Mr. Oliver Meyer

Week of 18th June

It was another busy week for the department as students took home their work from the year. From middle school to high school, some 750 pieces of work were taken home. 

Week of 11th June

Thank you to everyone who attended the middle and high school art & computer science exhibition. It was a wonderfully fun-filled occasion where students could rightly show off their hard work and creativity. 

Week of 4th June

This is a gentle reminder that the 2nd Annual Art and Computer Science exhibition will take place on Monday 12th June, 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Grades 9, 10, and 11: used their assessment slots this week to complete their summative outcomes - worth 40% of their overall grade.  Students look forward to presenting their work to family and friends next Monday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 

Please can Grade 9 and 10 students bring in a bag to take their work home from next Tuesday, 13th June. 

Week of 28th May

This is a gentle reminder that the 2nd Annual Art and Computer Science exhibition will take place on Monday 12th June, 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Grades 9, 10, and 11: It was the last week before assessment week.  Students were busy preparing their work for the assessment, which they will complete during their exam next week. 

Week of 21st May

This is a gentle reminder that the 2nd Annual Art and Computer Science exhibition will take place on Monday 12th June, 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Grades 9 and 10: Grade 9 continued their practical-based work this week as they worked on their final pieces. Our department's vision is "every child is an artist." Through this, every pupil can produce a piece of accomplished work. That case is felt in the Grade 9 curriculum, where they can create mixed media work, a painting, digital art, a monoprint, or an etching. This is also felt in Grade 10, where they examine various techniques and media. 

Grade 11: Students continued looking at their last criteria, which allowed them to consider one of the three artists they looked at. 

Week of 28th May

This is a gentle reminder that the 2nd Annual Art and Computer Science exhibition will take place on Monday 12th June, 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Grades 9, 10, and 11: It was the last week before assessment week.  Students were busy preparing their work for the assessment, which they will complete during their e exam next week. 

Week of 14th May

Grades 9 and 10: Grade 9 lept back into practical-based work this week as they continued working on their final pieces. Our Department's vision is "every child is an artist." Through this, every pupil has an outlet to produce a piece of work that is accomplished. That case in point is felt in the Grade 9 curriculum, where they have the opportunity to create mixed media work, a painting, digital art, a monoprint, or an etching. 

Grade 11: It was a pivotal week for H.L. students as they completed their first screen for Criteria E. They explored a range of media that compared or contrasted with their current artist. 

Week of 7th May

Grades 9 and 10: Grade 9 this week developed an understanding of the core foundations of advertising: typography, logos, captions, and kerning. Through this acquired knowledge, they researched and then developed a series of designs for their advertisement to highlight tourism in Bahrain. 

Grade 11: It was a pivotal week for H.L. students as they completed their last screen for Criteria D. Here, they explored the cultural, conceptual, and material understandings of all three of their artists. Next week, they will move into the last criteria, which will allow them to work in the style of all three of their artists. 

Week of 30th April

Grades 9 and 10: With more students back from Eid, it was great to see the classes look full again.  Recently, Grade 9's curriculum has allowed them to go in their own direction, where they can choose what they want to create for their exhibition. Through this, they can create a mixed media work, a painting, digital art, a monoprint, or an etching.  Grade 10 came to the halfway point of their sculpture and painting project. At the end of this journey, they can create a piece in either medium. 

Grade 11: Students this week continued the Criteria D chapter of their comparative study. The penultimate criteria for H.L. students and the last for S.L. pupils. They compared and connected the three artworks they have studied since January 2nd.

Week of 16th April

Grade 9 & 10: Grade 9 continued their practical work this week, where they developed an understanding of composition; for example, foreground, midground, and background. Building upon this, they chose one of nine specific guidelines with landscape depth and the rule of thirds selected as just two examples.  Like Grade 9, Grade 10 had a practical week where half the class continued their clay head and the others a self-portrait painting.  The sculptors developed an understanding of how to create a nose and ears, and painters explored shade, tone, and tint as they mixed white and black to create their desired look.

Grade 11: Students this week moved into Criteria D. The penultimate criteria for H.L. students and the last for S.L. pupils. They compared and connected to the three artworks they have studied since January 2nd.

Week of 10th April

Grade 9 & 10: Grade 9 graduated from theory to practical work this week, where they began a grid drawing for their cityscape project of a scene in Bahrain. Like Grade 9, Grade 10 completed their theory work and then moved seamlessly into a practical component, where half the class began their clay head and the others a self-portrait painting. 

Grade 11: Students completed their tenth screen for their comparative study. Here, they looked at concepts, culture, and material the artist used or considered. Next week, they will move into their penultimate criteria, which will see them make connections between the three artists they have looked at. 

Week of 26th March 

Grade 9 & 10: It's been a busy week for Grade 9 as they have moved from art theory to a practical-based assignment. Here, they researched a painting-based artist from the Middle East to act as the inspiration behind their upcoming project. Unlike Grade 9, Grade 10 continued writing about their self-portrait topic, with half the class evaluating their painting and the other half the clay head. 

Grade 11: Students completed their ninth screen for their comparative study. Using the McFee framework, they considered what world events were happening at the time of the creation of the artwork behind one of their three chosen art pieces.

Week of 19th March 

Grade 9 & 10: Grade 9 had their final theory week, where they evaluated their recently completed Digital Art, making links to formal elements and the artwork they studied.  Like Grade 9, Grade 10 moved into writing about their self-portrait topic, with half the class evaluating their painting and the other half the clay head. 

Grade 11: Students completed their eighth screen for their comparative study. Using the McFee framework, they considered what world events were happening at the time of the creation of the artwork behind one of their three chosen art pieces.

Week of 5th March 

Grade 9 & 10: Grade 9 had a theory week, where they evaluated their work, making links to formal elements and the artwork they studied.   Grade 10 completed their self-portrait topic, with half the class painting and the other half sculpturing their face; after experiential week, they'll move into theory. 

Grade 11: students began their eighth screen for their comparative study. Here, they considered what world events were happening at the time of the creation of the artwork behind one of their three chosen art pieces.

Week of 26th February 

Grade 9 & 10: The second week after the February Mid Term Break saw students continue where they left off last week with the continuation of their current projects. Grade 9 completed their posters advertising tourism in Bahrain using Adobe Illustrator. Grade 10 continued with their self-portrait topic, with half the class painting and the other half sculpturing their face. 

Grade 11: students began their seventh screen for their comparative study. Here, they considered the function and purpose behind one of their three chosen art pieces, allowing them to research and discover why the artist created the work in this way.

Week of 19th February 

Grade 9 & 10: Seeing the students return after the February break was great; their batteries were recharged, and they were ready and raring to go for a practical week of art. Using Adobe Illustrator, Grade 9 completed their graphic design pieces of a scene of Bahrain, and Grade 10 continued with their self-portrait painting and sculpture work. 

Grade 11: students began their sixth screen for their comparative study. Here, they considered the function and purpose behind one of their three chosen art pieces, allowing them to research and discover why the artist created the work in this way.

Week of 5th February

Grade 9 & 10: This week students enjoyed another practical week. Grade 9 were able to continue their adverts for tourism in Bahrain by using Adobe Illustrator. Grade 10 continued to develop their sculpturing and painting skills as part of their self-portrait unit. 

Grade 11: students began their fifth screen for their comparative study. Here, they considered the function and purpose behind one of their three chosen art pieces:  "Function and purpose is a way of understanding the artist's intentions or another way of saying, what is it made for? Some artworks have a very clear purpose: a designed object, such as a chair or a vessel,  has a practical and decorative function." (ThinkIB, 2022)

Week of 29th January

Grade 9 & 10: With the foundations of their second and final unit of the year in place, High School Art Students had a practical week. Grade 9 made a start with their adverts for tourism in Bahrain using Adobe Illustrator, and Grade 10 had a blended practical lesson, with half the students commencing their self-portrait painting and the other half beginning their clay head. 

Grade 11: students began their fourth screen for their comparative study. Here, they considered the principles of design, which included some following keywords: movement and variety, amongst others.

Week of 22nd January

Grade 9 & 10: It was wonderful to have the students back in the classroom after Exam Week. As we enter the year's halfway point, both year groups have embarked on their second and final unit. Grade 9 is at the start of a project to see them create an advert for tourism in Bahrain, and Grade 10 will produce a self-portrait clay head and painting.  

Grade 11: students this week completed their third screen for their comparative study. Here, they considered the formal elements of line, shape, and color as they wrote about one of their selected art pieces. 

Week of 15th January

Grade 9 & 10: An air of satisfaction ran through the art room this week for Grade 9 & 10 students as they completed their Unit One work and received back their exam marks. Next steps, their beautiful final piece outcomes will adorn the galleries in the school. 

Grade 11: Students used their exam slot to make a start on their third screen. They were assessed on their knowledge of formal elements, composition, and layout. 

Week of 8th January

Grade 9: Students this week used their lessons to complete all their work from their Natural Forms project. This included: exhibition write-ups; glazing of their first and second pieces. 

Grade 10: Like Grade 9, Grade 10 completed their exhibition write-ups from the continuous line project.  After exam week, they will move into their second and final unit of the year, self-portraiture, where they will explore a range of mediums that are contemporary and traditional in their appearance. 

Grade 11: Continued with their comparative study this week, where they explored Feldman's analysis. This model allows students to look at, description, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of a piece of art.  

Week of 2nd January

Grade 9: A blended set of lessons this week, with some students glazing their second ceramic piece and others beginning their exhibition write-ups that will accompany their clay work. 

Grade 10: Like Grade 9 before them, students this week embarked on their exhibition write-ups that will sit alongside their laser cut work. In written form, they were able to reflect on the journey they have been on and make links to artists. 

Grade 11: Theory plays a significant role in I.B. Visual Arts. This is no more apparent than in the Comparative Study. For a module that is worth 20% of the overall mark, students consider three artworks from three artists from different artistic backgrounds but who have a similar theme running through their work. 

Week of 27th November

Grade 9: Another busy and productive week for students as they continued creating their ceramic pieces, with the outcome being a bowl, plate, mug, or vase. 

Grade 10: This week, students moved from sculpture to digital art, where they were tasked with creating a continuous line drawing using Adobe Illustrator. 

Grade 11: With so much practical work produced recently, students this week used their time to consolidate their learning by 

working on annotating their work. 

Week of 20th November

Grade 9: With some of the students back from Yale, they completed their ceramic piece. Others in the class were able to make a geometric-inspired structure using correx. This wonderful material, used extensively in architecture, helped them create the mould for their clay to be stuck onto. More on this exciting project to follow...

Grade 10: Students enjoyed another practical-base week, completing their wire sculptures. This time, to an A4 size. 

Grade 11: Blended with some theory, students continued looking at various media and techniques to help give them direction and meaning to their projects. 

Week of 13th November

Grade 9: A busy practical-based week, students continued progressing with their ceramicware, ensuring their work had balance and use of motifs. 

Grade 10: Students enjoyed a practical-base week taking their line drawings forward into a wire sculpture. 

Grade 11: Students have begun an experimental phase of their course, allowing them time to see what medium works for 

them and what doesn't. 

Week of 6th November

Grade 9: Students took their mono-printed final designs into the ceramic phase of their pottery unit. They were allowed to create a mug, plate, vase, and bowl. 

Grade 10: Students continued developing their knowledge of continuous line drawing; this week, they produced a series of mono-prints considering this theme.

Grade 11: Students moved into a 12-mark component of their process portfolio. A heavily experimental phase of the course.  

We can't wait to see what they produce.

Week of 30th October

Grade 9: Students this week moved seamlessly from theory to practical work, where they created a series of mono-prints for their final design. Here, they had the option of creating a vase, plate, or mug. 

Grade 10: Students this week completed evaluating their lino and screen printing work, answering the following questions in a Google Slide:  1) What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?  2) How have you conveyed your work's movement, contrast, distortion, and emphasis? 

Grade 11: A practical-based week, students continued looking at the second artist as part of Criteria B. The classroom was a 

hive activity, with students etching, sculpturing, photographing, and painting. 

Week of 23rd October

Grade 9: Students this week concluded the written evaluation of their dry-point printing work by considering the following questions: 2) Describe the process of printing from the plate. 3) What links have you made to your current artist, and how does your work differ? During Thursday's lesson, they provided an oral crit by conveying their findings to the class, helping to develop their public speaking skills. 

Grade 10: Students this week evaluated their lino and screen printing work, answering the following questions in a Google Slide: 1) Describe the process of creating your composition for your lino and screen print. 2) Describe the process of printing from the lino. 3) What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?  4) How have you conveyed your work's movement, contrast, distortion, and emphasis? 

Grade 11: Students this week moved into their second artist as part of Criteria B. Many considered similar artists, or in some

cases, very different from those they considered previously. 

Week of 16th October

Grade 9: Students this week evaluated their dry-point printing work, answering the following questions in a Google Slide: 1) Describe the process of creating your composition on your dry point plate. 2) Describe the process of printing from the plate. 3) What links have you made to your current artist, and how does your work differ?

Grade 10: Students this week evaluated their lino and screen printing work, answering the following questions in a Google Slide: Describe the process of creating your composition for your lino and screen print. Describe the process of printing from the lino. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?  How have you conveyed your work's movement, contrast, distortion, and emphasis? 

Grade 11: Students this week continued looking at Criteria B of their process portfolio. This part of the course allowed them to investigate artists and work in their style. 

Week of 2nd October

Grade 9: This week provided students with an opportunity to create a collage background for them to print onto. From there, they worked back into their work using a fine liner, helping to bring out the details that may have been lost. 

Grade 10: This week allowed students a chance to complete both their lino and screen printing work. After the break, they will evaluate the process they went through. 

Grade 11: Students this week moved into Criteria B of their process portfolio. This part of the course allows them to investigate artists and work in their style. 

Week of September 25th

Grade 9: It's a real pleasure teaching such a creative bunch of students who are always engaged in their work. Their fabulous set of dry-point prints can highlight this sense of application. This week's lessons allowed them to print onto various surfaces, including newspaper and gummed brown paper. 

Grade 10: Students continued to explore lino this week by carving out their lino blocks using a v-shaped lino cutter. Here, they concentrated on taking away the background. Once completed, they could print from the lino to produce a three-layer lino print. 

Grade 11: Students this week completed Criteria C of their process portfolio. This part of the course allows them to state their intentions. Next week, they will replicate a piece by their first artist. 

Week of September 18th

Grade 9: This is a time of the year that students love; because they start to explore a range of media and techniques. This is no different in Grade 9, where they have been learning about line and mark making. After that, they began scoring into a dry-point plate, consolidating their earlier acquired mark-making skills. 

Grade 10: Like Grade 9, students looked at printmaking. This time, however, considered a different member of the printmaking family, lino. Here, they carved into forgiving material to complete their composition of a figure displaying movement.  

Grade 11: Taking their source photos forward from last week, Grade 11 created a screen centered around drawn ideas of their current project themes. 

Week of September 11th

Grade 9: Students took several primary source photos of their current artists. From these images, they reflected on how these pictures compare and contrast with their current artist. After that, they drew from the stills looking at tonal and contour drawings. 

Grade 10: Like Grade 9, students took many pictures of humans displaying movement. This was anything from running to skipping. After that, they took their favorite pictures and created continuous line drawings investigating a range of media from lino to foam board. 

Grade 11: This week, students gathered several secondary source photos as a follow-up from their brainstorming exercise considering natural forms and the urban landscape. For homework, they are to take primary source pictures as a natural development from their researched-based pictures. 

Week of September 4th

Grade 9: it has been an absolute pleasure seeing the students back in the classroom. They have been enthusiastic and creative in their approach to a new topic, ‘Ceramics inspired by the natural forms of Bahrain.’

Grade 10: like Grade 9, the students have been vibrating with energy and creative energy as they started their first topic of the year, ‘continuous line.’ 

Grade 11: students have been producing a mindmap to begin their process portfolio, which has 40% of the overall weighting towards their final mark in 22 months.