20/11/2008 by James.

The second week of this creative learning project for reception and year one children and their families.

This week we made simple books in which to document the children’s experiences of The Salisbury and South Wilts Museum, and to take back to school to inform the next session.

We focused on exploring the patterns, shapes and colours of the exhibits, using mark-making and photography, and handled some of the artefacts to experience their weight and texture.

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12/11/2008 by James.

The first session yesterday of a new project I am running with The Salisbury and South Wilts Museum and the Extended Schools Service at two South Wilts Primary Schools.

I’m working with children and their parents on an after school project designed to support the children to explore their own creativity, the museum collections, and their local environment, through art.

The project is aimed at Reception age children, to support them and their parents to build supportive networks and to continue to learn together, as they progress through school.

Yesterday to kick things off we collected our own objects from around the school grounds, before using mark-making, writing, and rubbings to explore them more closely, along with magnifying glasses and paper sized from a few metres to a few centimetres.

I wanted to give the children chance to explore and collect, like the founders of the museum collections, and to try new ways of working with familiar materials.

Over 6 weekly session we’ll be working at school and at The Museum, following the children’s own interests, documenting their learning, and supporting the children to mount their own exhibitions.

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02/11/2008 by James.

Activities from the rest of my week at Salisbury Museum, using making to bring the exhibits and their history alive, and make them more relevant, for visitors to the museum….

Collecting and documenting natural treasures with clay and plaster to explore shape, pattern and texture, constructing caskets inspired by one holding the bones of Thomas Beckett from recycled card, for the participants’ own treasured possessions, and continuing to add to the evolving sculpture in the grounds of the museum, its structure informed by the nearby cathedral and other local architecture.

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29/10/2008 by James.

As part of the Making History themed residency at Salisbury Museum I worked with a group of young people volunteering for the BTCV, to begin to create a sculpture from natural and recycled materials in the Museum grounds.
The sculpture will be added to throughout this week by visitors to the museum, taking inspiration from the ‘Making History’ exhibits and the surrounding architecture of the cathedral close.

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29/10/2008 by James.

A cold but sunny day working with the public in Salisbury Market Square on the first day of a week-long residency with Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, encouraging local people and visitors to look again at their surroundings and use a range of materials and mark-making to record their experiences, or imagery from their imaginations, on paper.

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23/10/2008 by James.

Another morning of creative play with the reception classes and their parents, this time supporting the children to explore the textures and patterns found on natural objects through making clay impressions and plaster casts.

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23/10/2008 by James.

A lovely bright Autumn morning spent with reception age children, exploring the local environment and recording what they found with mark-making, photographs, rubbings and found materials.

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26/08/2008 by James.

Arts Centre Explorers is being set up to provide fun, creative activities for 3 to 5 year old children and their parents through a partnership between myself and Salisbury Arts Centre.

Together with the practical sessions for participants, I will be carrying out an evaluation of the provision for this age group at the arts centre and associated research into creative access for younger children and their families to arts venues.

The weekly hands-on sessions will take place at Salisbury Arts Centre this Autumn, and will encourage each child to follow their own interests, using a range of materials to explore the art centre buildings, grounds and exhibitions.

Together the group will learn about their local environment and develop confidence in their own ideas and creativity, in an enjoyable way.

Suitable for ages 3 - 5.
All children must be accompanied by an adult

Wednesdays, 1.30pm - 2.30pm
From 24 September to 3 December (half term break Wednesday 29 October)

To book contact the Arts Centre Box Office - (01722) 321744

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11/08/2008 by James.

An afternoon’s workshop with a group of young women, organised through Toozalii… some lovely sensitive work from willow and recycled materials.

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28/07/2008 by James.

As part of my work with Anna Sexton of Open to Arts, we have set up a blog for the community consultation project that we are running in the village of Enford, Wilts.
The blog is for local people to have another way to share their memories of community events, and their ideas for activities they’d like to take place within their new village hall. The blog is one of a series of methods used to facilitate community dialogue, encouraging greater sustainability and inclusivity.
Have a look at www.ourenford.co.uk

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