Art
Department
- Mr J M Ellis (Director of Art)
- Miss K Thompson (Second in Department)
- Mr A D Watt
- Mrs J Ellis
- Mr M Wilde
- Miss F James
- Mr D Stokes (College Photographer)
- Mr C Gray (Art Technician)
"Art, like language, has a structure, a pattern, a syntax. This can be an unpopular view in our currently individualistic, pluralist and Babel-like culture, but the common strands in visual experience can be taught and learnt.”
In the Art Department we teach a language, not just how to copy - copying is a skill, but girls must do something rich and rhythmic with it. Each year, we use a common departmental theme. The theme (currently Coloured Earth) ensures that both the teachers and the pupils are always on the edge of discovering something new.
This thriving department is housed in the award-winning purpose-built Fauconberg Wing. There are four floors of dedicated studio and exhibition space and two gallery spaces in the new Performing Arts Centre nearby, which are easily accessible to the public. The ground floor is home to sculpture and ceramics (including two trolley kilns), a workshop, an office and another teaching studio, as well as a studio which recently has been used by an artist-in-residence. The first floor has a very large printmaking studio, with two etching presses and screenprinting facilities, and a darkroom. The second floor boasts a large teaching studio, a comprehensive Art Library and a History of Art teaching room. Between the second and third floors is a suite of Apple iMacs, an office for the College Photographer and an ample darkroom, fully equipped with enlargers, wet photography equipment and a photographic studio area.
On the top floor is the A2 studio, large enough for each girl to work in their own allocated space, the AS studio, which doubles as the Life Class studio, and another teaching studio. The studios are open for general use after school from Monday to Thursday.
GCSE artists enjoy their annual residential study weekend and the annual Art department trips to New York and prominent European cities are very popular. The annual school photography competition enables every girl to enter and exhibit her own work in the Parabola Arts Centre gallery.
SFC Girls build up impressive portfolios and are very successful in their applications to Art foundation courses, Architecture degrees and courses overseas.
Our art teachers are well-qualified specialists who teach a variety of disciplines including oil-painting, print-making, ceramics, textiles, photography, mixed-media work and sculpture.
LC Programme
Girls start on the ‘creative circus’ which offers an exiting range of activities co-taught by the Art team and Design & Technology.
UC Programme
The Edexcel course is designed to establish good habits of mind as a visual arts student. Enrichment clubs help girls in the evenings.