WINNER - Rookwood Students Award
Making Connections (2022)
Ceramic and rope
Each ceramic sphere represents an artist and the connections they hold with family and friends. As each strand develops, new links are created and connections deepen. Joined together, the spheres unite cultural traditions, values and family identities creating lines of heritage which pass through the generations.
About the Artist
This work has been made by students from all year groups, kindergarten to Year 12, across the three Barker campuses: on Darkinjung Country (Yarramalong), Ngarralingayil Country (Wollombi) and Guringai Country (Hornsby). Teacher: Ellen Macdonald
Transcription
Hi, I'm Ellen McDonald and I'm a visual arts teachers aid at Baker College.
This artwork Making Connections is a joint project and has been made by students from all year groups, from kindergarten through two year twelve, from across our three Baker College campuses, Darkinjung, Ngarralingayil and Hornsby.
The students have made a range of different sized spheres from clay, and these were made by joining two pinch pots together or by building the forms in moulds. The spheres were then decorated with their designs and patents before being fired. The artwork on each sphere represents either something about the student and their personality, or about a family member or about a friend and the connections they hold with each other. Making these connections, their sculptures are threaded together with rope to form a group work, but also their work can be recreated to make their own standalone peace.
This artwork forms a symbol that represents the students and their relationships with their family and friends and the importance of these connections uniting cultural traditions and values. The importance of this is reflected in Rookwood, where people come together to honour their friends and family. Even though the spheres appear similar, they are also quite different and the student's individual character is revealed, and I think that's really lovely.