Overview of Art Program at HIS

The HIS Art Program has undergone a slight change during the 2004 – 2005 school year. Ms Gillian Rosselli has taken the reigns as the Department Chair. While leaving much of the excellent program intact, Ms Rosselli has brought in some refreshing ideas and heightened student expectations. Her current role includes all Department Head responsibilities, directing the Junior and National Art Honor Society, as well as teaching the 8^th grade, high school and IB courses.

 Mrs. Maria Andrassi brings the excitement and challenges to the Pre-K through 5 grade art classes. Assisting Mrs. Andrassi is the talented, Mr. Charles Kamangwana. Together, they expose the wonderful young artists to the world of the visual arts.  Creative and intriguing assignments help the various classes grasp the principles and elements of Art and Design.

 The young artists in the 6^th and 7^th grade years are fortunate to have a professional ceramists as their instructor. Mrs. Patrice Delchambre brings a sense of humor and responsibility into a unique environment where the principles and elements of Art and Design are further developed.  Mrs. Tendai Gumbo-Wilkinson assists Mrs. Delchambre as well as Ms Rosselli. Mrs. Gumbo-Wilkinson’s professional manner and expertise in ceramics compliments the middle and high school classes.

Art Department Extracurricular Offerings

During the course of the year, the Art Department has offered a variety of after school activities. These activities have included, clay hand-building and wheel-throwing, sudza painting, printmaking, metal welding and sculpture, stone carving, and Life Drawing. The instructors come from within the Art Department as well as professionals from Zimbabwean community. Activity sizes are kept at a maximum of ten students. This enables the instructor to work closely with each and every student. Adults and the students from Harare International School have the opportunity to enjoy this unique learning experience.  

Special Art Events

We feel that all art should be properly displayed within the school and around in the community so we can educate students in appreciating and applauding the achievements of every fellow artist. Our goal at the end of each year is to include every art student in the Harare International School’s Student Art Show. Our program rewards those who have made an extra effort by entering their work into the show held at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe.

Students wishing to work on a larger scale are continuously given an opportunity to stage/event design and production. Each year Harare International School has an annual United Nations Day as well as a holiday production. Creating an environment for these magical events always keeps the Art Department busy.

Art Education Philosophy

Harare International School (HIS) is dedicated to providing all students with sequential classes in the visual arts to help enhance the student’s creative thinking skills.  We provide them with weekly opportunities to make, mold and demonstrate skills and techniques with all the Principles and Elements of Art and Design.  Experiences in the Arts are essential ingredients for balanced intellectual growth.

 It is our philosophy that Art is an integral part of a child-centered school.  In our school we are responsible for helping students understand themselves through the arts with process and product.  They also reflect upon their own art works and those of others and develop the skills to self- analyze and appraise art from past and present contexts.  Students will also be versed and aware of art historical styles and have appreciation for arts of all cultures through aesthetic experiences. Experiences with the Arts are vital to stimulate imagination and creativity and to enhance cultural as well as personal awareness.

 Our Art education department is staffed by certified international art specialists and local artists. We emphasize art history and art criticism through local trips with guest artists to develop the students appreciation and knowledge of international as well as local Zimbabwean Art.  Art activities should be correlated with academic curricula whenever possible.  We believe that our young people should use their cultural heritage and international living experiences to further their self-expression and individualism through the arts.  The study of art also presents opportunities for emotional release and expression of one's own values and principles.

We feel that all art should be displayed in and around the school and community so that we can help teach students to applaud the achievements of every fellow artist.  The hands on aspect of art training makes it possible to appeal to all learning styles.   This is especially beneficial to those who might not excel in academic areas.  Our goal at the end of each year is to include every student in the school in the Harare international School’s Art Show.  Our program also awards those who have made an extra effort by entering their work into the National Gallery of Art School’s Exhibition in Zimbabwe and the Children’s International Art Show In the United States.  We are also currently involved with getting children's art online through Hugging Hands and Art Child 2000 in Paris .

HIS recognizes that we all begin at the same beginning and that where we go and what we do from there is our own responsibility.  We strive to help our students be their personal best and to create from the heart incorporating personal experiences and developing technical skills thus building self-esteem and accomplishment.

Inherent is our philosophy that students will enjoy art and appreciate the opinions, preferences and skills of their fellow students and thus become lifelong participants in understanding the importance of cultural heritages and the vital significance of the creative process.

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