Art Club 29 September 2009 - Giant Egg

Today we talked about Tim Grosvenor's Giant Egg project see Here Artists of all disciplines come together to raise awareness about Madagascar The Giant Egg Event Tim uses the Twitter name @elephant bird because this is a symbol of the changes happening in Madagascar - the Elephant bird is now extinct. The Elephant Bird is shown below:



I showed the children pictures of Madagascar and explained about the problems facing the animals and people there, we discussed how we would feel if our environment was being chopped down and how it would be good to contribute to the Giant Egg project to help people to be aware of the issues in Madagascar. We used the resource sheet I had created (sheet below)


We looked at and talked about some images from artists which relate to 'flights of fancy' their current topic including Kandinsky's Fixed Flight and Sky Study with Birds by Jean-Michel Cels. Then I read to them the poem below by Micalanne, I chose this because I thought the children would relate to it well.

Where do they lay to dream? 

By Micalanne poet and artist

When the forests have burned, 

and the creatures are extinct,

what will be left to inspire?

Who will care for the remaining

fragile fragments of dreams

when they must be set aside

and attentions are turned to survival?

Laying on the sweet green grass,

filled with yesterday and today,

I am unhindered to dream of tomorrow.

My dreams are never set aside.

I exist in them

with every rising of the sun. 

I would give that to the

Malagasy.

After looking at a sheet of information which I had produced, then at the posterous website and at the Giant Egg Event site, the drawings were made by the children who are aged 5 and 6. I have added one drawing here and more can be seen in this Flickr group

Visit from the Dept for Schools Children and Families

On 16th September we were pleased that five visitors from the Dept for Schools Children and Families came to look around our school, they were very interested in all aspects of the school arts policy and how it relates to the SEAL project and the promotion of good mental health in schools.

Time was spent looking at the Mosaic garden created by the children with Mosaic artist Liz Turner and at the murals created with Artist Carla Boulton shown on this site.

Our children are knowledgeable and interested in the arts and really enthused about showing the visitors the murals and talking through their work.

Large wall pic

Click this pic to see larger image

Painting on a large wall...

This is the Monet image we have used as inspiration for the large image

One wall almost complete

Except for deciding whether we will frame the 5 murals these are finished and the images can be seen below.



The next part of the project is the opposite wall which I have been asked to work on with a group of parents, we will create one large mural across the wall to continue the theme of peace and along the lines of a Monet image. A challenge!

2nd,3rd,4th,5th June

Session details:
Morning sessions between 9.10 and 12.00
Afternoon sessions 1.10 - 2.50pm

One workshop Tuesday morning
Two workshops on Wednesday one Am and one Pm
Workshop on Thursday PM
Workshop Friday PM

Between 23 and 25 children in each session

Session Structures:
3 minute introduction by class teacher
Talk about good behaviour and listening about how this is an exciting piece of work we will al lmake together

15 minutes by Carla Boulton:
Introducing myself, my name and that I live nearby
Ask the question does anyone know what I do?
What I do as an artist, that I paint and draw and make things, how I look at things
That I feel lucky to love my job
Ask about the artist (Claude Monet) that he children have been studying, do they like his work
Talk about Monet's use of three colours plus white - show children four paint tubes
Show children my brushes and sketchbook
Show some of Monet's paintings, look at how amazingit is that he achieved so many different colours
Talk about Monet's work and the sizes
Talk about his garden at Giverny the beauty we see around us
Talk about my work
Show some of my paintings on the Monet theme, show them a painting I have done which is not of a garden which still uses only the three colours. This is the unfinished 2nd portrait of Isabella which has about 2 weeks more work left to do.
Show the children the process of laying on the different colours one at a time and using stage photos of my work.
Talk about collaboration and consideration and that we will all be working to make one piece of work which we will all be proud of

Go through rules:
Have a drink before going outside
Keep paint on the wall not in hair etc
Wear old shirts and bags on shoes
Respect for other people's work
Ask for show of hands from those who do not want to stick to the rules
Make it clear that anyone who cannot be sensible will have to come in
Wash hands when come back in

Groups
Conversation before intro session with class teacher about any special needs or any children who will require the assistance of a TA
Children split into groups of either three or four by teacher

Work
Children outside in small group.
Put on old shirts and bags on shoes
Spends few minutes looking at the work we are basing out mural on
Look at the colours, where the light and dark parts are in the painting
Look at which colour we think we will put on first and how we will build it up
Show how to carefully dip their brushes into the pain and how to wipe of the excess paint.
Show how to gently use brushstrokes which will still allow the base colour to show through. Explain that we don't want to cover this up completely as it give light to the picture.
Spend ten minutes blocking in the colour where needed.
Ask children to stand back after 5 mins and see what they have done and how it relates to the work we are using as inspiration.
5 more mins painting then stand back and look at work

The work in progress (below)


The work near completion (below)


Recording
Notes throughout
Feedback forms from children
Gather children's comments throughout work
Photographs of stages by each class

Monday 1st June

Went in to school in the morning to paint basecoat on the five panels, decided to paint each one a slightly different colour and to make the colours quite luminous so that they shine through, so hot and sunny, hope this carries on.
Part of this exercise was to time the paint drying, supposed to be 30 mins but in this 24 degree heat it took...8 mins, this bodes well. So satisfying to get all the materials out and get to work. This step is always hard making the first mark on a white wall! Pleased with coverage and the colours.

Very short 15 min assembly with Rachel to talk through what the project is about with Yr 1 and 2.
Rachel explained about
Waterlilies
Monet where he lived and
Showed huge Giverny paintings in the Musee D'orsay in IWB
The link to the SEAL project
Ran through good behaviour rules
I then talked briefly about
What I do as an artist
Showed the stages of a painting (below)

What we will do outside in the quiet area
That we will be collaborating to make the works
Why we are creating a thinking peaceful space
Showed the children my paint, brushes and easel and talked about the three colours Red Blue and Yellow and using white

Everyone very hot in hall as temp up to 24 degrees outside so kept it brief and children seemed happy and understood. I am very excited to be starting to paint tomorrow...