06 March 2026
Our Year 9 Art students recently travelled an hour south to the picturesque township of Willunga to visit the Waverley Park Homestead Art Gallery. Set within a historic homestead, the gallery provided a fitting backdrop for a retrospective exhibition of Hugo Shaw, who served as Art Master at St Peter’s College from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s before pursuing painting full time.
We were warmly welcomed by Gallery Manager Mark Staniforth, who generously offered the boys a private tour of the exhibition. Many of Shaw’s works capture the light, atmosphere, and coastal topography of Port Willunga, where he had a family holiday home. His paintings reveal a sensitive observation of place — expressive brushwork, nuanced colour relationships, and a deep affection for the South Australian landscape.
For our students, it was powerful to encounter the work of a former Head of Faculty whose artistic legacy continues to resonate. Following the tour, boys sketched the historic homestead, carefully considering proportion, perspective, and tonal contrast. We then travelled to Port Willunga, where students identified viewpoints and landmarks depicted in Shaw’s paintings.
Sketching en plein air along this iconic coastline, particularly the evocative ruins of the old jetty, encouraged them to translate shifting light, texture, and spatial depth into line and form. The level of focus and creative energy was outstanding, and many produced drawings of remarkable sensitivity and skill.
We were also fortunate to encounter acclaimed Australian portrait artist Robert Hannaford, whose work hangs in our own Da Costa Dining Hall. He generously spoke with the staff and boys about Shaw’s significance and his connection to the College, reinforcing the importance of artistic lineage and mentorship. The boys represented the College with maturity and enthusiasm throughout the day.
Experiences such as this extend learning beyond the classroom, deepening visual literacy, cultural understanding, and wellbeing. Immersed in landscape, history, and artistic practice, our students were reminded that art is not only studied – it is lived, observed, and felt.
Ms Adele Turner
Head of Arts
