Meadow Arts produces unique contemporary art projects in unusual places, curating large-scale exhibitions and commissioning new artworks and events. Through its Learning programme, Meadow Arts Inspires, Meadow Arts works with schools and artists to create education projects that are tailored to the needs of each school; teaching new skills to pupils and teachers while exploring creativity and ideas.
As a member of the Meadow Arts’ network of creative practitioners, I have led engagement projects alongside Meadow Arts’ projects and exhibitions, and I have also worked in schools under the Meadow Arts Inspires programme.
Schools and Education
Looked After Children
Looked After Children from Worcestershire schools worked with Meadow Arts’ creative practitioners in 2020. I ran a project titled Earthlings, exploring identity with children from Wyre Forest School and Bewdley Primary School.
From the point of view of an alien from outer space, we thought about all forms of life on the Earth and investigated what they have in common and what makes them different. The children made drawings and collages depicting how we are connected to plants and animals, through common needs for food, air, water and a safe environment, a home. The children enjoyed trying a variety of monoprinting methods.
A Journey at Mary Webb School
At Mary Webb School and Science College in 2019, I worked on a 4 day project with a group of Year 9 students. The project explored the theme of Journey using found materials from a rural landscape. A spiral was adopted as a symbol of a life journey in which a person keeps close to inner beliefs and experience but continuously moves outwards to new and wider horizons.
The students also took part in activities towards an Arts Award Discover certificate.
Starting with a walk into the wooded hills near the school, we made environmental sculptures, sketch studies and collected plant materials for later work. The students made a collaborative artwork using plant-dyed paper, and individual 3D assemblages and artist books using a variety of techniques including:
- Drawing
- Painting
- Photography and digital manipulation of images for photo transfers
- Printing / stencilling (monoprinting using gelli plates and silk screenprinting); and
- Collage
“This experience has also been a journey. We’ve discovered new things and enjoyed it. The things I have learnt will come in useful not just at home but in lessons as well” Student
“Over the past 4 days, the thing I enjoyed most was using the gelli plates and acrylic paint and turning that into a book. This is because it was fun creating many different designs using a very simple and easy method. After this week I will be taking experience and independence into my future GCSE work, as well as leaving behind an attitude of following the crowd and staying in my comfort zone of art.” Student
“Students were encouraged to ponder on problems and develop their own ideas which was great and what we wanted throughout the workshop” Teacher
“Each pupil was given an individual piece to work with and given the opportunity and encouraged to take ownership of each book/box, and encouraged to take inspiration from the walk ” Teacher
Exhibitions and Projects
I led two family workshops alongside the In Ruins event at Great Witley Court and the Living Ruins exhibition at Worcester Museum and Art Gallery.
At the In Ruins event, participants found inspiration for artworks on the theme of ruin and nature’s resurgence. Participants created collages imagining how a future city might appear when overgrown by trees and other vegetation.
“I liked trying all of the different materials and pictures”
“It was just nice to spend time all together doing this as a family”
The Living Ruins event involved walks and research into buildings on Worcester’s Heritage at Risk list.
Participants reflected on their hopes for the buildings and the city in general and discussed what makes buildings worth preserving and remembering.
Participants created collage grids individually and collaboratively on A1 panels using photographs of the city plus archive historical images and coloured paper for making texture rubbings, drawings and text.
“I am just returning to the area from living away. Having been to this talk and workshop, looking at the photos, I will be walking in Worcester more and looking at the city differently”
In 2018, I ran drawings and sound recording workshops, with film/digital media artist Jill Impey, for children and families in support of the Ice Age Exhibition and work by digital artists SDNA at the Hive in Worcester.
