Artist in Residence – Bevil Staley
Social realist and monochromaticist.
136 BTEC Art students: Year 11 (44) Year 10 (48) Year 9 (44)
After the success of Bev’s first, three day residency in September 2016 we managed to secure his skills for a whole week at the start of this academic year. His teaching focus for all six GCSE groups was the scribble technique (based on the drawings of Sol Lewitt). Bev also used the story behind his own art to help students with understanding the possibilities for their own work. As with students from his first residency, many students will go on to incorporate this technique within their own exam pieces.
‘For our students talking to and learning from a full time working artist has been a formative and inspirational experience.’ Chetna Gadher (Art teacher)
Bev also led two mastery classes with a smaller group of Year 11 art students teaching them the techniques around monochromatic layering and painting.
During the week the whole school was able to see him complete a piece of artwork in our large student reception.
Bev’s years of working in aboriginal communities, as an adult educator, in the Northern Territory of Australia has greatly influenced the direction of his art. He describes himself as a social realist and uses a simplified, monochromatic pallet in his work. Bev’s aim is ‘To contribute to the cultural heritage and understanding of Australia’ through his art.
Please click here for a PowerPoint presentation of his work. (PPT)