The 900^th anniversary celebrations continued this Autumn Term with an Expressive Arts Exhibition held in the Senior School Assembly Hall featuring work from across the whole school from Junior 1 to Senior 6.

Expressive Arts form an integral part of the High School curriculum and the Exhibition allows not only the Art Department to showcase their talents, but also the Music and Health & Food Technology Departments get the chance to shine too. The exhibition benefitted from live pupil performances including singing, piano playing and clarsach (celtic harp), with guests sampling canapés created and served by our Third and Fourth year HFT pupils.

The Art Exhibition itself was a sensation: adorning the display boards and showcased on plinths were a mixture of mediums including collages, still life sketches, painting, screen printing, textiles, product design and sculpture, to name a few.

The exhibition, which takes place every other year during the Autumn Term and is attended by parents, fellow pupils and invited guests, provides a strong focal point for aspiring artists and designers to showcase their work to an audience.

Current pupils were inspired by the ‘Where Are They Now?’ feature, which highlighted the diverse successes of former pupils who, after leaving the High School, have pursued careers in the world of Art and Design. The feature showcased a variety of professions, including architects, product designers, fashion and textile designers, graphic artists, silversmiths, as well as individuals working in the film, gaming and directing industries, to name just a few.

Mr Peter Gilchrist (former Head of Art at the Senior School from 1986 to 2015) was the guest of honour for the evening and gave a keynote speech reflecting on the changes he witnessed, and was instrumental in, across the School’s Art Department during his 28 year tenure. Not least of which was the creation of the light-filled Art Department studios that pupils continue to benefit from in 2024. Within his speech he also mentioned a number of former pupils that have gone on to make waves in the Art and Design world.

Rector, John O’Neill, said: “The Whole School Expressive Arts Exhibition showcases work from our youngest pupils in Junior 1 all the way up to Senior 6. It is a true representation of the creativity, imagination, skill and talent being fostered at the High School by our pupils under the guidance of my talented Art colleagues.

“It was especially lovely to see a number of the works on display featuring elements of our 900-year history. My special thanks go to the Art Department, but also the Music and HFT Departments for the part they played in helping to make this a memorable event for all. Events like these give us pause to reflect on the spirit of creativity and innovation within our School and I for one am incredibly proud.”

Head of Art, Mrs Carolyn Bell, curated the exhibition alongside her team. Speaking about the event, she said: “I was especially pleased that this exhibition was a whole school event, featuring artwork from the Junior School all the way up to Senior 6. It was wonderful to see how our pupils grow and evolve in their artistic abilities as they progress through the years. I am incredibly proud of our Art and Design students and the remarkable quality and skill they have poured into their work. This exhibition is a testament to the wide range of talent among our pupils, showcasing their abilities in drawing, painting and design. I hope the diversity of the work on display will inspire younger pupils to appreciate the value of Art and Design, and even spark the realisation that they too have the potential to pursue a future career in this area.”

To view further photographs from the Exhibition, please click here.

Pictured top: Members of the Senior School’s Art Department with Mr Peter Gilchrist (former Head of Art, 1986-2015).