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Visual Art

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Albert Einstein

With Visual Art, judgement rather than rules prevail; unlike other subjects, students learn that there can be more than one solution to a question. Art celebrates multiple perspectives and understands that there are many ways to see and interpret the world. At KingsWay, the Art students enrich theirs and others’ lives through developing their gifts, they overcome setbacks through the fruit of the Spirit and praise God by reflecting their creator in their work.

Alumni Accepted into Prestigious Universities

Tiffani Wang, KingsWay class of 2021, has been accepted at the University of the Arts which includes the distinguished Central Saint Martins, Campbell College, Wimbledon College, Chelsea College and the London School of Fashion. It’s rated top 2 in the world for Art and Design (QS World University Rankings 2023).

Tiffani was a gifted Art student whilst at our school who showed great technical skill and creative ideas. Her application was accepted in record time, which confirms her belief that it’s God’s plan. London will be a wonderful opportunity for her to study and outreach the seeds of faith planted at KingsWay School.

Tiffani will start in September this year and we wish her all the best for this prestigious journey. Pictured right is one of Tiffani’s outstanding pieces of art.

Lawrence Liu, another alumnus who is started last year at The New School Parsons in Paris – studying fashion, has so far achieved Excellence for all his submissions except French – it isn’t an easy language to learn! Well done to him for succeeding in a challenging field of Art and Design.

An Exciting Project – Creatives in Schools

The Ministry of Education awarded the Art department a grant of nearly $20,000 as part of the Creatives in Schools Program. Izak Van de Merwe taught a small number of KingsWay students from a variety of cultural backgrounds several skills using photography. The project’s theme started out as a celebration of what makes us different and similar. Then, as Covid hit, we enlarged the brief to be about how the pandemic had touched our lives.

When the final exhibition and accompanying video were presented to the Creatives in Schools, their comment was: “The images are amazing! I can really see the cultures and identities of the taiohi shining through.”

Visual Art at Senior School

Junior Visual Art is an elective subject, offered for one semester at Year 9 and 10. Students can then choose NCEA Level One Visual Art, which leads to Level Two Paint (this includes one standard of Print making) and Design, Print or Paint at Level Three.

All the courses offered have been designed to develop skills in the following areas, based on the NZ Curriculum: practical knowledge, developing ideas, understanding context and communicating and interpreting. Students work with teacher guidance to develop a body of work which is informed by artist models that is original and expresses their own ideas in the field they have chosen.

The art room is an environment which encourages students to practise KingsWay’s central values and the key competencies of thinking, relating to others, using language, symbols, and texts, managing self, participating and contributing.

Visual Art consistently achieves high grades at all levels of NCEA, including scholarship. In 2021, the school was awarded a Creatives in School grant to deliver Photography and our students work has featured in the New Zealand Top Art exhibition.

KingsWay students have twice travelled to Europe; visiting London, Paris, Florence and Rome to experience the Arts in context, learn about the cultural history in which they were created and enjoy seeing iconic works in person.

“I enjoy being stretched and the process of working through from an idea to a final piece is very satisfying.” Audrey Livingstone

“I have the freedom to take my ideas where I want and can push myself when learning new skills to see how good I can be at them.” Jess Botha

“Taking art over the years has challenged and grown me, developing my God-given gifts with a chance to take my creative ability into the world and make a difference. I love the environment of the art room and the feeling of creating something and accomplishing my goals.” Macy Taylor

“Rapua ma te manawanui me te ngakau pono. Mena kaore he huarahi, hanga tetahi. Seek and strive with all your heart. Be curious, creativity takes courage. If there is no way, create one.”
Mary Morgan. B.A Hons M.A. HOD Senior School Visual Art.