Art and Design at Wellington College International School Bangkok is taught to engage, inspire, and challenge children throughout their primary, secondary, and senior years of school life. Academic excellence is a fundamental part of our education of which creativity is a key element.
At Wellington, not only do students learn a highly valuable set of skills that can be integrated into their everyday learning, they also develop a natural sense of artistic joy, equipping them to respond more creatively to challenges that may present themselves in later life. Creative thinkers with curious minds will be given freedom to imagine, create and problem solve, with Art and Design at the core. Art teaches children the technical competencies required, but also transferable skills such as critical awareness, independence, problem solving, focus, patience, perseverance and creativity.
Our students are exposed to Art from different cultures, and movements. From hands on designing during the celebration of Diwali, to medieval and still modern art drawing techniques, children are given the opportunity to explore with their hearts and minds. Both traditional and experimental ways of working are encouraged, leading students to build a personal connection with their chosen subject. What art is to one student will be incredibly different to another child’s idea of art. We nurture and foster individuality in everything done at school.
On a practical level, Art contributes hugely to the development of fine motor skills, particularly amongst younger students. It is fascinating that children learn to interpret images and communicate through mark-making, even before embarking on their journeys to read and write.
Our dedicated and inviting Art rooms have a feeling of calm and light, providing children with the perfect place to generate and produce ideas. In addition, we are looking forward to introducing ceramics, textiles, and design technology lessons for older year students, as the schools grows.
Furthermore, Art within the local community and creating relationships with successful artists and designers, has inspired students to understand how their learning fits inside of real-life situations. Trips to a wide range of Museums and Art galleries are integrated into the curriculum, allowing children to discover new experiences.
At the beginning of Michaelmas Term, Miss Duna Carbonell, our Head of Art and Design, organised a trip for our Year 8 students to visit the Nova Contemporary Gallery, for a very special viewing of “The Sea and Ghost and Beyond” solo exhibition by textile artist Ploechan Vinyaratn. The visit served as inspiration for this term’s upcoming unit on textiles, where students will explore the benefits of up-cycling and creative approaches to weaving and sewing.
