Workshops

Willow Withy Model Making

Research in a chosen curriculum area is done before designs are made to create decorated sculptures made with willow, tape and tissue paper. The process engages children in a cross section of learning areas including the research subject, design drawing, 2-D or 3-D planning design, problem solving, working in a team and construction skills. The design can involve varying degrees of complexity depending on a group’s age, with the focus being concentrated on decoration for young children.

Printing

We run projects using a variety of printing techniques leveled at varying abilities. Our favourite is block printing, using very simple and user-friendly materials in which participants create a large stamp they can take away and use again and again. Other workshops include mono printing, plasticene sausage prints and lino printing.

Mask Making

We can work in a couple of different styles, including theatrically fitted head masks built using papier maché techniques, masks on sticks with moving eyes or simple paper plate masks for younger children.

Kite Making

The children can make their own kite and fly them in the same day. The process involves a fairly large choice of shapes and styles agreed before beginning. Like the willow withy workshops, the emphasis can be either on decoration and style or practicality.

Eco Art

This can be an entirely eco-friendly workshop taking place outdoors. We bring materials that bio-degrade and make art from found objects (sticks, leaves, stones or anything lying around). In the past we have made tree mobiles in woods and made earth-loving deities with armies of clay people as their subjects. Always fun and healthy, it is of course fairly dependent on the weather.

Carnival Costume Making

From simple head-dresses to elaborate back-pack creations, the Carnival Arts Group can help children make costumes as fanciful or as simple as they are able to stunning visual effect based on themes as simple as colour-coded groups to the more elaborate.

Documentation

Increasingly useful in today’s culture of transparency and PR, the Carnival Arts Group work alongside Wide Bracket, film-makers and photographers, who can direct media pupils to create beautifully produced evidence of projects. Their final DVD’s or exhibitions can demonstrate the purpose and meaning of any project to positively challenge perceptions about the value of visual arts in a wide arena.

Visit http://web.me.com/widebracket for more.

Project Outcomes

> construction skills

> spatial awareness / 3-D planning design

> working with others

> improving own learning

> problem solving

> numeracy & literacy skills

> confidence building

> following instruction

> coming up with ideas

> experimentation