Visual Arts Teachers Fundraise For The Jesuit Refugee Service With Handmade Ceramic Crosses

26 Nov 2024

Catherine McAuley Westmead Catholic High school Visual Arts Teacher Ms Sidney Tulau with Year 8 students holding some of the ceramic crosses.

Catherine McAuley Westmead places great importance on the contribution of the creative arts to the liturgical life of the school and the latest fundraiser for the Jesuit Refugee Service is one such example.

The Visual Arts Department were keen to showcase both the art and social justice culture at the school by organising a unique fundraiser for this term’s social justice cause - the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Teachers Ms Tulau and Mrs Malek handmade a number of bespoke ceramic crosses, using the clay scraps from the Year 8 Visual Arts classes, and sold them this week to raise funds for JRS.

Ms Tulau, a ceramic artist herself, made the majority of the crosses over many weekends in her home pottery studio. “I wanted to donate my time to helping people in need by creating something special for the students to purchase,” Ms Tulau said. “I hope these crosses will be meaningful for them and perhaps could be used as a wall hanging at home or as a Christmas gift.”

Year 8 Catherine McAuley Westmead students holding some of the ceramic crosses.

Year 8 Visual Arts students have recently been completing their Ceramic Unit and as a result there have been lots of clay scraps that get thrown out. To avoid this wastage the teachers have been collecting the scraps and kneading them back together for use. The crosses are all made from white earthenware clay and feature different designs. “I wanted to apply the same techniques on the crosses that I have been teaching my Year 8 students in their ceramic classes,” Ms Tulau said. “Dotting, flowers, various textures and patterns can all be seen.”

The ceramic crosses were sold at lunchtime on Wednesday and later that evening at the Performing Arts Showcase.