Creative conservation
News
Inspired by the patron saint of creativity, St Hildegard, Catholic school students from around the State have produced beautiful artworks showing how they can be ‘agents of change’ in today’s world.
Hundreds of paintings and drawings that raise awareness about caring for creation and those in need have been submitted for the inaugural St Hildegard Art Show, which will be displayed on the Catholic Education SA website next month.
The exhibition was launched earlier this year to commemorate the establishment of the new Ministry of Arts in the Catholic Identity and Mission team at CESA.
Senior adviser and exhibition organiser, Madeline Forde, said several schools had embraced the project.
“We had a great response from Catholic schools around the State and received more than 250 entries. We’re expecting next year to be bigger and better and that there will be a physical exhibition staged,” she said.
“The exhibition provided a new space for students to unleash their imagination to create an authentic and personal expression of their faith, meaning and understanding.
“The entries were brilliant and really showed a lot of creativity.”
Ms Forde said it was fitting that the exhibition honoured St Hildegard, whose feast day was on September 17. The 12th century German Benedictine abbess was a talented poet, artist and composer, and well known for her major contributions to theology, medicine, art, history and music.
“St Hildegard is such a wonderful role model for budding young artists who want to creatively show their understanding of social justice issues and ways they can act as agents of change in making the world a better place,” she said.
In keeping with the theme of the exhibition, students at All Saints Catholic Primary School Seaford used the Season of Creation and Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home as the inspiration for their artwork.
‘Raising our hearts and minds within our community is crucial in safeguarding our trees,’ the students wrote in the description accompanying their entry.
‘We created an all-ages collaborative forest mural representing the circle of life displaying our deep sense of empathy and understanding of the invaluable role trees play in our ecosystem.
‘When our hearts are attuned to the beauty and significance of these natural wonders, we are more inclined to protect them and by raising awareness about the importance of trees and their vital contribution to the environment, we can foster a mindset of conservation.
‘By instilling a sense of responsibility and stewardship within our hearts and minds, we can create a sustainable future where our trees thrive. Together, we can forge a harmonious relationship with our environment, ensuring that our precious trees continue to flourish for generations to come.’
Celebrated from September 1 to October 4, the main Season of Creation event for the Archdiocese is being held at Mercy Grove, Belair National Park, at 1pm on Sunday October 1.
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