Art & Textiles

Welcome to the Art and Design Department. We are a happy and creative bunch of teachers with varying skills and talents in a host of disciplines; drawing, painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and photography. We are passionate about what we teach and how we deliver. Our department is not huge but it is perfectly formed with well organised rooms, ample amounts of resources and tempting materials. We have a well stocked library of books, both contemporary and historic that are used for inspiring and learning about the history of art and we also subscribe to three bi-monthly magazines.

We believe in the necessity of teaching basic drawing skills and building upon this practice. Colour is introduced in the First Form with a gradual introduction through the years of the various paint materials. Pupils can use wire, mod roc, plaster, cardboard, wood, etc, to construct three-dimensionally, with the help of DT if needs be. We have a good sized electric kiln and two test kilns, three potters’ wheels, a clay extruder and a clay slab roller. Generally pupils are taught a host of hand building techniques in clay, in addition to learning about glazing. In the textile room we have sewing machines, dying facilities, batiking, weaving, and knitting and a combination of the above to enhance all probabilities of researching and producing final outcomes. On occasions we have visiting artists who come to King’s with their own creations and run a workshop for the day to stimulate ideas or to possibly introduce new techniques. To aid workshop productivity we will have intermittent Saturday workshops that allow pupils to spend a quality amount of time to focus on a particular unit of work. Every year we a have a number of pupils who go on to a Foundation course, either at Cheltenham, Stroud or London. We successfully produce a hard core of pupils that have a strong desire to follow their artistic desires.

We regularly attend museums in London or Birmingham, Oxford or Bath and we take the younger years on a cultural trip once a year. On alternate years textile pupils will have the opportunity of attending the Clothes Show at the NEC. In addition we have held a couple of Fashion Shows of our own, fund raising for World Challenge Expeditions or other charitable causes. The department teams up with other departments or goes it alone, to take educational trips to Italy, Sicily, Greece, Russia, Paris, New York and Venice and Florence. Pupils are encouraged to develop journals on such trips and these are displayed for their fellow peers to appreciate in the school library. Once a year Art and Design Technology have a large exhibition to show the work created throughout the year. All First, Second and Third Form pupils are represented, in addition to GCSE and ‘A’ level artists’ work. During Open Mornings we have a display of work in the Chapter House and there is always a constant display of artwork throughout the school, in the Palace, Paddock and Dining Hall. The department helps with the schools drama productions, developing and creating the stage set and this is usually a joint venture between staff and pupils. We aid other departments with resources or visual ideas and we are involved with the school’s Independent Learning and the Gifted and Talented for those who indicate a little more interest and empathy for the subject.

So you see we are an exciting, vibrant, energetic and thriving department. For the older years this means the radio plays, crisps and chocolate are eaten and birthdays welcome, when we can indulge in some cake! We try to practice what we preach and involve ourselves in our own creativity of making and exploring, only this way can we truly inspire those around us. Please come and visit, you are more than welcome.

The Art Department produces a large exhibition in the Cathedral at the end of the Summer Term displaying pupils' work.