Endanger Rangers

As part of National Science & Engineering Week, I've been working with Yr 7 students to produce posters in response to the 'Endanger Rangers' competition launched by The British Science Association.  Students had to carry out research about an endangered animal & then present it in a visual form.  All the research had to be completed in the students' own time so I was very impressed that the majority of the class I worked with had done the background work which enabled them to then have fun with paints, stamps and glitter. 

A Riot of Colour

....that's how my workroom is looking at the moment as we start to put together the final hangings.  I've been busy the last week cutting up all the printed fabric panels created by the students and trying different ways of putting them together to form a coherent whole.  It's a long job and there's still alot of work to do to complete the hangings but I can see now that they will look vibrant, joyful and definitely be a riot of colour.

Feltmaking

Students have been learning a very traditional textile skill this term - feltmaking.  Felt is actually the oldest fabric known to man with felted artefacts dating back to 600BC!  During feltmaking, wool fibres are agitated with heat, water and soap causing them to mat together to form a dense fibre.  Anyone who has shrunk their best wool jumper in the washing machine has effectively made felt!  None of the students had seen real felt before, only the synthetic squares often used for craft which are a poor imitation of the real thing.  It's a very hands on process -  energetic and very clean since we use lots of soap.  The students have moved quickly from making simple flat felt:

to making more advanced 3-D pod shapes, using their drawings as inspiration:

Natural Dyes

In my own art practice I try to be as eco friendly as possible and often use natural materials foraged from around my home to dye cloth.  Last week I showed students how materials we had found around the school site could be used as non toxic dyes. We wrapped cloth around items which rust, sprayed them with water and vinegar, popped them in a plastic bag and left the bag in a warm place for 3 days.  The students haven't seen the results yet but I think they will be amazed by the markings left on the cloth.....

Coming Together

Well, it's been a fragmented start to the year with all the snow so I feel like I've only just back into my routine.  This term will be hectic but exciting as all of the ideas generated last term are developed into finished designs & pieces of textile art.  I've been busy cutting up and reassembling the wonderful prints that Year 8 created with me....it's now looking like a vibrant art quilt and once finished I'm hoping to enter it into a Quilt Show.

The students haven't seen it yet; I think they will be amazed at what they have achieved and I'm certainly very proud of them.  We just need to add some stitching and sparkly bits....I say 'just' but the embellishment is actually very time consuming and labour intensive so I'll have a few blisters on my fingers by the time the quilt is finished!

Merry Christmas!

My room looks like a fairy grotto with beautiful paper snowflakes made by the students hanging everywhere.  Thanks to everyone who made them...they won't be wasted as after Christmas we'll use them to screen print through so a little bit of the Christmas magic will be in the final hangings we produce.  Merry Christmas!

'Evil' Evaluations!

Many of the groups I've been working with have finished their mini projects & I've asked the students to carry out an evaluation of the work they have produced.  I haven't yet met a student who likes to do evaluations!  Most see the process as a chore so to help them along I put on some Christmas music and enticed them with the promise of making Christmas decorations. 

For me, the evaluation process is critical...it's a time to reflect on everything we've achieved & to sort out which designs will be taken forward for further development.  For the students, it's a chance to reflect upon what new skills they have learned and to feedback to me what they enjoyed the most and what they think has been the value of the process.

Here's a sample of the Evaluation questions answered by a Year 8 group:

What has been the outcome of this term?

We have made a large canvas picture of our school Tree of Life made out of prints taken from objects found around the school.

What new techniques have you tried this term?

Using acrylic paints, printing with leaves & found objects, mono printing, block printing, spray painting, collage.

Which technique did you enjoy the most?

I enjoyed layering different print technques with the leaves.

How does the work produced meet the design brief?

It reflects the identity of the school since we used all things found around the school.  It also has on the leaves all the subjects we study.  It is linked to science as it is a Tree of Life like Darwin made and it is about nature.