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"ARTS FOR ALL" Visual Artist in Residence Green
Art Current Events School
Date: 17 April 2002 Artists:
School
Improvement and Best Value Take
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| Click on any of the images on this page to look at a gallery of photos from the projects.
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Green
Art Current Events
'Arts for All' lottery funds, with contributions from schools, have been used to provide two day Taster Residencies for KSI children that explore environmental art at school and in a forest setting. Environmental art first poses the question, 'What is it that I see?' the child then makes a response and it is this interrogation that makes it so effective for small children. The Green Art Taster residencies present children with the opportunity to make work that shows their understanding and demonstrates their appreciation of shape, colour, texture and pattern. The children will be able to create real artworks in public spaces, sometimes on a grand scale, even though they may last at most only a few hours. Their work will be recorded photographically by themselves, by their teachers and by the artists and photographers who will work with them. Day One-School Grounds Day Two - Forest School,
Bishop's Wood, Caswell
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ENVIRONMENTAL ART - a background and introduction to the work of other artists Towards the end of the twentieth century a growing concern for the environment impacted on British and American art. British artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, David Nash and Richard Long began to create forms of art that were new, but which reminded us of prehistoric and non-western art such as stone circles, Peruvian sand drawings and Aboriginal bark paintings. The essence of this art is that it should be in and of the environment. Richard Long wrote, 'My art is in the nature of things'. He travels the world creating formal works based on circles, squares, lines, spirals, using whatever is to hand such as stones, sticks, grass, mud. Long's work is conceptual, that is, it is the idea that is important. For example, a walk in the desert taken in a straight line can be represented in the gallery by photographs, maps or words. Environmental art often concentrates on the ephemeral or upon work that changes gradually over time. Andy Goldsworthy makes art out of ice and snow or flower petals and David Nash plants ash trees in geometric forms and spends years cultivating them into just the right shape. The work is often made in inaccessible wild places and the key to appreciating it is in the documentation, in particular the photography that can be shown in the gallery or collected into glossy books and catalogues. The photography is often so good that we almost feel that we have actually seen the work in question and a few carefully written words can foster this idea. Sometimes works can be recreated for the gallery. Richard Long has created his geometric forms in galleries across the world, using jagged stone and rough wood, yet in essence they represent the outside space brought inside. Other artists have concentrated on representing the environment in works that dry out, rot or otherwise change over time in response to natural forces. David Nash's archetypical wooden forms speak of the nature of wood and the way it behaves as it dries. Many environmental artists prefer their work to remain where it was made, activating the space around it, created in and of the landscape. This preference has been encouraged by the growth of especially dedicated sculpture parks such as Grisdale, Yorkshire and the Forest of Dean. Welsh art has always been influenced by the landscape and Wales has its own exponents of environmental art that include Tim Pugh, and David Petts as well as David Nash. You can find some examples of Welsh artists who work with the environment on the website ArtCymru.co.uk Lynne Bebb
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Forest School - A Background Forest School is an innovative development, based on Danish principles, to provide young children with an education which encourages appreciation of the wide, natural world and which would encourage responsibility for nature conservation in later life. Bridgwater College Forest School, Somerset has been developing the concept further, with the philosophy to encourage and inspire children and young people to grow in confidence, self-esteem and independence. Forest School in Swansea Neath Port Talbot is being set up to enable children to enjoy the outdoors in a safe and supportive environment, which so many children are not able to experience as the risk is perceived as too great. Forest School provides a unique education experience by tailoring an educational curriculum to a participants learning style rather than vice versa, using the setting of the outdoor woodland environment. We can meet the majority of the Desirable Outcomes and of the National Curriculum. We create a safe environment, whilst allowing the children freedom to explore, to follow their own desires to learn and to have fun. By succeeding in small achievable tasks, which are designed to take into account individual's different learning styles and which increase in complexity, those attending increase in self-esteem and self confidence. All children, from the age of three upwards, can benefit from Forest School. A positive experience at an eariy age will have long-lasting effects for the younger children. They would attend regularly on a weekly basis, preferably over a year in order to have the most benefit. The activities cover a huge range of topics and skills from woodland crafts and art, earth education activities, and play, making dens and shelters, sitting round a campfire, eating toasted marshmallows. Here in Swansea Neath Port Talbot, we are currently training adults as Forest School Leaders & Workers and running pilot schemes, so that in the near future we will be able to offer further tasters and regular sessions in school-time and play-schemes in the holidays. June Frances
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Preparing for the day at Forest School
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| Camera Management and Introduction of Photographer During lunchtime the photographer will join your class in the Forest School to record the work produced. Please could you talk to the children beforehand to explain that this will be happening and to talk about the value of recording their work as it cannot be removed form the forest. In some cases a photographer will join the artist in school prior to the Forest date. The teacher will be given a disposable camera for the children to pass around their class of children to experience taking a photograph of their work. Please ensure the film is handed to the artist at the end of the day. The film will be developed and returned to the school by the Arts Management Team. Transport Transport to the Forest School has been organised by the Arts Management Team.The bus will depart school in time for a I Qam arrival at Forest School and will return to school at approximately 2.45pm. If you have any queries regarding transport please contact Caron McColl, Administrative Support for the Art on 01792 637183 "At the heart of this (Forest) School is an approach to learning which fosters the development of probably the most powerful and long term attribute that can be given at any age. That is a sense of self worth, seffcon fidence and emotional well being. / have seen children and adults trans fanned by the work of the Forest School…." Professor Christine
Pascal BA, MSocSc, PhD, FRSA
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THE TEAM Management and Co-ordination Administration Artists Forest School Workers
Volunteers Photographers Advice
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Schools participating
in the residency: |
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| Pen-y-Fro Primary
Pontlliw Primary YGG Tirdeunaw Christchurch Ch in Wales Mayals Primary Casllwchwr Primary Penllergaer Primary Tregwyr Infants School Llangyfelach Primary Cadle Primary Craigfelen Primary Glais Primary Graig Infants School Gorseinon Infants School Talycopa Primary St. Thomas Primary Bishopston Primary Terrace Road Primary Brynhyfryd Infant School Pennard Primary Waun Wen Primary Tre-Uchaf Primary Cwmbwrla Primary |
Sketty Primary
Penryheol Primary Ynystawe Primary Blaen-y-Maes Primary Craigcefnparc Primary Penclawdd Primary Clwyd Primary YGG Felindre Pontarddulais Primary Gendros Primary St. lIltyd's RC Primary Waunarlwydd Primary Seaview Corn. Primary Cwmrhydyceirw Primary CiIi Primary Brynmill Primary Oystermouth Primary YGG Lon Las YGG Crug Glas St. Helen's Primary YGG Bryniago Grange Primary |
