As teachers of the visual arts and technology subjects, we have the daily privilege of nurturing and witnessing the inventive and creative ingenuity that exudes from our students. They form our new generation of problem solvers and change makers; not only in the design and art world but also in how we harness diversity and work together on a global scale. This new generation will enhance our lives by working together, across cultures and continents, in their quest to develop and explore better and more efficient technologies that will benefit everyone.

The Visual Arts curriculum here at DGS enables teachers and students to draw on their own experiences and passions to generate new messages of change for better.  We call this ‘visual or creative articulation’ and is a form of non-verbal communication.

The Technology subjects: Textiles, DT and Food are equally ‘creative’ but have a slightly different ‘voice’. The objects and materials we need and enjoy in our every day lives have all been designed by a creative mind, but the function is as important as the idea alone. We see students designing and making culinary dishes that challenge new flavour and texture combinations; Textiles students pushing the boundaries of typical fabric and cloth capabilities and, in DT, students taking on ambitious projects that manipulate unfamiliar materials to create functional yet beautiful items which may indeed be new ideas based on existing ones.

As a faculty, we understand the importance of sharing and teamwork because we know that better things happen when we work together. We know that we always have more to learn and that being kind to each other is paramount and, through critique, we witness kindness and challenge in equal measure. We watch our students take inspiration from each other and embrace diversity of idea and diversity of perspective. We generate a fair and balanced approach to our own work, but also towards the work of our peers. We don’t shout and we don’t force opinion; instead, we listen and we challenge: we learn.

Our students show us the way with their bravery and unfaltering clarity in challenging times. Some students have been collaborating with family members to share their creative ideas and we are enjoying seeing these new 'teams' developing. In celebration of all of our students and their personal creative voices, please enjoy these most recent images of their beautiful work.