Preparing for an art show /exhibition is a lot of work, but it’s so worth it when the students and families come to view their own and others work. It’s a great community spirit.

My students had three items each on display (our school is reasonably small with approx 250 students). Most had two 2D artworks that required mounting on cover paper and labelling, plus a 3D item (or for the Year 5/6, two 3D items (paper mache or clay piece and a stitched and stuffed felt face.)

For this school Art Show, I let the students put their preferences of the 2D work they wanted exhibited, by putting first, second and third preference on the top of the pile in their art folios. This process began in third term with the work done to date. I then went through and pulled out their first preference to begin mounting and labelling. As they completed the following artworks they were added to the folios and rearranged with their new preferences, so that I could choose from those. If there was too much of the same item, I chose the next preference. Pretty well all the 3D items went on display (no mounting and hanging!)

I grouped the artwork, so that there was an explanation about the process, materials and where relevant, the artist that inspired the work. Each year level’s work was spread around different parts of the hall. Most of the displayed artwork has a post on this blog with the lesson activities and plan (or will have soon!)