Blue Mountains Grammar School recently celebrated its 2019 Art and Design Exhibition, sponsored by Dr Ken Marshall. The event was held on Friday November 22.
Head of the visual arts department, Sally Herron, said Dr Marshall's generosity provided prizes for the award and in 18 years he had donated more than $31,000. Derivan and the Joan Pitt family had also donated prizes.
"Art helps people look at things from multiple perspectives, to see the world differently means that you can understand different cultures, viewpoints and periods of history," Mrs Herron said. "Creative minds are interesting minds they are inventors."
"The employment industry looks for creative thinkers and innovators. In the words of Dr Ken Robinson: 'Creativity is as important now in education as literacy and we should treat it with the same status'."
Mrs Herron said all well rounded educations include creativity.
"The visual arts encourages students to communicate their thoughts, to enquire, investigate, question their world, and understand it aesthetically," she added.
Headmaster Ian Maynard and other teachers attended, including Ian Harrison Head of Technology and Applied Studies, Julie Hiam, Anthony Foot and David Rajasekar. Teacher Michael Laws was missing from the event as he is in Dubai with a group of Year 10 students who have made it into the international part of the F1 in Schools program.
Design head, Mr Harrison, said the design team were "the makers of the school".
"We are charged with introducing students to some traditional skills, as well as new and emerging technologies that are going to develop skills that will be useful into the future. Things like 3D modelling ... software packages that allow us to utilise ... 3D printers, laser cutters and; CNC routers."
"We develop students confidence in engaging with the design process and encourage them to become innovative and discerning thinkers as they explore creative ideas and turn them into reality. We afford students the opportunity to work in a safe environment to develop their confidence in the manual arts with various hand tools and machines."
Mr Harrison said they planned to extend to coding options in 2020.