Living History Project - Treloweth School, Redruth, and Cascade Theatre Co.

This project, called 'Living History', brings older people into schools to improve their health, and enhances the young people's self esteem and interest in their community welfare. These sessions are facilitated by Sarah Williams, for Sensory Trust, and Jean Hands, independent artist.

Below is a brief summary of workshops to date:

Phase 1

Two sessions with a group of approx. 30 children for two hours. Themes to explore:

• memory
• community
• environment

Session 1 - memory 2/4/03

To initially explore materials through experimenting with media, i.e. taking a pencil for a walk, making as many marks as you can in the most interesting way, etc.

Following on from this the young people can develop a group collection of drawn objects, which are cut out. The cut-outs will be inspired by the young people’s memory of an event, suggestions include a picnic, fair, visit to the park or circus (should be an outside event). The young people will be guided through their chosen event, and select one or two objects, people or activities, to draw. This exercise could also include objects that the young people believe the older people (reminiscence group) would take or use, to this event or place. The cut out pieces of artwork can then be either mounted onto larger pieces of paper or placed in a ‘memory’ box for safe keeping.

Session Two - community 7/04/03

Using the skills from the previous session, the young people draw round their hands, and decorate each one using the materials provided. The hands are cut out and placed onto a circle, on a large piece of paper, creating a radiating collection of hands. The young people then draw around each others hands and decorate these and add them to the picture.This project could extent to the school and local community, with everyone ‘lending a hand’ to create a circle of hands.

Aims:

• For the young people to gain confidence with a range of materials and to achieve a basic understanding of a variety of art techniques, in order to create a series of artworks for eventual public display.
• To be able to share their ideas and memories with other young people and the classroom facilitators, and to be able to work in a thoughtful and interesting manner.

Objectives:

1. Explore range of materials, including pencil, crayon and paint.
2. Demonstrate an awareness of the different qualities of the materials
3. Begin to be aware of and select the appropriate technique in order to achieve the desired effect
4. Select the appropriate sized paper and explore drawing objects large and small
5. To be able to cut out shapes with reasonable accuracy
6. Discuss ideas for artwork with other young people and facilitators
5. Demonstrate an awareness of the concept of community/memory/environment

Session 3: A Sense of Place

Many of the children found it difficult to identify their special place, and for some to have a space, which they visited and played in, was non existent. Below are the places the children call their special place:

• The beach at Portreath was a popular place to go with family and friends and the children did a range of activities such as climbing the rocks (and trees), playing in the sun, walking on the beach and body boarding.
• A couple of the children liked to walk with their parent(s) and dogs at Tehidy woods, one picture includes a bench. Trees featured as a source of fun for climbing and for seeing wildlife. One was a young person’s special place, in the branches and another drew a tree house.
• Skateboards were popular with several of the boys.
• One of the boys dew a detailed picture of a sewage works because his father worked there and had taken him on a tour.
• Cars were also perceived as special places with some of the boys.
• Bedrooms were identified by several children as places they liked to be because it was where they could hear their music and have privacy from siblings.
• Two boys drew football pitches and one drew a rugby pitch.
• Swings and slides were popular with one playing field specifically named as a special place
• The street and estate where one boy lives was special to him because his friends live their too and he drew a map of where they live and activities, such as riding bikes.

It became evident that the children did not have a range of experiences relating to their natural environment, and that for many children special places were opportunities to spend time with others and /or to have space to be alone, to be away from the pressures of family and school.

The art project will look at a later date at what the children would like to see in the future in their local area, which could give them the special places they need in growing up in Illogan, namely, ‘den’s’ for peace and privacy and opportunities for contact with nature.

This could include areas where family and friends can also find interest/ activities.

Session 4: Focus on the beach
Session 5: textures and printing techniques using wet materials.

Session 6: Local identity

This session was about local identity, things the children like about their local area, linked to local artists and their inspiration, i.e. Terry Frost and Newlyn, Noel Betowski and landscapes/sea. Using a circular template, as a basis for designs. Exploring the technique of cut out, using coloured paper, examples from Matisse.

Session 7: Intergenerational crafts

Jean linked with her work at the reminiscence project. This involved looking at the craft work, which the children’s grandparents may have worked on, such as patchwork and marquetry. Looked at designs from patchwork and the work of Terry Frost, which use repeated pattern. Children created designs on a square sheet of paper, from cut outs collage and coloured paper. The children also experimented with textures, taking rubbings from natural objects, such as bark, leaves, granite.

There was a suggestion (from the children) to explore how community can be represented in art. This would use the children’s idea of a body as a template or they would create their own shaped templates, which they decorate using cut-out paper, pencil, felt tip and fabric to create a unique design which said something about themselves.