I have worked as an artist in educational settings for nearly two decades across a broad range of contexts, from pre-school to university through to adults with learning disabilities.
I view my practice as co-constructive rather than a conventional teacher-student model. I am interested in enabling young people to become producers of original works of cultural meaning rather than consumers of cultural commerce.
Increasingly my practice as educator has become more specialised, focusing on groups with additional support needs including newly arrived migrants, students with emotional and mental health diagnoses, challenging behaviour and intellectual disability.
Below: My Place Our Place, 2019, created with sound artist/musician Michael Moebus and students from Woniora Rd School and Rivendell School. Both schools cater for students with mental health and emotional disorders. This work was created in collaboration with Sydney Story Factory and The Museum of Contemporary Art
As artist educator I have sought to challenge conventional models of practice. In 2014 I established two Room 13 studios at Athelstane Public School and Woniora School with the support of Arts NSW Fresh AIR initiative. Room13 is an internationally acclaimed model of studio practice led by young people’s curiosity and supported by a professional artist.
In 2015 I accompanied staff and students from Lomandra School across the Kokoda Trial in Papua New Guinea.
I have a multi-disciplinary approach to my practice whereby digital media (photography and video) encompasses a range of media and processes including, drawing, painting, print making and 3D construction. In 2014 I produced a publication entitled Sensory Games which looked at practical artistic approaches to working with young people with Disability
Howard Matthew 