Coral at Bottisham V. C.

These banners are the culmination of a few weeks work with a small group of students at Bottisham Village College.

They did the idea development, the research, the drawing, the cutting, the dyeing and finally, of course, the printing.

There's only one word to describe them and that is:

 

                        BRILLIANT! 

 

3 Banners, ± 1m x 1.5m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer School for Teenagers

We had a funderful (ie fun and wonderful) day printing multicoloured T-shirts at Melbourn Village College Summer School with young people transitioning from primary to secondary school.

Don't Stand By Art Project

Last week it was Holocaust Memorial Day
Alongside remembering  and honouring the people who suffered and are still suffering in the genocides of recent history is this year's theme:   'Don't stand by."

The Holocaust and subsequent genocides took place because the local populations allowed insidious persecution to take root. Whilst some actively supported or facilitated state policies of persecution, the vast majority stood by silently – at best, afraid to speak out; at worst, indifferent. Bystanders enabled the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides. - See more at: http://hmd.org.uk/resources/theme-papers/hmd-2016-dont-stand#sthash.M63law1a.dpuf

The Holocaust and subsequent genocides took place because the local populations allowed insidious persecution to take root. Whilst some actively supported or facilitated state policies of persecution, the vast majority stood by silently – at best, afraid to speak out; at worst, indifferent. Bystanders enabled the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides. - See more at: http://hmd.org.uk/resources/theme-papers/hmd-2016-dont-stand#sthash.M63law1a.dpuf

The Holocaust and subsequent genocides took place because the local populations allowed insidious persecution to take root. Whilst some actively supported or facilitated state policies of persecution, the vast majority stood by silently – at best, afraid to speak out; at worst, indifferent. Bystanders enabled the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides. - See more at: http://hmd.org.uk/resources/theme-papers/hmd-2016-dont-stand#sthash.M63law1a.dpuf

The Holocaust and subsequent genocides took place because the local populations allowed insidious persecution to take root. Whilst some actively supported or facilitated state policies of persecution, the vast majority stood by silently – at best, afraid to speak out; at worst, indifferent. Bystanders enabled the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides. - See more at: http://hmd.org.uk/resources/theme-papers/hmd-2016-dont-stand#sthash.M63law1a.dpuf

This artwork on the theme of Flames for Humanity's heroes is by a group of  year 7, 8 and 9 students at Sawston Village College. The textile piece was inspired by Carl and Teresa Wilkens, who refused to stand by during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.

The students brainstormed ideas and I helped them to dye and print textiles for the final piece which you can also see here:   Flame for Carl & Teresa

3 interlinked panels viewed from the front

We dyed the fabrics and screen printed a background with photo screens

Foreground: prints with Carl's story and quotes from his talks about genocide.

Quotes and some shocking statistics

And screened words on the back panels that the young people chose  to describe Carl and Teresa's acts of heroism

 For more information about the inspirational Carl Wilkens see
http://www.worldoutsidemyshoes.org/

For me, this was the very best of community art projects.The process of making the art work added another dimension to  the young people's engagement with the subject. 

The project was facilitated by Leslie Morgan, Arts Development Officer, Helen Day, Head of Art and James Woodcock, Assistant Principal, Sawston Village College

Bunting - screen print

And another School Print Day, but this time it's bunting. 

Working with year 6 children from All Saints Inter Church Acadamy in March  (the town not the month) and organised by the wonderful youth arts organisation 20Twenty Productions.  

What a nice way to end the school term and a very nice gift to leave for the school as the young people move up to secondary school.

T-shirt printing

T-shirt printing with Mid Suffolk HOPS 

Holiday playscheme for young people with disabilities and additional needs.  Some children created their own designs and printed them.  We wanted everyone to have a T-shirt to take home so we created some special designs with the HOPS logo for children who didn't want to design their own.

This one is for a little girl who loves being in the ball pond.

I can't remember what BBCGL stands for, so it will have to remain a secret.

 

Kite Making Workshop

Family Workshop Saturday

Families can have fun making their own kites on Saturday, May 2.
Local Textiles artist Ricki Outis is hosting family kite making workshops at Haddenham Galleries.

Read more: http://www.ely-news.co.uk/Family-kite-making-workshops-Haddenham-Galleries/story-26380333-detail/story.html#ixzz3YiBebU9d

 

Lets go fly a kite! But first we have to make a kite to fly.
The theme is ‘Fearsome Faces, Funny Faces’ – you design the features to create your own unique flying kite with a chance to test fly and troubleshoot – these kites really do fly.
Perfect fun for all the family!!!
£7 per child. Parents free.
Booking essential.
Please call us on 01353 749188.

Weaving into Fence

Fabulous Fence Weaving.  

I don't mean weaving a fence, I mean improving a boring old fence with a wonderful bit weaving.   This is the fence at mid Suffolk HOPS - an outstanding holiday play scheme which brings children and young people together who are socially isolated by both  the disabilities they have and the rural locations in which they live . Find out more about the scheme at  http://midsuffolkhops.org.uk/  

I fixed a bit of sturdy netting to the fence and the children developed the weaving.  We recycled strips of plastics and weather proof fabrics, including  sparkly foils and ripstop nylon into the netting and beyond, into the fence itself!  Some of the children enjoyed just playing with the pile of strips, whirling and twirling in the breeze.

The children knotted in the offcuts from silver balloon manufacture to create a fluttery centrepiece. The final touch was adding pompoms and bottle top 'buttons.' I am expecting more will be added to the weaving as the summer progresses.

And thanks to the Reimagine Resource Centre for the sturdy, sensory materials we used. see Reimagine

Ely Eel

Cary has been having fun!

Building the new eel for the Ely Eel Day Parade.

Working with ADEC and a wonderful group of volunteers to create a friend for Ellie.......yet to be named!

Yes, the lower jaw and fins are on a  pivot so they move up and down

How to get an eel to Ely!

Lining up

This way!

And on the big day.... Cary's in the head and you can see me - I'm the 4th bump in the eel's belly!

T-shirts - Youth Festival

As well as working with Community Carts youth clubs on their banners for the annual Talent Show,  Cary and I did a "Print your own T-shirts" workshop at the "Jump into Spring" Youth Festival. The great thing about T-shirt printing is that it gets peole involved who don't usually 'do art', or textiles for that matter- like boys..........

I always spell it "t-shirt" but apparently both are correct.

I think that pretty much sums up what being a 13 year old boy is all about!

Umm, sorry, I forgot about football

Talent show banners

The talent show set

The banners looked great on stage. It's always difficult to photograph these things, in artificial light with my little 'point and click' .......but it gives you a feel for evening - which was thoroughly enjoyable!

Youth Club Banners

Over half term , Cary and I worked with the young people from Sutton and Witcham Youth Clubs to make these banners for their talent show which is tomorrow evening. 
If you'd like to see the show or take part in one of the youth club's many wonderful activities the show/ youth clubs go to

 http://communitycarts.co.uk/

Cary did these regional banners with Witcham Youth Club

Detail of B Club banner

And the other youth clubs from the district

Meanwhile I worked with the Talent show Committee to produce this backdrop for the stage. They did a great design and some very skillfull printing. It's hard to show the scale in a photograph but to give you some idea - the central clapper board is about 2.3m square.                 
So....., well done to all the young people who worked so hard to create these  professional looking banners and good luck for the show !

Butterflies in the Bandstand

Around the bandstand

Cary did this lovely project with a group of girls from ADEC (adec info) and lots of families who dropped in to make butterflies and flowers for the park.  They were displayed in Jubilee gardens in Ely last weekend at the Bandstand marathon and very pretty the park looked too! 

Travellers youth Club Banner

This  banner was made by the Travellors Youth Club during a special weeklong program run by Community Carts witchford travellors youth club . The colours were inspired by the flag and banner depicts Romany life - old and modern. The most popular image, I think, was the boxing glove symbol drawn by the 2 lads in the group to represent Earith Bridge.

Street Child World Cup

 International day for Street Children.  Yesterday I had the great privelege of working with the Brazilian Street Child World Cup Team who are on a visit to Britain to raise awareness of the plight of street children worldwide. What a charming and polite group of young people! It's hard to imagine what very tough lives they have had. Thanks to Momentum arts for inviting me to take part in their program.  See http://streetchildworldcup.org   to see more about this inspiring project. And I encourage you to make a donation!

Youth Club T-shirts, backdrop

Firstly some plain and simple T-shirts I worked on with a  Community Carts Youth Club.  These are for the volunteers to wear.  Front and back views.  For more info on youth clubs and activities in the Fenland border areas of East Cambs see www.communitycarts.co.uk/

And, on the subject of youth clubs - here is a preview of the hard hitting backdrop for the Sutton Youth Club's 'SADS" show - Teenage Explosion- SADS 2012 - designed and printed by the young people themselves, it's almost 4m wide and about 2.5m high. It took us 2 sessions and all hands on board to print.   The show is on the 6,7 and 8. July - don't miss it !