Art education expands boundaries

CLASSROOM CREATIVITY… Students from Wangaratta Park Secondary College receive useful information about exploring the possibilities of creativity from Melbourne-based artist and landscape designer, Heather Hesterman. Photo: Ash Beks.
CLASSROOM CREATIVITY… Students from Wangaratta Park Secondary College receive useful information about exploring the possibilities of creativity from Melbourne-based artist and landscape designer, Heather Hesterman. Photo: Ash Beks.

STUDENTS from the Goulburn Valley and beyond experienced different perspectives of creativity at SAM last month, with the Education Lab exhibit GreenLAB. Melbourne-based artist and landscape designer, Heather Hesterman has taken up residency in the Education Lab from March 1 to April 7 and has been presenting and running workshops in SAM two days per week for the duration of the exhibition period.

Heather Hesterman’s work focuses on the natural environment and our attitudes towards it, encouraging students to consider a more creative view when observing landscapes.

The Education Lab, supported by La Trobe University, provides students and educators with the opportunity to work directly with the artist and create their own immersive installation within SAM’s exhibition spaces.

Throughout the last five weeks, GreenLAB has evolved with input from schools, educational and community groups, enabling students and the general public the opportunity to be involved in research, art making and curatorial processes.

Wangaratta Park Secondary College studio art teacher, Kasey Doyle said, “It is so important for our students to come and work directly with an artist like Heather Hesterman.

“It helps students extend the boundaries of their creativity and increases their understanding of what constitutes as art.”

Heather Hesterman’s lab is a part of the ART+CLIMATE = CHANGE 2019 Festival. Presented by CLIMARTE, the mission of the festival is to activate communities on climate change and acts as a catalyst for organisations to engage in climate-related and socially engaged exhibitions and events. EduLab is open until April 7, 2019.

To check out SAM’s GreenLab, SAM Local and other exhibitions currently on offer, visit SAM at 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton or give them a call on 5832 9861.