Don’t Panic

Image making workshops at William Law Primary

– Owls & Castles

4.6.14

A return to William Law CE Primary School, Peterborough to lead another image making workshop using charcoal, this time working with children from year 4, but it was a session with a difference. Instead of spending the whole day at the school as I did last time when I led three workshops with 30 children, this was an afternoon session only, and I met the whole year group of 90 children all at the same time!

Although I have given talks to larger groups, there is no doubt that this was an active workshop of gargantuan proportion. Contact was less personal but nevertheless the children all had their ‘listening ears’ on and responded well to my instructions. There was much enjoyment and reaction working with such a tactile material, with some successful and varied results being achieved.

Following an introduction and some advice of how to handle the medium, a couple of drawings were generated as a conclusion – firstly a portrait of an owl and second, a castle drawn in a landscape setting.

It was a daunting prospect to be greeted by so many expectant faces, I could even hear a whisper of Corporal Jones’ “Don’t panic Mr. Mainwaring” resonate in my head when I walked into the hall, but all seemed to work out well in the end.

Being so absorbed and engrossed with such an active session I was too preoccupied to make a record of the work produced, I was so engaged it was the last thing on my mind. So thank you Becky for taking these………………

Night Boat to Cairo

Image making workshops at William Law Primary

– Ancient Egypt

12.5.14

At the tail end of January I received an email from Darren Smith, First School Team Leader at William Law CE Primary School, Peterborough, with a invitation to spend a day working with some groups of children from year 3 and using Ancient Egypt as the theme. We arranged a meeting the following week which included Bethan Parry, Year 2 Teacher and Art Co-ordinator, and a date was arranged for a charcoal drawing day.

Today therefore I’ve worked with three groups of enthusiastic children and as a conclusion five young volunteers assisted me to share their experiences with other teachers in the school as I led a workshop session for staff.

We’ve rolled up our sleeves and thrown caution aside to create some inventive images inspired by the land of the sphinx, pharaohs and pyramids – with the pulsating rhythm and sounds of Madness never far from my mind! I just wish I’d remembered to take my camera, so many thanks for the pics Bethan!