Workshops for schools

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I have an enhanced CRB and £5m Public and Products Liability Insurance.

Click here for basic details of all workshops

My workshps link with my work that will always be conscious of the environment in which we live, and the lives of others around the world. I am particularly keen to continue work within the realms of ecology – sustainable lives and a fairer world. This will show in all my workshops, either directly or subliminally.

Art & Ecology sculpture

The workshps are designed for school students and fit with the curriculum. However, they can all be adapted for adults too. All workshops can be amended if they do not precisely meet your requirements.

They all encourage individuality and personal creativity, as well as collaboration – students are consistently assured that nothing is ever wrong, and if an individual is fearful that they ‘are not artistic’, together, we will prove that is not the case. I encourage collaboration and generosity of sharing ideas at all times.

My background as a freelance graphic designer has influenced some of my suggestions, and my BA Hons in Fine Art and more recently MA in Arts and Ecology leads other areas.

“I was struck by how inspired our students were by the expressive approach you took with them. Many of our students lack confidence in themselves and avoid taking risks, you were able to encourage them to see things in a new light and to express their feelings… Their work was highly individual…”

Irene Christofides, Head of Art, Hertswood School, Hertfordshire.

I believe the power of the arts can inform all subjects, allowing students to learn in alternative ways, and is especially useful to those with a visual memory rather than academic. My workshops can be taken in to all curriculum subjects, and here I have devised some that include geography, science and English, as well as art and design.

Art & Ecology - KS2/3/4
Drawing to painting to collage to sculpture, a workshop that encourages freedom and experimentation, each student follows their own creativity.

Food Following - A Social Sculpture - KS2/3
We look at food packaging, where does it say our food comes from? Finding the locations on a world map, making a sculpture of a food out of the packaging and recycled materials. Finishing with discussion about labelling and the growers.

NEW - Christmas Decorations: Funky Angels (or Father Christmas, Snowman etc)- KS1/2
Children design their own Angel on paper in colour. They then make a painting of their Angel, back and front and we make a 3D Funky Angel that can sit upon a tree or stand alone.

Flying Dragonflies (or any creature)- KS1/2
We discuss what we know about these creatures, then children design their own dragonfly in colour on paper. Later they choose their favourite to make as a 3d model out of acrylic for wings and paper tape, painted.

Collaborative Mobile (featuring theme chosen by school - anything from birds to aliens to fish to food)- KS1/2.
Children design their own acrylic disk in colour on paper. Later they choose their favourite design to paint on the disk with water soluble glass paints. The disks are then fixed to rods to make a collaborative mobile.

Fantastical Fishes (or any creature)- KS1/2
We discuss our country as an island, what fishes may live in the deep? Students draw from their imagination a number of creatures, choosing one to make into a model or puppet on a stick.

Your Place - making a video - KS2/4
Discussion on Place then students walk their place, what catches their eye?, their landscape, urban and natural taking digital photographs. We edit them down later and together make a movie out of images, telling each student's story.

This workshop can be adapted for use of video cameras, creating a film.

Logo Design for a Fair Trade company - KS3/4
Discussion about corporate branding then students design on paper a number of ideas, referenced by collected samples. One is chosen to make up as a more finished design and presented to the group.

Photoshop - KS3/4
Looking at Photoshop from the very beginning - page sizes, layers, filters, image manipulation, simplifying and printing.

Words to Images - KS3/4
Words conjour images in our imaginations - students write a descriptive text which is then interpretated by another in drawing and/or painting.