making gumleaves

Well we had to make more gum leaves because there are a lot of birds who are going to sit in the trees in our mural. Gum leaves come in all colours shapes and sizes, and here our students are getting to work. The preps made these leaves, aren't they great! Students at St Vincent de Paul Primary School in Strathmore are making a ceramic mural about Moonee Ponds Creek. Their art teacher Ms Williams and artist Debbie Qadri will be working with them to make the parts of the mural out of clay. We are learning about the history of Moonee Ponds Creek as we make the mural. A lot of the indigenous animals and plants have gone from the creek because of the development of the City of Melbourne. What animals and plants were around the creek when the Wurundjeri People lived here? Why are they not there now? When you go down to the creek, have you noticed how the friends of Moonee Ponds Creek and the local councils are beginning to replant the native plants and grasses that used to be there? We are hoping that in the future some of the animals and creatures will also return. Our mural will remind us about the animals and plants that belong to the creek and how important it is to take care of them.

Frogs and flowers

Today we made frogs and flowers for our mural of Moonee Ponds Creek. The flowers are mainly Noon flowers, often known as pigface. The frogs include pobblebonk frogs. Year 3 students made these. They are so cute! Students at St Vincent de Paul Primary School in Strathmore are making a ceramic mural about Moonee Ponds Creek. Their art teacher Ms Williams and artist Debbie Qadri will be working with them to make the parts of the mural out of clay. We are learning about the history of Moonee Ponds Creek as we make the mural. A lot of the indigenous animals and plants have gone from the creek because of the development of the City of Melbourne. What animals and plants were around the creek when the Wurundjeri People lived here? Why are they not there now? When you go down to the creek, have you noticed how the friends of Moonee Ponds Creek and the local councils are beginning to replant the native plants and grasses that used to be there? We are hoping that in the future some of the animals and creatures will also return. Our mural will remind us about the animals and plants that belong to the creek and how important it is to take care of them.

making tiles for the border

Here we are making tiles for the border of the mural. rolling the clay, pressing in leaves and plants from moonee ponds creek to make impressions, cutting out the correct width and shape, and painting them bright colours! Year 2 students made these tiles. (and I have included a photo of the hopscotch chalk drawing because it is so cool!) Students at St Vincent de Paul Primary School in Strathmore are making a ceramic mural about Moonee Ponds Creek. Their art teacher Ms Williams and artist Debbie Qadri will be working with them to make the parts of the mural out of clay. We are learning about the history of Moonee Ponds Creek as we make the mural. A lot of the indigenous animals and plants have gone from the creek because of the development of the City of Melbourne. What animals and plants were around the creek when the Wurundjeri People lived here? Why are they not there now? When you go down to the creek, have you noticed how the friends of Moonee Ponds Creek and the local councils are beginning to replant the native plants and grasses that used to be there? We are hoping that in the future some of the animals and creatures will also return. Our mural will remind us about the animals and plants that belong to the creek and how important it is to take care of them.

glazing some of the ceramic work that has come out of the first firing

Here Debbie is glazing some of the ceramic work that has come out of the first firing. It has been fired in a kiln to 1000 degrees centigrade. very hot! Now Debbie has to put the glaze one by one onto everything that the children made. Being careful not to put the glaze underneath the artwork, she puts one coat on, lets it dry and then puts on a second coat of glaze. Sometimes a third coat. Why does it look white? The glaze is actually a bit like powdered glass. It is powders mixed up with water. The ingredients are things like, clay, silica, frit. The artwork goes into the kiln and it heats up and the powders turn to glass! This time the artwork will be heated to 1060 degrees.