of different art disciplines

Curriculum links : Visual arts UC/CI/PK/DI level 1-8, Technology – Knowledge and most other learning areas of the curriculum

Key competencies : Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing self/Values and thinking

Workshop learning experience

• This workshop could be the platform from which creative and critical thinking skills, ownership of learning, motivation and confidence amongst pupils, teachers and schools as a whole can begin to develop. Emphasis is upon the presentation and storage of ideas in a visual format but could be used within most curriculum areas. Students make their own simple sketchbook and create a design for the front and back cover based on the theme of identity using collage and mixed media techniques. Teachers are sent a list of things to collect before their visit and a website link to prepare students for this workshop.

If you are planning a visit to the Christchurch recycling plant then this would be an ideal choice of workshop to enhance your students experience further. Recycled faces is a120 minutes long workshop that aims to communicate sustainability issues facing our world today. Students will learn how creating recycled art can be a positive influence on the environment.

Workshop 4 : Recycled/found object faces Cost $2

Days available : Weds/Thurs/ Fri all year

Duration : 120mins 9:30 – 11:30 or 12:30 – 2:30

Year Level : 1 - 10

Cost : $2

Learning objectives : To create a recycled face that communicates a positive message about sustainability

Hands on activity : Students will make their own recycled face

Back at school : Create a display of your students work as a class portrait. Get your students to write a story about recycling for children. Their recycled face could be photographed and become a symbol on each page Students use the new techniques that they have learnt in the workshop to create their own recycled fashion garments and accessories Students are encouraged to set up their own recycling schemes at school and at home Students develop their own enquiry projects related to sustainability
Artist Models : Fane Flaws – relief works made from recycled objects

Curriculum links : Visual Arts sculpture level 1 – 8 UC/CI/PK Technology – knowledge, Science – Living World, Planet Earth and Beyond and Social Sciences - Place and Environment

Key competencies : Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing self/Values and thinking

Workshop learning experience:

• We will view the works of Artist Model Fane Flaws and discuss the meaning, context and use of recycled materials and text in his work. Students will gain further understanding about how recycled art can communicate messages about recycling and waste.
  Each student will create a portrait made entirely from reusing commonly recycled containers or wood as a basic construction. Other plastic, metal, card and waste items - collected from the Super shed, will then be added to create a portrait. Particular attention will be paid to construction and joining methods. NO GLUE GUNS or plastic tape in this workshop!

Old Hu Hu (Rachel Driscoll) or Goldilocks and the three bears (Gavin Bishop Award)

Workshop 5: Picture Book Illustration

Dates available: Weds/Thurs/Fri

Duration: 120mins 9:30 – 11:30  or  12:30 – 2:30

Year Level: 1  - 10

Cost: $3

Learning objectives: To gain an understanding of the oral and visual language features used in the creation of a picture book and how these enhance the text in the story.

To encourage students to think critically about how images convey meaning and feelings.

Hands on activity: Readers Theatre , matching illustrations with originals and  development of own insect character or bear .                                                                     

Back at school: Students use their illustrations to help develop literacy work

Artist Models: Rachel Driscoll (Old Hu Hu) or Gavin Bishop award finalists (Goldilocks and The Three bears)

Curriculum links:

• Visual Arts 1 - 8 UC/CI/DI/PK.
• English – making and creating meaning                                                                                                   
• Personal Health - Safety management (Goldilocks) Personal growth and development (Old Hu Hu grief), relationships with others.

• Making meaning using language symbols and text – codes of picture books
• Participating and contributing – making connections with others
• Managing self/Values and thinking – making sense of information/experiences and ideas

Workshop learning experience – Picture book Illustration

 In this workshop students will develop their understanding of illustration and how it contributes to a picture book. They will be shown final illustrations from either the finalists of the Gavin Bishop story lines award or Old Hu Hu by Rachel Driscoll and their development work (story boards and roughs). They will answer questions like:

• How are illustrations used to tell a story?
• What visual literacy devices are used to engage the reader?
• How does an Illustrator use line, colour and composition to create atmosphere and mood in an illustration?
• How does an illustration complement /extend and explain the written text?

 Students will create their own illustration of a bear or insect related to a given character name using collage techniques. This can be used back in the classroom to develop literacy skills.

Workshop 6: Pasifika Tapa - cultures and Customary Arts

Duration: 150mins 9:30 – 12:00

Year Level: 3 - 10

Cost: $2

Learning objectives: Students investigate the context and significance of tapa in the Pacific region. They create their own interpretation of tapa using printmaking procedures and incorporating symbolism and pattern

Hands on activity: Students will create their own tapa style paper and printing block. Symbols will be printed  that reflect their own identity and customary Tapa

Back at school: Display tapa prints in the classroom and invite another class to guess the artist (student not model)

Artist Models: Stone Maka and Fatu Feu’u

Curriculum links:

• Visual Arts level 1 – 8  UC/CI/PK
• Social Sciences – Identity, Culture, and Organisation, Place and Environment,
• English – Listening, viewing and presenting                                                                                 

Key competencies: Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing self/Values and thinking

 Workshop learning experience

This workshop will be most effective if it is integrated naturally into your programme and adapted to suit the classroom context. Focus is upon cultures and customary arts that gave rise to the Pasifika artworks we have in our selling gallery and collection and how the New Zealand cultural setting has shaped these artists lives. The students as individuals will be asked to interpret examples of contemporary Pasifika art and use these interpretations to form a basis upon which to create their own identity symbol on imitation tapa cloth.

Artists have used nature and the environment as a key source for inspiration throughout history. Our Past our Future is a 150 minute long workshop that aims to encourage students to look at the power of contemporary art practice in our battle to save our changing world.

Choose from: Quail Island / Carbon Footprint / Indigenous Birds of NZ / Polar Bears           

Workshop 7: Our Past, Our Future

Dates available: All year

Duration: 150mins 9:30 -12:00

Year Level: 4 – 8

Cost: $2 Print/$7 Sculpt

Learning objectives: Students will make connections between issue based artwork and their own environment and develop and apply their ideas to their own practical piece    

Hands on activity: Print (stencils) or Sculpture (Diorama). Diorama students will work in pairs

Back at school: Artwork may need to be completed. Students could write an accompanying blurb that explains their piece for an expo about the environment or make an animation film using their diorama

Artist Model: Asher Newbury ,Ollie Perkins, Ben Reid and Dick Frizzell

• Curriculum Links:
• Visual arts UC/CI/PK/DI level 2-7
• Social Sciences, Science - Living World, Planet Earth and Beyond,
• English – Making and creating meaning

Key competencies: Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing                                                                                        self/Values and thinking

Choose from one of the following themes Carbon Footprint (print/mixed media), Indigenous Birds of NZ (print/mixed media) or Quail Island (3D sculpture miniature life size scene) or Polar Bears (print/mixed media)

 Workshop learning experience:

All of the above three workshops have a sustainability/environment/extinction angle. Students will be shown issue based Artists work from our selling gallery related to Our past Our Future and the theme of the sustainability/extinction and our environment. They will then develop their own designs for a piece that clearly communicates their chosen message using symbols and text (print/mixed media options) or photographs and real objects/ clay models (Diorama sculpt). Final outcomes will either be a stencil print or diorama.

 View works by previous students on the COCA website: www.coca.org.nz/school/feedback/

Workshop 8: Wearable Arts – recycled junk accessories based on plant and flower forms

Dates available: All Year

Duration: 150mins 9:30 – 12:00

Year Level: 4 - 13

Cost: $3 (will be spent on items from the Super Shed, Creative Junk and the $2 Clothing Warehouse)

Learning objectives: To gain an understanding of the relationship between the production of art works and their contexts and influences. To generate ideas using the work of artist models for wearable arts

Hands on activity: Viewing paintings/drawings at COCA based on the plant/flower theme. Sketching design ideas/ exploring possible techniques and ideas using recycled materials in maquette form for a wearable art accessory                                                                       

Back at school: Students use their sketches and 3D maquettes/trials to help create a wearable artoutfit for a school fashion show

Artist Models: Mary Mulholland and various others from the galleries collection based on plants and flowers

• Curriculum links:
• Visual Arts sculpture level 2 – 7 UC/CI/PK
• Technology – knowledge,
• Science – Living World, Planet Earth and Beyond,
• Social Sciences - Place and Environment,
• English – making andcreating meaning                                                                                                     
• NCEA Technology Fabric Level 1/2/3

Key competencies: Making meaning using language symbols and text/participating and contributing/Managing self/Values and thinking

 Workshop learning experience

Prior to your visit students should visit the website of costume designer Jenny Gillieswww.jennygillies.com/ and make notes about use of materials, draw from images on line and watch the video clips of performance. Students should also view previous maquettes made in this workshop by Riccarton High by going to www.coca.org.nz/exhibitions/125/

Students will begin their workshop at COCA by viewing/discussing/ and making sketches of plant flower forms using the work of various artist models. They will then design and make a maquette for a wearable art accessory using recycled materials (hat, belt, bracelet broach or necklace). Please bring additional glue Guns if you have them