Charlotte Paull, National Art School sculpture student. Image courtesy National Art School
From celebrating ancient and contemporary art forms to practical workshops, wandering through creative spaces and art exhibitions, the prestigious National Art School (NAS) is set to create an artful feast for its Open Day in Sydney on Saturday 29 August.
A unique opportunity to discover what goes on behind the doors of its historic Darlinghurst campus, the Open Day will give aspiring visual artists the opportunity to observe demonstrations and discussions on all of the School’s artistic disciplines, learn more about the history of NAS and how studying at the prestigious institution can propel your career.
From Margaret Olley to this year’s representative of the Venice Biennale, Fiona Hall, inscribed in the National Art School’s history is an impressive list of renowned and celebrated artists. The NAS boasts its fair share of Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizewinners and finalists too, including Tim Storrier and Luke Sciberras.
For the first time this year, an Instagram campaign See Inspiration will run in the lead up to Open Day events, inviting aspiring artists to upload images of what inspires them along with the hashtag #seeinspiration.
Selected entries will be exhibited on Open Day, with winners chosen by the attendees to receive a range of sought-after prizes.
First prize is a Summer Series of three short courses including Summer School, Term 1 and Term 2 classes valued at up to $2835. Second prize is a weekend short course valued at up to $360. The campaign also rewards three runners-up with vouchers for Parkers Art Suppliers valued at $50.
National Art School CEO Michael Snelling said the campaign aimed to pay homage to the idea that artists see the world differently. They tend to see beauty in the mundane and have a distinct ability to translate everyday imagery into captivating artwork.
‘If you see something inspiring, then we’d like to see you,’ he said, encouraging aspiring artists to get snapping and uploading.
In addition to the Instagram exhibition, the entire campus will be transformed into a buzzing hive of artistic activities featuring breakdancing shows, live music and DJs, food trucks, art markets, open studios, art demonstrations, talks and workshops.
Sure to be one of the centerpieces of the festivities is the live mural painting by local street art legend and current student Matthew Peet, aka Mistery. Attending the NAS in the ‘90s, Mistery returned this year to complete his Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) majoring in painting.
Snelling said the annual Open Day served multiple purposes. In addition to acting as a recruitment day for potential students, it is also an opportunity to showcase the school’s historic property and exhibit students’ artwork.
The day provides one of the few occasions each year for the school’s bronze sculpture teacher Clara Hari to fire up the foundry and demonstrate the ancient technique, one of a range taught as part of the school’s sculpture course.
‘Bronze sculpture is one of the oldest and most longstanding techniques and it’s quite involved,’ said Snelling. ‘You have to cast it, make the mould, heat up the foundry to extraordinary temperatures, pour the bronze, and then clean it all up afterwards. It’s a big job so we only do it a few times a year.’
Another major attraction of Open Day will be an exhibition of works by renowned Australian photo-media artist Rosemary Laing – her first major show in Sydney for ten years, with a series of talks to complement the exhibition.
Members of the public are invited to walk through the historic school, which operates on the East Sydney site of the former Darlinghurst gaol.
Converted into a school in 1922, the cells were removed long ago but the former prison’s long hollow rooms provide perfect open spaces for artists’ studios with ideal lighting and removable internal walls. A recently completed $8.7 million redevelopment of the School’s Postgraduate Centre caps off a spectacular year for the school.
The NAS has experienced record enrolments this year too, both in its Bachelor and Masters Degree courses as well as the plethora of short summer and high school courses. In 2017, the school will offer a Doctoral course for the first time.
‘There’s been renewed interest in the kind of way we teach art, which is studio-based practice, based on learning skills and understanding materials,’ said Snelling.
Regardless of course, all NAS students must complete two compulsory subjects – drawing and art history and theory. The School’s focus on honing skills and appreciating materials helps to foster competent and interdisciplinary graduates.
‘Often by their third year, you can’t tell which area the students have come from because their work has become so experimental and their skill-base has exploded,’ said Snelling.
‘We train artists to be artists – there are no double degrees and we don’t do teacher-training. Our aim is for our graduates to become full-time working artists.’
Another way the school helps its graduates to transition into the real world is through its innovative online gallery.
Thousands of pieces by NAS graduate and post-graduate students are photographed and uploaded onto a website and a recently developed phone app. So far this year, more than $130,000 worth of artworks have been sold – double the previous year’s total.
‘Exhibiting and selling your work is a key part of surviving as an artist and we actively encourage sales as part of our students’ education,’ Snelling said.
‘Selling a piece of art is a powerful symbolic gesture and makes a graduate feel confident about getting out there and being a professional artist,’ he concluded.
National Art School
Annual Open Day, Saturday August 29, 10am-4pm
For more information about Open Day and the See Inspiration campaign visit, www.seeinspiration.nas.edu.au
