Artistic pursuits lead to careers at Hungry Creek
A leader in education for creative arts and crafts, Hungry Creek Art and Craft School was established in 1986.
The school moved to 81 Hillside Road Wairau, on the North Shore of Auckland in February 2016 and occupies a spacious industrial building with lots of natural light that’s ideal for artistic pursuits.
The institute now offers a new Bachelor in Visual Arts in conjunction with Otago
Polytechnic, with majors in Jewellery, Ceramics, Sculpture or Painting. This course is delivered from their Auckland campus via the Dunedin School of Art at Otago Polytechnic. To gain entry into this course, students will need to have successfully completed either the Certificate in Jewellery (Level 4) – 1 year and the Diploma in Jewellery (Level 5 &6) 2 years, or the Certificate in Art and Craft (Level 4) – 1 year and the Diploma in Art and Craft (Level 5 &6) 2 years. Students completing the Diploma then have the option to enrol in an Advanced Diploma or the Bachelor of Visual Arts.
The Jewellery curriculum at Hungry Creek focuses on introducing students to all the foundational skills required to make jewellery and learn the design process. Study programmes are varied yet interrelated, providing students with a strong foundation of skills to enter the industry either as a jewellery designer, a selfemployed studio jeweller or to go on to further study. Once a senior student, focus lifts to more advanced skills and a greater critical engagement in the creative process.
Art and Craft qualification courses focus on introducing students to traditional and contemporary materials, techniques and methodologies within the subjects of painting, ceramics, sculpture and jewellery. Study programmes are designed to encourage individual creativity and exploration. Senior students are encouraged to refine and develop art making, profession, research and presentation skills and engage in in-depth analyses and critique.
Within both the Art and Craft and Jewellery qualifications, students are taught supporting subjects including art history, design, computer-aided design (CAD), professional studies and contemporary art studies. These classes are designed to provide students with context surrounding art and craft as well as teaching students how to maintain a professional practice.
‘‘I have seen many changes in the school, however the one value that has remained and will continue to remain constant is our belief that students should be able to make work, with all the attendant skills required to support their concepts and ideas, and that neither one supersedes the other,’’ Shane Hartdegen, Head of School 2016 says.
Hungry Creek are dedicated to creative excellence and are proud of the art and craft education they deliver. To achieve their goal of being a leading school of visual Art and Craft, the institution works continuously to improve and develop their teaching formats and processes.
Their tutors are practicing artists who are engaged, enthusiastic and dedicated to teaching. Small class sizes offer students a personal, creatively challenging and caring environment in which to study and achieve their goals.
For more information please visit www.hungrycreek.ac.nz, or www.facebook.com/ hungrycreeknzinfo@hungrycreek.ac.nz. Phone 09 414 7107.