​Students have been left in awe and amazement after Disney Animator, Aaron Blaise visited DCSL this week. Gasps were heard throughout the theatre as students realised he had created so many of their favourite characters. From Nala in the Lion King to Raja in Aladdin, it was incredible to see the process from concept to the final feature. Through lectures and workshops, Aaron has undoubtedly inspired many youngsters with his incredible and humbling story. The “Persistence of Vision” is a film-making term referring to the illusion of movement through still images. Aaron used this phrase as his overarching theme for the sessions he delivered, encouraging students to remain focused on their goals, even when faced with obstacles. Students were captivated and moved as he spoke about the highs and lows of his extraordinary life. Year 7 were introduced to animation methods that depict the effect of gravity and soon realised that “everything in animation is the bouncing ball.” Whilst IB Art and Drama students were fortunate enough to work alongside Aaron during a pen and ink workshop. A truly inspirational day for all of our young artists.  

​The absolute highlight of the Visual Arts calendar, the IB exhibition has certainly made an impression at DCSL this week. Yeonwoo Kim, Felipe Villalobos Torres and Eric Kim are to be congratulated for their incredible collection of work and exceptional curation skills. 

​As well as producing the practical artwork for the exhibition, the students have also completed a beautifully presented Process Portfolio as well as an extensive visual essay in which they have analysed and compared artworks from different cultural contexts.

​All of the artists have carefully considered their conceptual message that they purposefully portrayed through their work. From observations of Korean culture, to social injustice regarding gender, the artwork has encapsulated very worthy and important themes. 

​Beyond the physical work, the exhibition is a display of the students’ integrity, maturity and dedication. There is no doubt that these students will make significant contributions to the creative industries and beyond. Thank you Yeonwoo, Felipe and Eric for your impeccable work ethic and inspirational portfolios, we wish you every success in your future studies. 

​A kind and creative group of students from Year 7 through to Year 12 have dedicated a substantial amount of time over several weeks creating blankets for babies for a local orphanage. The majority of the students had no prior experience in crochet and so had to learn new skills very quickly. The actual technique is very complicated and takes a lot of patience and perseverance. However, it is most impressive that after the many hours the students have spent creating these blankets, they are all so happy and proud to donate them to infants that need an extra bit of comfort and colour in their lives. The students’ kindness and dedication is certainly admirable.