Art and Design

At Cove Infant School, we believe that art stimulates creativity, imagination and inventiveness. The children at Cove are able to express their feelings, opinions and emotions through a wide variety of mediums. This process allows children to experiment with their ideas, their use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes.

As part of our integrated curriculum, art is not taught in a designated Art lesson, but wherever appropriate, it is linked to our projects and the wider curriculum as it gives children opportunities to bring our projects to life. We are confident that this approach enthuses children and leads them to produce exciting, purposeful artwork, which we often showcase at our outcomes.

Year R

In the Year R curriculum, expressive arts and design enables children to explore colour, shape, texture and form in a variety of imaginative ways.

Children have opportunities to participate in adult directed activities as well as following their own interests.

• Explore colour mixing using paint
• Explore sculpture by creating 3D box models
• Use a range of materials to create a penguin collage
• Investigate different textures
• Conduct observational drawings
• Explore fireworks using chalk, learning how to smudge
• Study the famous artists Monet and Kandinsky.
• Discover art from different cultures

Year 1

• Study the famous artist and work of Gustav Klimt.
• Explore shape and pattern.
• Print using a range of materials.
• Self-evaluate a finished product.
• Mix colour for a particular purpose.
• Shades and tones of colour.
• Use natural resources to create a collage.

Year 2

• Clay sculptures of dragon eyes.
• Exploring perspective using watercolour paint.
• Blending colour for a particular purpose.
• Learn about Tertiary Colours.
• Creating a painting from a description.
• Observational sketching of real objects.
• Make evaluations based on the effect different mediums can have.
• Exploring textured watercolour painting to achieve shadowing.
• Use chalk to create a light and dark effect.
• Create a unique New Zealand Koru.  

Cove Art Gallery 

Exciting News...

The Ribbon has been cut and Cove Infant School's Art Gallery has opened!!

Located in our school hall, you will see amazing artwork displayed and celebrated in our Art Gallery!

Artist of the Term

At Cove Infant School, we recognise the importance of learning about great artists, craft makers and designers.  The children get to learn about Artists and their backgrounds through their projects and they also get the opportunity to explore a whole school Artist each Term.  

2023-2024

Our Artist for the Autumn Term is.......

Pablo Picasso 

"Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

The children enjoyed being creative and using their imagination to create artwork inspired by Picasso.  They enjoyed learning about his abstract style and putting it into practice!   

Take a look at some of their work below!

2022-2023

Andy Goldsworthy

 “I take nothing out with me in the way of tools, glue or rope, preferring to explore the natural bonds and tensions that exist within the earth.” - Andy Goldsworthy

The children were fascinated how Andy Goldsworthy created Art with only natural objects!

They studied some of Andy Goldsworthy's art work and the shape, colour, textures and patterns he uses.

They were inspired to create their own natural art work.  Take a look at some of their creative and imaginative work below!

The Artist of the Term for the Spring Term is...

Esther Mahlangu

“To paint is in my heart and in my blood"  - Esther Mahlangu

The children loved taking inspiration from Esther Mahlangu's bright and colourful artwork. 

They learnt about Esther Mahlangu being part of an ethnic group called the Ndebele people.

It is tradition for the females in Ndebele villages to paint the inside and the outside of their houses. 

All our children were excited to create their own patterns in the style of Esther Mahlangu and used lots of different shapes and colours.

Some children even made their own Ndebele houses and designed colourful patterns to decorate the outside of them.

Take a look at some of the childrens' work below...

The Artist of the Term for the Summer Term is...

Anni Albers

“Creating is the most intense excitement one can come to know"  - Anni Albers

 Anni Albers was a German artist.  She studied weaving and became one of the greatest textile artists of all time. 

She used looms to make many of her textile designs. 

The children enjoyed being inspired by Anni Albers and created their own weaving artwork using paper, wool, grass and other materials.

Take a look at some of our work below...