Artcrimes

Last week was a mix of pleasure and sadness. Sadness was recognition that not all things are going well. I heard the news that Sheffield Arts in Education have been dissolved by the Council (the week that Sheffield Museums also lost it’s ACE funding) and so my lovely Sheffield Art Teacher network will no longer be funded. If you think I will give up after nearly five years, well I won’t and I promise you Sheffield that I will find a way to bring you back together as a group. Watch this space.

Pleasure ? Well the North East Art Teacher Educator Network goes from strength to strength. On Thursday, it was a warm and lovely night and we had a drawing and mark making session organised at one of my favourite schools, Walbottle Campus, but thought that the warm weather and the promise of bbq’s and bottles of Bud might tempt the teachers away. I had spent the afternoon at the school anyway, helping with the task of marking some KS4 coursework, armed with a supply of Earl Grey tea, so we waited patiently. The good news is that they did come, primary and secondary, art and non-art, qualified and training, and even two six form students; all there to enjoy two hours of experimental work. We started with a fun session on making cheap and non-precious sketch pads, which generated real enthusiasm for the process and for the appearance of LETRASET (!).

This was followed by Helen Longstaff’s group work, using drawing and mark making and enquiry based learning, to kick start some really creative pieces. Many participants realised the way they could use this back in school and we had great feedback the next day from Amanda Skilton who is doing her GTP at Seaton Burn School. Amanda used the exercise as a starter in her lesson, which was being observed, and got excellent feedback and responses from her students.

I have set everyone a task as well, this is to do something creative in the sketch books they made (they were all given a “secret” theme) and then photograph and send me at least two images of the books.

I don’t care what anyone says, the truth is that art, craft and design practitioners are curious and interested and will never stand still.
LONG LIVE ART !