More TEA - Thinking, Expression, Action

This week I have been part of a great pair of workshop at Battyeford School in Mirfield, helping to create work as part of the TEA project. We worked with over a hundred children on day one, followed by a fantastic family session on day two. As the theme was TEA, we created images which related to this (spoons, teapots, teacups, tea bags) on our canvas of choice, cardboard. The concept was that the finished piece(s) would be a time-lapse film(s) of the painting process. This was a truly collaborative project with children and parents working on and over each others work to create rich and vibrant imagery. 


Harry the Kettle from Fabric Lenny on Vimeo.

TEA Project from Fabric Lenny on Vimeo.

First Day of TEA - Thinking, Expression, Action - Battyeford School, Mirfield

A full on day of tea related image making. A feast of markmaking, colour and stopmotion photography with over 100 pupils at Battyeford School in Mirfield, working collaboratively on a series of large scale mixed media panels with a view to creating an animated work which maps the making process. Phew!!

TEA Project from Fabric Lenny on Vimeo.

Days 3 and 4 at Reinwood I & N School

We moved on to cardboard painting during these sessions alongside a continuation of the iPad work which included some introductory self portrait and mini beast themed brushes animation!

Last Day of iCollaborate (for now)

So, today started with a wonderful parent and pupil session at Littletown JI & I School. iPad work followed by a cross section of mixed media work which reflects all the materials and techniques I have used with the children during my time on the project. Some REALLY beautiful work!

Intense Cardboard Work

Brushes on the iPad mini

Ink and Wash

Chalk Pastel on Black Paper

The rest of the day was a frenzy of markmaking in a variety of materials, with a brief chalk session outside as part of the afternoon session.

A wonderful project, a great staff team, amazing children and parents! I am really hoping this project will have a second phase sometime soon. The confidence and dexterity of the mark making developed by the children throughout the course of the project has been staggering, as has the team working and general celebration of collaboration. Beautiful Stuff!

Art and Maths at CBC Bradford - Post 1

Last week I delivered a great project at Carlton Bolling College in Bradford (CBC), alongside friend and Fingerpainter, Benjamin Rabe. Benjamin flew in from Germany to work on the project for four days. A rare treat for us! The project took maths, and more specifically tessellations and form as a starting point. We worked with twenty pupils, ten from CBC and ten from a local feeder school, Westminster Primary. Pupils paired up, year 3 children working with year 8 chidren and the team working and collaboration was fantastic.

Working at Cartwright Hall Gallery

On day two of the project we spent a day at Cartwright Hall sketching  from sculptural pieces withing the collection, with a view to creating collaborative works. We also spent a significant amount of time sketching from the amazing work of Sculptor Jake Harvey.

Stetching from Jake Harvey's Sketckbooks

The plan was to explore drawing and sketching using a variety of lo-tech and hi-tech approached, marker pen on cardboard, pencil on paper, finger on iPad and Wacom Tablets with Photoshop, to create images inspired by tessellations and Sculpture.

Bull / Minotaur inspired tessellation

Sketchbook Work

Sketchbook Page

Design from minotaur

Sketchbook Page

Day 002 at Reinwood I & N School

Portraits and iPad painting was the order of the day at Reinwood I & N School today. I was working with Year 2 children continuing the exploration of portraits as a way into painting on the iPad. Some beautiful drawing in both traditional and digital media were produced, with many of the children getting to grips with complex concepts when constructing images on the iPad. An unexpected likeness of Lennon and McCartney appeared during the morning session which made me smile!

iCollaborate Day 007 - into 3D

So today saw the introduction of 3D and construction into the mix, and as before i witnessed a whirlwind of activity. Throughout the day different groups worked on a collaborative painted construction, and what emerged from the process was an electric blue robot rabbit monster!