Xzealeah Eustace's take on a genie in a bottle. Photo/Supplied.
Xzealeah Eustace's take on a genie in a bottle. Photo/Supplied.
Opunake High School is showcasing their students' artistic flare and photography skills.
Artwork and photography pieces by Opunake High School students have been posted to the school's Facebook page.
The work has been posted to showcase the students' talents and to inform people that the scheduled Bring an Artist toSchool Day has been postponed due to Covid-19.
Opunake High School Head of Art and Photography Department Andy Bedford says the purpose of the day was to give the student's inspiration for their portfolio. The portfolio is a year's worth of work which gives the student NCEA credits.
About 40-45 artists were scheduled to attend the day. Students from Patea Area School were also going to attend.
"The artists were going to spend one-on-one time with the Year 12 and 13 Art and Photography students, talk to them about how to turn their passion into a career and do a collaborative piece with the students."
Andy is in his second year as the Head of Department for Art and Photography and has been teaching at the school for four years. He says last year he had the idea to organise the day.
"I wanted to gather some artists so the students could learn from them and establish relationships in the Taranaki artist community. I also wanted to give the students every opportunity available to help them be the best they can be."
The aim was to introduce students to artists and photographers who had similar styles. He says he was overwhelmed with the response by the artists.
"I shared a post on Facebook on a Saturday and by the Sunday I had most of the artists I needed. I'm very thankful to the artists for wanting to help the students."
Xzealeah Eustace (16), a Year 13 at the School is taking Level 3 Art and Photography. One of her pictures, submitted for her Year 12 Photography portfolio was posted on the Facebook page.
"For my portfolio I did the development of a genie in a bottle. I took photos of a bottle and separate pictures of the model. I photoshopped the model so it looked like she was in the bottle. I was very happy with the finished product."
Andy says he is proud of the students work.
"They are doing awesome. There were great results from NCEA last year and hopefully we have the same again."
Liam Cole's Donald Trump cartoon. Photo/ Supplied.
Liam Cole (18) completed his last year of high school in 2019. He created a cartoonised Donald Trump.
"We had to create a cartoonised person who has had an influence on the world or people in the past couple of years. We weren't allowed to have the same person as anyone else.
"I talked to the art teachers at the school who helped me develop my ideas."
Liam says the end product is not a political statement, but a representation of some of the views associated with him and the ways he has been portrayed on the internet.
