Bergvliet High School News

2011 has been a phenomenal year for the BHS Art Department! We have visited exhibitions as far afield as Stellenbosch and visited the studio of renowned bronze sculptor, Dylan Lewis. We entered the Cape Town Eisteddfod with fabulous results and our Matrics held the first Retrospective Exhibition in the Gym Hall. We updated the staffroom art collection and are in the process of printing the first BHS school calendar.

The annual Matric Retrospective Exhibition took place from the 17th to the 19th of October in the Gym Hall with a very well attended cocktail function and viewing on the evening of the 19thth. Six Matrics were awarded an exhibition “A” from the panel of four examiners with the overall exhibition marks significantly higher than past years. Works by Caitlynn Reid, Lauren Theunissen and Chantel Schreuder were selected for the “See Gr 12 Create” exhibition to be held at the Tygerberg Art Centre in January 2012. Particular comment was made about the quality of the drawing amongst the Matrics as well as the honesty in subject matter and variety of styles and techniques.

Chantel Schreuder won the Friedlander Art Prize and Lauren Theunissen the Practical Art prize at the Matric Awards Ceremony. The Cultural Dinner announced the following winners: Junior Drawing – Julia Lewis-Thomas (Gr 8), Junior Painting – Lauren Ball (Gr 9), Senior Drawing – Chantel Schreuder (Gr 12), Senior Painting – Grace Warner (Gr 11) and Jessica Armitage (Gr 11), Senior Conceptual/Sculpture and Senior Artist for 2011 – Lauren Theunissen (Gr 12).

The results of the Cape Town Eisteddfod showed our Grade 9s to 11s to be as equally talented as the Matrics: the 17 entrants were awarded 7 Honours passes and 24 Diplomas. Nicole Conradie was placed first in the Senior Section and Claire Han tied Second Place. They were both invited to the Prizegiving Ceremony held at Sweet Valley Primary School on the 29th October. Well done to all the entrants!

We are eagerly awaiting our fist annual school calendar showcasing the work of our senior artists. The 13 page back to back A4 colour calendar will be available at a cost of R50 from the 11th November from the Marketing Office.

Plans for next year include and upgrade of the art in the front passage of the school and an Art Auction in July incorporating work of both learners and well-known artists with feet in BHS soil.

I would like to extend an enormous thank you to those who supported Art at Bergvliet this year and those who attended our final exhibition and the various smaller exhibitions held throughout the year. The final thanks must go to the learners themselves who worked enormously hard this year and didn’t complain (too much anyway!) when I asked them to rework and rework their art pieces.

Jenni Hunt