Art

Art is taught in the Nippers by Miss Sarah Kettlewell.

All the children in the Nippers from Year 1 through to Year 7 are taught in the art room - a spacious, bright and lively environment. The children are taught to utilise all the visual elements: pattern; colour; tone; shade; form; line and texture using a wide variety of media and technique, such as drawing and painting; sculpture; fabric & textile crafts; batik; mosaic; ceramics and printmaking. Technology is also taught in conjunction with the Art Department.

Each class is taught art once a week for at least a double lesson and from Year 4, the children have the opportunity to subscribe for extra art activities.

We take advantage of the local landscape and amenities and the City of Edinburgh as stimulus for our work and for gallery and museum visits.

Working artists enhance the children’s art experience with animation, sculpture and ceramics being offered as workshops.

There are two annual whole school exhibitions. The Nipper Exhibition is shown in Loretto Gallery on the High Street with the children having the opportunity to display their work in a proper gallery environment, and there is the Loretto Day Exhibition here at North Esk Lodge.

The children have enjoyed much success in art various national art competitions outside the school and there is an annual Art Prize and one for ‘Most Improved Artist’.

Sarah Kettlewell

Both Art and Drama are taught at the Nippers by Sarah Kettlewell. Sarah graduated from Exeter College of Art and Design before embarking on the postgraduate teaching course at Moray House.

After a two year period working in a school in West Lothian, Sarah joined the Nippers in September 1994. Sarah began her career at Loretto as a part-time teacher initially, but over the course of the past 12 years, has become a full time member of staff involved in the extra-curricular life of the school, including evening activities; day, weekend and boarding house duties. She has a 9 year old daughter, Eilidh, who attends the school.

Sarah very much enjoys travel and a two month visit to Japan in the summer of 2005 has proved very influential in her teaching. Drama has also been of a particular interest which stemmed from a summer working in a theatre camp in the United States.

If you would like more information on Art in the Nippers, please call Miss Kettlewell on 0131 653 4570.