Mad Easter Eggs!!!!

There was only one way to describe this...mad! We took those polystyrene eggs you can get from craft shops (in this case, Poundland) and added foil and feathers. I thought it would be a sedate task but I didn't account for the wild children in my groups!!!!

Pop up Easter cards

Pop up Easter cards..try this simple trick! Fold an A4 piece of thick white paper into half then half again. Open up and snip a 2 inch line in the centre of the centre of the card. Fold again and pull the 'beak' out by gently lifting the paper from the cut and squash into place.

Decorate and give to someone you love!

Tote bags from cereal boxes

Today's first activity was surprisingly succesful! The humble cereal box, of which we collected many, was transformed into stylish and individual tote bags by my middle group at art camp: the Dali's.

1. Trim off the flaps of the cereal box
2. Bend the upper sides in so that the top front and back meet in the centre
3. Cut holes for handles
4. Completely cover the entire box with collages

Art camp glueing and sticking!!

Wish you were here??!!

Animated painted characters at Easter Art Camp

Experimental paintings at ArT CamP

Surreal Metal Workshops

Surreal Metal Workshops

Surreal Metal Workshops

A fabulous day today working with 18 year 8 lads who created sculptural pieces from recycled and found metals. They took inspiration from their research on surrealism and started the day by drawing and embossing images onto aluminium foil. Once they had a theme, they dove into the pile of metals and hammered, sawed, punctured, distressed and bent the items into shape, finally, proudly exhibiting the work produced. Only a few injuries.. but lots of imagination and expression!

New course announcement

It's that time again...one after school club drawing to an end and another one is being planned. Starting on 20th April and running for ten weeks, I am delighted to announce, for the very first time...

SUPER SCULPTURE!

This club for 6 to 12 year olds is designed to ensure that each and every participant produces one absolutely stunning sculpture to be exhibited in Rawlins' new art gallery in June.

The subjects will be individual and the materials varied and advanced, but the results will all reflect a detailed design process and expressive imagination. It is completely suitable for younger and older ones due to the professional teaching and support offered.

To book your place, go onto the Rawlins' website www.rawlinscollege.org.uk or call Rawlins' Community Office after next week.

Planning for Easter Art Camp underway

Spring is springing which means only one thing to young local artists...Easter art camp! Starting as you break up from school for Easter and running every weekday except for Good Friday and Easter Monday, art camp is the best way to keep yourself from boredom in the holidays!

This time we will have three groups (because we are getting bigger!). The youngest (5 and 6 year olds) will be called the 'Picasso's', the 7 to 10 age group will be the 'Dali's' and the older ones will be the 'Da Vinci's'.

Activities will range from sculpture, jewellery making, pottery, card making, printing, painting, drawing, textiles, urban art, art inspired by contemporary and historical artists and, as always, some surprising activities that you won't have ever thought of!

Hop onto the Rawlins website to enrol online!

Mono printing workshops with year 4s

Today was the last in a series of mono printing workshops at Hall Orchard Primary school. Year 4's used their dreams as inspiration for these fantastic images.

Giant origami challenge

Primary school staff interested in developing 3D design in the classroom attended one of my sessions this week which involved this giant origami challenge. The concept of transforming a piece of paper into a 3D object fascinates most people, but change from A4 to A0 and you have a physical and mental task on your hands!

To try this yourself, buy cheap paper tablecloths. Decorate first with inky, swirly colours for a truly stunning result! Here, we made lotus flowers.

Urban art group is inspired by Carla Ly

Carla Ly's work involves placing large 'band-aid's' (plasters) on broken and damaged areas of an urban landscape. The Tuesday art club discussed this message, made plasters from stickers and went out to areas around the campus at Rawlins to identify what was 'hurt'. This experiment proved a fascinating insight into the way the children felt about their environment and how "graffiti" can be about highlighting issues, not causing them.

Sparc Showcase

Last night, we, the Sparc team at Rawlins College, hosted an incredible evening of entertainment, interactive stalls, art exhibitions and the grand opening of 'The Hub'. A huge thank you to everyone to came to support us (the audience numbered over 150) and special thanks to the students who ran the show. I, for one, am so proud to be involved with a team of such talented young people!

Teacher training

This week I am working with the third school in Leicestershire to book me for teacher training. My sessions involve new ideas for 2D and 3D art, linking creative solutions to non-art subjects and participatory planning and evaluation (pictured) for a succesful student voice.

Human picture plays

As part of the World Art theme of last week, the participants grouped and constructed still plays of a moment in time in another country! This image shows part of the younger group depicting Ancient Egypt with paper costumes and a poster of the sky as a backdrop.

Mexican tiles

World Art Week continued with Rawlins' Art Camp for a whole week of multi cultural arts and crafts over half term. With more than 30 children attending each day, plenty of ideas were needed! This activity involved orange tiles, images of South America and Mexico and acrylic paints in earth colours.

World Community Arts Day 2010

What an event! My Rawlins-based version of World Community Arts Day was hugely succesful. 100 people of all ages came to Rawlins to participate in 7 different workshops...graffiti, pottery, knitting, mask making, jewellery, print making and sculpture. "I can't believe this is just £2, we are having a fantastic day!"

Dream catchers workshop with the Young Farmers of Wymeswold

An evening of traditional crafts with some fabulously polite and creative teens, last Tuesday.