Year 9 Visual Art students spent the afternoon at the Botanic Gardens as part of their unit of study looking at how nature inspires artists, with a focus on the beauty of defence mechanisms. The works of the celebrated artist Dale Chihuly provided an excellent insight into how he creates organic forms in glass that reflect upon the theme of nature, and particularly the forms that have spikes and intertwining forms. We are extremely fortunate to have this work here in Adelaide as it has rarely been shown outside the USA. His works complement the environments they are placed in and the scale is something the students were in awe of. 

The Museum of Economic Botany, the only remaining museum of its type in the world, was also a good place for students to seek and find specimens that they could respond to in their work, with a wide variety of cones and seeds found there. The Botanic Gardens was a great starting point for these students in their lengthy unit of work, which will involve mixed media and installations. We look forward to seeing them completed at the end of the term.

Jane Robson
Visual Arts Coordinator