Connecting Children Across the World Through Nature
This successful partnership between
Sunrise Waldorf School and the Robert Bateman Centre
includes an April 2016 Exhibition of Student Art from Classes 7 & 8.
The Robert Bateman Centre is located on the second floor of the former Steamship Terminal in Victoria’s inner harbour. The Centre displays 111 original paintings and several limited edition prints by the famous wildlife painter and conservationist. Opened in May 2013, on Bateman’s 83rd birthday, the venue hosts visitors from around the world. Outreach to local communities furthers the Centre’s mandate to educate children and adults about environmental issues. A second joint project is now completed between Class 7-8 at Sunrise Waldorf School (SWS) in Duncan and the Robert Bateman Centre. An exhibition of student artworks from Classes 7 & 8 ran April 15-24, 2016. In 2014, a collection of student artworks exhibited at the Centre May 1-31.
Below: On February 9, 2016 Robert Bateman took Classes 7&8 on a fascinating two-hour tour of the Centre.
The artist started drawing wildlife before he was 12 and encourages youth to connect with nature.
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Left: Linda Meech, Robert Bateman, Chantey Dayal.
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April 4, 2016. Several students painting in Ms Cameron’s Class Seven share their inspirations and artistic process.
Jamie chose a grizzly bear for his animal because he “likes the feeling of freedom and power in their movements." When he lived in Vancouver, Jamie often watched grizzlies playing and swimming at the 20 acre Grouse Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. Jamie brushed a light yellow acrylic ground on his canvas then drew the bear’s outline on the ground. For applying pigment, he used a half-inch angled brush. The texture in the bear’s fur is achieved with dry brushing allowing the separated bristles to make myriad fine lines. Jamie's bear was used on the poster promoting the event. |
Jasmine chose an African leopard cub for her animal. She admires the sleek beauty, agility and swimming abilities of the leopard. Jasmine is a competitive swimmer and identifies with a growing cub gaining strength and speed. Over the past three years the young artist has donated over $1,000 to the Snow Leopard Trust, based in Seattle. She did this by fundraising and donating her allowances. The Trust partners with five Central Asian countries to protect the Snow Leopard. Jasmine explains: “The Trust does practical things like build shelters for the livestock of rural farmers.”
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Mika used a soft warm palette to convey the family bonds of the elephants. The pink baby elephant is holding the blue mother’s tail. “Elephants are both forceful and gentle,” she says, “a baby spends 22 months in her mother’s body, so the strong attachment continues after birth. Mika sponged a light yellow wash on to the canvas, then added soft blues and greens. She appreciates artwork with abstract shapes and bright colours.
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Arc researched all kinds of water creatures and decided to paint a Hammerhead Shark. The heads of these sharks are flattened and extend laterally. Their eyes sit oddly at the end of each protrusion. “They are a powerful animals,” he says, “unique and beautiful.” Arc has spent time in Australia and appreciates the unique qualities of the undersea world. He added rocks and coral, seaweed and fish to his painting.
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The opening at the Robert Bateman Centre on April 15, 2016 was an exciting event.
Class Seven teacher Rachel Cameron with proud mom
Kate Cino
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Rachel Cameron with Class Eight teacher Hans-Peter Mothes
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Below: Four Class Eight students talk about their completed artworks at the April 15 opening.
Elianna was born in the year of the Water Horse (Chinese Astrology).
“I love the ocean,” she says “and swimming in Shawnigan Lake.” The artist is fascinated by the delicate multi-hued variety of seahorses found in the ocean. It’s the male seahorse who gives birth, she notes, after storing the female’s eggs in his body. The artist employed a free-style painting technique, using washes of blue-green colour and flowing brushwork. In “Deep Sea Dreams” she created textural interest by scattered salt in the wet pigment. |
“Donald Trunk” makes reference to the way Donald Trump is threatening world security with negative stereotypes. “It’s not beneficial to impose racist and sexist ideas on society,” Dziva says. He is hoping that a Democrat will win the US election. Dziva took great care with his first major painting. He built up many layers of greens, blues and greys to his underpainting to create shading and texture. White dots depict stars in the backdrop of space. “I am so grateful to be given this opportunity,” he says. “It’s a thrill to see our work hanging with Mr Bateman’s amazing and detailed paintings.”
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Jordan is honoured to be showing his artwork “Red Neck Rodent” at the Robert Bateman Centre. “I see the famous artist’s paintings and feel inspired,” says Jordan. He learned a lot during the project, including how to create a colour wheel and mix pigments. He recalls the peacefulness in the room when everyone was painting. “If you felt stuck there was always an instructor to help out,” he says.
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Meenah captures the playful innocence of a wild creature in
“Blue Bear”. She built up layers of primary colour using sponges and brushes. The cheerful mix of emerald greens, sky blues and magenta daps and drips support the carefree theme. So do lively sparkles of iridescent paint. Meenah learned much about techniques and styles of painting while working. “We had a supportive environment and our teachers gave lots of feedback,” she says. |
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Sunrise Waldorf School
2148 Lakeside Road, Duncan. Phone: 250.743.7253 Email: mail@sunrisewaldorfschool.org |
Robert Bateman Centre
470 Belleville Street, Victoria. Managing Director, Peter Ord peter.ord@batemancentre.org 250-940-3626 x305 |