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The Fulbridge Academy Music Room Project – The Cavern……….
Sept ’22
‘Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing. Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty. What would life be?
Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music. For giving it to me’.
(Thank You For The Music – Goran Bror Benny Andersson / Bjorn Kristian Ulvaeus)
Another trip down Memory Lane. The third of my four projects working at Fulbridge Academy again took me back to the room referred to as The Cavern, which I painted in 2016.
As a wall mounted visual display unit had been moved to be located on top of the classroom white board, a space had appeared which offered the opportunity to add more figures to the collection of musical personalities I’d painted previously. Principal Ben Erskine had taken me on a ‘walkabout’ around the school to discuss the four projects when I visited in July, and when we reached The Cavern we had a conversation about whether one, two or even three figures might fit comfortably in the area that would be revealed.
Not only that, we also discussed who might be placed on the short list for consideration taking into account the individuals and genres already represented. In order for the update to appear as a seamless addition I suggested that two figures, a main and a supporting character, might sit comfortably within this space that had been opened up.
Although musical theatre was not represented within the room my first thought was to include a film composer. I had drawn Andrew Lloyd Webber on the wall back in 2016, but after reading a controversial news article concerning him one evening after returning home from work I then washed him off the following morning. For the supporting character I therefore put forward American composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann, who had composed the scores for many films across a broad range of styles through his collaborations with directors such as Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Francois Truffaut, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese.
Coincidentally Ben’s thoughts were along similar lines, his suggestion being John Williams, also a composer for film and who actually was the better option. John Williams’ work features in so many critically acclaimed and popular movies from the modern era that his CV is without comparison. The Star Wars saga, Jaws, Close Encounters, Superman, E.T., Home Alone 1 & 2, the Indiana Jones films, the first two Jurassic Parks, Schindler’s List, three of the Harry Potter series to name but a few……….the list just goes on and on. Basically, most of us are very aware of the work of John Williams even though we may not know what he looks like.
Ben already had a clear idea for the main figure. He asked for Ed Sheeran. All the personalities included in The Cavern have a back story, either because of their association with their musical genre or through their influence on social history. Most are therefore unknown first hand by children of Primary School age which prompted the late inclusion of Adele back in 2016. Right now Ed Sheeran is not only very popular, he’s a household name. He also has an interesting personal story outside of his music career, and his childhood experience could be one which children can relate to.
So, just like a good album that has been re-mastered and re-released with the addition of a couple of new bonus tracks, The Cavern mural has been revisited and updated. Occasional chips, blemishes, marks and scratches have been repaired and new electric cable trunking re-painted. Despite the mural being six years old the room is still greeted with surprise when the door is opened and it looks pretty much the same as it did when I’d finished the last time around. Nevertheless, it’s different, and hopefully, as Eric might say, ‘You can’t see the join’.
Fulbridge Academy, Keeton Rd, Peterborough PE1 3JQ
The Fulbridge Academy Sistine Chapel Project – The Sequel Movie……..the very end
Aug ’22
Then, 7 years later, I returned to the Fulbridge ‘Sistine Chapel’ project. It was good to see it again after such a long break, it was like meeting up with an old friend. Despite being located in a busy ‘corridor’, the walls showed no damage of any significance. However there were tell-tale signs of where furniture had been placed and a few drawn marks which were likely to have been more accidental than intentional. Some parts had become ‘grubby’ though, identifying where furniture had been placed and children had leaned, and there were occasional black kick marks above the skirting, but considering how much time had passed since completion I thought the painting had been looked after very well.
I’d been asked to repair any chips and scratches as there was a plan for the walls to be protected with plastic sheets before the new term started, so the full length of the painting was given a good scrub, the areas with damage were repaired and where blemishes couldn’t be removed I painted anew. The possibility of finding an exact match for colours after 7 years was impossible but I think I overcame this problem successfully with an improvised conservation technique. I painted over the lower portion introducing the new colours into the existing painted areas and extended the four compositions on each wall so that they gradually merged into each other.
So, as the overall appearance remains the same, why bother with a new movie? Well, the soundtrack of my previous version is now mute as, after being online for about a year, I received notice of a copyright claim for having used ‘Come Together’ by The Beatles. It seemed a very appropriate choice at the time. As I mentioned in my ‘Come Together……….2’ blog, after having visited the site under construction and witnessed several stages of its development into a finished building, conceived 8 designs with which I eventually felt satisfied and then spent 3 months painting to bring that vision from my mind’s eye for the separate ‘Studios’ to a conclusion, I felt the whole project from bowling green to building to site-specific mural had all ‘Come Together’ very nicely.
Anyway, there are several inventive names for the different rooms at Fulbridge High inspired by song titles. The reception is referred to as ‘Hello’ (Lionel Ritchie) and there are others such as ‘Imagine’ (John Lennon), ‘Talk’ (Coldplay) and ‘Wonderwall’ (Oasis). This large and long ‘corridor’ is known as Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’………..
Fulbridge Academy, Keeton Rd, Peterborough PE1 3JQ
The Fulbridge Academy Sports Hall Project – Second Half
Aug ’22
Like stepping from a time capsule I recently returned to Fulbridge Academy four years after completing the mammoth Sports Hall project. As I’d previously described the mural in terms of being ‘First Half’, ‘Second Half’ & ‘Third Half’, probably I should refer to this latest edition simply as ‘Extra Time’.
The Iain Erskine Sports Hall:
11.6.18
Since my last visit there had been a change to the appearance of the room, there was a new entrance to the PE staff office so the hurdler figure had been moved and a climbing wall added. Therefore my brief for this visit was to add a new climbing figure and extend the figures that had been edited due to their previous location above an arch. Also I needed to repair damage caused on the wheelchair and skater athletes due to the removal of a basketball net, as well as try to eliminate scratches on the archery figure.
The time taken to complete this project makes it my most extended ever as I received my original invitation from PE Lead Tom Erskine on 16.6.20, and my Photoshop design had been loitering in my ‘To Do’ list for the last couple of years. However the world’s been turned upside down since then and there are several other reasons why I’ve had to delay it so long. Be that as it may, I’m so pleased I’ve been able to finish it. Following my portrait of athlete (and former Principal) Iain Erskine it gave me the opportunity to paint another friend on the wall. The climbing figure is actually based upon a photograph of Andi Kroiss, my intrepid, adventurous chum from Bischofsmais in Bavaria.
A tricky job considering it felt like I was working in a sauna, but 5 very hot days later, job done!
The Iain Erskine Sports Hall:
8.8.22
Fulbridge Academy, Keeton Rd, Peterborough PE1 3JQ
‘Jump In, Let’s Go!’ Sports Hall Mural at Fosse Mead Primary, Leicester
Jan – June 22
Fosse Mead Primary Academy, Balfour Street, Leicester, LE3 5EA
‘Jump In, Let’s Go!’ Sports Hall Mural at Fosse Mead Primary, Leicester
Jan – June 22
Last spring I received an invitation to visit Fosse Mead Primary Academy. An email had landed in my Inbox which contained a very tempting line, “There is a fantastic sports hall I would like painting”. A date for a meeting was quickly arranged and on 8th June I drove to Leicester to discuss the possibility of a monumental painting project.
It was back in 2015 when I first met Principal Jay Virk. She was at Rowlatts Mead Primary at that time and we’ve worked together several times over the past few years. Having now moved across the city to take on the challenge of a different school, she told me of her plans to improve its status and also to transform its sadly neglected buildings into an educational establishment children in the 21st century deserved.
The main building needed updating urgently and improvements could only be achieved by construction workers being on site for the foreseeable future. However housed in a separate building there was a superb sports facility, which was both ‘tired’ and ‘uninspiring’. It deserved a facelift and was the ideal starting point for children, staff and parents to see that significant change and improvement at the school was actually going to happen.
So what was my impression on entering this building for the first time? The size of the space was enormous, and the prospect of painting its walls filled me with sheer excitement and with fear and dread in equal measure. The atmosphere felt dim and gloomy. A plan is in hand to replace the lighting but this wouldn’t happen immediately, so it was important that some brightness was brought to the room. The project would also be seriously demanding both mentally and physically, and the thought crossed my mind whether I possessed the capabilities to do it.
Despite those doubts, as a disciple of Los Tres Grandes since my days at art school, I simply couldn’t turn down the opportunity of painting on such large walls. On my return home I recalled the two occasions I’d visited the Sistine Chapel to see the jaw dropping magnificence of that wonderful ceiling and altar wall, and reminded myself that I was only the same age that Michelangelo was when he painted The Last Judgement, and the conditions I’d be working under would be far superior to the circumstances he had to face.
There are two sides to that argument though. He may have had to work in war torn sixteenth century Italy but I’d have a multitude of ball games and inside lunchtimes to deal with. Michelangelo never had to commute the distance I’d have to travel each day either. My daily 119 mile A605, A14, M1 adventure was an experience in itself and totalled close to 10,000 miles before I removed the bails and called close of play, and which wasn’t without incident. However, someone ‘up there’ was looking after me.
As for my fuel bill, it’s best not to think too long about it, there’s only one word to describe it. Astronomical. Pump prices rose with each passing week and the prices displayed at the Leicester Forest East Motorway Service Area that startled me when I began in January, ended up being less than what I found myself paying at a normal petrol station when I finished in June. Let’s just leave it at that.
The Design
The brief Jay asked me to fulfil was for the walls of the hall to be a celebration of sport in Leicester, to identify the many clubs one could engage with in this very sport filled city and to inspire an involvement with physical exercise. Not being from the area my research proved an education in itself and revealed some surprises. Leicester is rich with sporting pursuits and must be one of the most sporting cities in the country. I quickly tied myself in knots as I found far more activities than I could possibly include on the four walls.
As well as the better known professional and semi-professional sports such as football, rugby union, cricket, basketball and speedway, activities such as badminton, numerous cycling disciplines, athletics, hockey, American football, rowing, netball, swimming, tennis, squash, roller skating, gymnastics, rugby league, golf, baseball, trampolining, korfball, boxing, lacrosse, bowling (10 pin & flat green), climbing, horse racing, martial arts and petanque are all represented in the city – so I was very aware I could easily offend through omission. All I could do was to make some bold decisions, present my design and hope for the best.
I spent a month working on design ideas before presenting version 15 at a consultation meeting at the school on 18th November as a three dimensional model, which to my relief was given a unanimous thumbs up. At this stage the triangular upper sections of the side walls were still considered as an option to be painted, but were later dismissed. Of the clubs and sports chosen all are accompanied by their relevant logos except for athletics, badminton & swimming. I found such a large number of clubs in existence for these disciplines I decided it would be better to employ the symbol of the national or regional governing body.
In addition to the figures engaged with sport alongside their respective club logos, two further exercise activities were included. ‘Skipping with Henry’ is a timetabled exercise for all year groups, hence the inclusion of a trio of children in school colours placed in the centre of wall 2. Also included in the weekly timetable, as well as being an after school club, is a Dance Fitness class, provided by Moving Together, a creative dance company based in Leicester. This was a late modification made to wall 4.
Although a few photographic references were used for this project the larger percentage were illustrations I’d adapted which allowed for the possibility of exaggeration and distortion to play its part. A subtle mix of gender and race was naturally an important design consideration too, as were variations in build and stature in order that as many representational elements were covered as possible, to the extent that I even ensured there was a follicly-challenged man! All of the figures therefore are anonymous, all that is apart from one. Although I haven’t actually painted a portrait of Emma, who visits Fosse Mead Primary each Thursday to lead the Moving Together class, the ‘Dance’ figure is based upon a ‘flipped’ photograph of her, taken while performing a Bollywood dance routine in India.
The Mural
I began painting the walls on 6th Jan, the term timetable continued as normal and children and staff witnessed the progress of the mural on a daily basis. Unfortunately, after just a couple of weeks of painting, I returned a positive Covid test and had to self isolate which wasn’t the best of starts, but following this setback eventually a working routine established itself. The children quickly became used to the familiar site of me gradually inching my way around the room daubing paint on their sports hall walls, and I became used to being hit by shuttlecocks and balls employed in a variety of their sporting activities.
My original intention was to paint the anonymous figures in a calligraphic fashion, as though they were applied with a super large Sumi-e brush, which was why I used illustrations rather than photographs as references. Unfortunately I had to abandon this idea due to the texture of the walls which were very unforgiving. Nevertheless I still feel I succeeded in presenting figures in animated dynamic poses suggesting energy and power rather than them appearing like static statues chiselled from stone.
The careful selection of attitude and posture of the figures enables the composition to flow continuously around the space without there being a definite beginning or end. The inclusion of the abstract and spontaneous colour daubs linking these figures, where the graduated colour is determined by the colours of logo or outfit worn in these areas, assists with this impression. The circle element is also a simple graphic geometric connecting device, included in the design for no other reason than to suggest the action of a bouncing ball, or of background soap bubbles floating effortlessly in a breeze.
The painting hasn’t been signed as it remains unfinished. New wall furniture may yet be mounted above the goal on wall 4 so I made the decision that the painting of the swimmer should be postponed. Once this element has been installed the size and position of this final figure and accompanying logo can then be placed in relation to it. As I have been invited to return to the school for another project next year this would be the perfect opportunity to paint the final piece of the jigsaw and complete the circle.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent at Fosse Mead Primary and I look forward to working at the school again. The staff and children have been great, they’ve made me feel very welcome and I have many warm memories. The difficult times were when numerous Dodgeballs, Footballs, Basketballs and Cricket balls were flying around the room. The hall seemed to develop a shrinking feeling at those times and my cordoned off space appeared to act like some sort of ball-magnet! My daily leave-home-at-7.45-return-home-at-6.45 routine proved pretty tiring too.
Perhaps the highlights of the last few weeks however, apart from lunchtime visits to the staff room which I often found filled with laughter, would be any class led by Mr Johnson, or Mr Ahmed, as both are excellent teachers. It was a pleasure to be a fly on the wall and be a witness to any activity led by them. Preparations for year group assemblies were also entertaining, the downside being that some of the songs they practised repeated themselves in my head for several days afterwards. However Emma’s Dance Fitness routines on Thursday afternoons were a particularly special couple of hours, when themes such as Musical theatre, Bollywood, Street dance, Samba etc. were explored. There’s always likely to be a reluctant child or two but the larger majority inevitably responded to her infectious enthusiasm and instructions with energy and enjoyment by the bucketload. Not only that, on Thursdays, until the after-school football club arrived at 3.30, I was never hit by a ball!
Afterword
As with previous projects my design took into account the ‘afterlife’ of the painting. In addition to its function as a wall decoration I give much thought to its benefit as a learning tool for all year groups by including opportunities for counting, shape and colour recognition, encouraging exploration and expansion of vocabulary and grammar by identification of noun, verb, adjective etc, as well as ‘I spy’, ’Spot’ and ‘Find’ games.
This last example has developed into something personal in recent years. Perhaps inspired by Terence Cuneo’s mice, or maybe by Stephen Cartwright’s Osborne yellow ducks, as a supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club my habit of including their geometric Wolf head logo in the composition has continued into this project. Four ‘Wolfies’ are concealed somewhere in the room however Mr Ahmed, the ‘King of the Whistle’, has already won the prize as the first to locate them all. He’s very competitive and has very sharp eyes, and found them all a little too quickly considering those included in the ‘Vivaldi’ mural at St Brendan’s Primary, Corby and the ‘Reelin’ in the Years’ & ‘Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal’ murals at Meadowside Primary in Burton Latimer have still not been noticed.
I choose odd titles for my murals maybe, they often have a musical association but allude to my own circumstances too. Despite them being commissions all of my ‘Bigger Pictures‘ are very personal as I put so much of myself into them. I don’t approach mural painting any differently to any other painting project. It isn’t a job. They mean much more to me than that.
So why have I given this painting the title ‘Jump In, Let’s Go!’? Well, it’s a statement of encouragement and invitation to anyone and everyone to throw off their inhibitions and engage with physical activity which, as ‘Body Coach’ Joe Wicks would agree, does benefit one’s mental health. Exercise helps you to become ‘fitter, healthier and happier’. But it’s also a line taken from a particularly good song by Sheryl Crow. ‘Every Day Is A Winding Road’ isn’t only a song about somebody’s life, it’s also an apt description of my trials and tribulations to get to Leicester each morning!
Fosse Mead Primary Academy, Balfour Street, Leicester, LE3 5EA
Wall 1
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire Foxes
https://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicestershire_County_Cricket_Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club Women
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicestershire_Women_cricket_team
Leicester City Football Club
https://www.lcfc.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_City_F.C.
Leicester City Women Football Club
https://www.lcfc.com/women https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_City_W.F.C.
Wall 2
BMX & Bike Trails
https://nicelocal.co.uk/east-midlands/entertainment/western_park_freeriders_bike_trails/
Leicester Forest Cycling Club
https://www.leicesterforest.com https://twitter.com › leicsforest
Lougborough Lightning Netball
https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/performance/lightning/netball/
Leicester Running & Athletics Network
Wall 3
Leicester Hockey Club (1885)
http://www.leicesterhockeyclub.com/
Leicester City Hockey Club (1894)
https://www.leicesterhc.co.uk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_City_Hockey_Club
Leicestershire Badminton Association
http://www.lbabadminton.org/clubs.html
Leicester Tigers Rugby
https://www.leicestertigers.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Tigers
Leicester Tigers Rugby Women
Women reach Sevens final in first outing | Leicester Tigers
Leicester Falcons American Football
https://twitter.com/FalconsGridiron https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Falcons
Leicester Lions Speedway
http://www.leicesterspeedway.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Lions
Wall 4
Leicester Rowing Club
https://www.leicester-rowing.co.uk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Rowing_Club
Moving Together
https://www.movingtogether.co.uk/
Leicester Cobras Wheelchair Basketball
https://www.leicestercobras.org.uk/
Leicester Riders Basketball
https://riders.basketball/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Riders
Leicester Riders Women Basketball
https://riders.basketball/wbbl/about-the-wbbl/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Riders_(women)
Library Mural at Meadowside Primary, Burton Latimer
July – August/September 20
Meadowside Primary, Park Road, Burton Latimer, Northants NN15 5QY
Library Mural at Meadowside Primary, Burton Latimer
July – August/September 20
‘When dark clouds pull the sky
I have cast my eye
To the path where we are treading
Oh I could wrack my brain
Trying to explain
Where it is I think that we are heading’ (Dr Strangely Strange)
It’s been a strange year. We’ve all had to adapt to a new world situation. No-one has been able to follow a regular routine. We’ve had to be flexible and inventive in our working practices, and I’m no exception. Over recent weeks I’ve been reminded of a track from a much played album of my youth, Nice Enough To Eat. As Dr Strangely Strange said at that time, and which feels just as relevant now, it’s been ‘Strangely Strange but Oddly Normal‘.
The pandemic and lockdown, and the sudden sale of my studio, also created a domino effect with my timetable. My previous project had to be painted in two blocks which caused this project to follow in the same vein. This meant that, for a while, I actually had two projects underway at the same time. This has never happened before and I was very uncomfortable about it, so I feel a great sense of relief that both have had a happy ending.
In July last year I completed my first project at Meadowside Primary, the ‘Reelin’ In The Years’ mural painted in a busy corridor. I worked with adults and children walking around me each day, and had conversation with those interested in my progress. But the world was a different place then. This time around circumstances had changed and I’ve painted in relative isolation.
The location was a computer room/library, however as the subject was similar to my previous project, which it overlapped, I have to admit to having feelings of déjà vu. I’ve now painted 6 mural projects with a story book theme, (‘Gruffalo Wood & Dear Zoo‘ at Fulbridge Academy, ‘Gentle Giant‘ at Titchmarsh Primary, ‘Once Upon A Time‘ at Rowlatts Mead, ‘Land Of Make Believe‘ at King’s Cliffe and ‘Vivaldi‘ at St. Brendan’s) and the challenge has always been to ensure that each had an identity of its own. Hopefully I’ve succeeded in producing something distinct, fresh and original each time.
I developed ideas for this design during the lockdown, when I also met with Head Josie Garnham to discuss it and began painting shortly before the end of the summer term. Then I returned in September so, for the second project in a row, it feels an unusual amount of time passed between start and finish date.
An enclosed space this time, with one wall much taller than the other three. Since I’d measured the dimensions of the walls some renovation work had taken place on the roof and I found the ceiling had been lowered, so needed to make an on-the-spot decision and slightly alter the layout of wall 4. The shoulders of the Iron Man should have been the same width as the new bookshelves so that they became an extension of the giant’s body, but in the end this wasn’t possible. In order to maintain the scale of the giant the compromise was to not only lose the top of his head but also to suggest he was standing behind the shelves instead. Despite this unexpected modification I think the design still works.
As with other designs, I prefer not to simply paint a parade of characters, but to suggest a new world for them to occupy, as if they all lived together and know each other. My belief is that this might stimulate children to invent storylines of their own. In this continuous composition I have consciously selected poses that incorporate a variety of facial expressions to encourage descriptive terms and help expand vocabulary, as well as situations offering opportunities for ‘How Many …..?’ and ‘Find The ……?’ games.
When I first visited the Computer Room/Library it was perfectly acceptable and functional, but feel it has now evolved into a completely different learning environment, adorned with characters which were suggested by the children and which all year groups might be motivated to investigate. The bright colours create a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The room feels much more inviting and a very enticing place to sit and quietly read. There’s a world of imagination to be explored within the pages of books, and what a wonderful space it’s become to spend time in.
Yes we’re living in strange times, but they’re oddly normal too. Sometimes it feels like it’s just a bad dream and that we’ll eventually wake up to find that nothing’s changed. But it has. We have to adapt to the new and odd normal, and blunder on till we emerge safely on the other side. The world isn’t the same place, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s not easy to keep spirits up. Everything has changed, for everybody, so it’s important we surround ourselves with simple pleasures that can make things feel better.
Little things can make a big difference, and I feel very pleased with how this little thing turned out. These are strange times. It’s important to try our best to make good things come out of them.
Story Book Character references:
Owl Babies (Author: Martin Waddell Illustrator: Patrick Benson)
Harry Potter – Quidditch (Author: JK Rowling Illustrator: Chris Wharton)
Jack & the Beanstalk (Fairy Tale) (Illustrator: CB Canga)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Author: Lewis Carroll Illustrator: John Tenniel)
The Sheep Pig (Author: Dick King-Smith Illustrator: Melissa Manwill)
Stick Man (Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler)
Winnie the Pooh & Piglet (Author: AA Milne Illustrator: Ernest Shepard)
Percy the Park Keeper (Author & Illustrator: Nick Butterworth)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Author & Illustrator: Beatrix Potter)
Stig of the Dump (Author: Clive King Illustrator: Edward Ardizzone)
Three Little Pigs (Fable) (Illustrator: Stephen Cartwright)
War Horse (Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Rae Smith)
Elmer the Patchwork Elephant (Author & Illustrator: David McKee)
Horrid Henry (Author: Francesca Simon Illustrator: Tony Ross)
James & the Giant Peach (Author: Roald Dahl Illustrator: Nancy Ekholm Burkert)
Treasure Island – Hispaniola (Author: RL Stevenson Illustrator: Rowland Hilder)
The Iron Man (Author: Ted Hughes Illustrator: Chris Mould)
The Chronicles of Narnia – Lamp post (Author: CS Lewis Illustrator: David Hohn)
Meadowside Primary, Park Road, Burton Latimer, Northants NN15 5QY
‘Vivaldi’ Mural at St. Brendan’s Primary, Corby
Completed August 20
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
St. Brendan’s Primary School, Beanfield Avenue, Corby NN18 OAZ
‘Vivaldi’ Mural at St. Brendan’s Primary, Corby
18 – 24 August 20
Following a 5 month interlude, last week I returned to St. Brendan’s Primary in Corby to complete the ‘Vivaldi’ mini hall mural. On the one hand it felt like no time had passed at all and yet so much has happened. It was good to be back, I’ve never experienced such a long interval within a project before and coming back to the painting was like meeting up with an old friend.
It took a short time to pick up my momentum again but the Spring themed wall, which was the last to be painted when the Coronavirus lockdown placed a halt on proceedings, has now reached a conclusion.
Although I say it myself, the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs of the mini hall reveal a remarkable transformation. The change that has occurred in our world this year has made many feel uncomfortable and some children may feel apprehensive about their return to school next week. However I’d like to think that this combination of storybook characters within a collection of art history related landscape settings has created very a bright and happy atmosphere, and one that will be enjoyable to live with.
27 March…….
24 August………
THE FOUR SEASONS continued:
Spring Book Characters & Paintings
Almond Blossom 1890 (Vincent Van Gogh)
Horrid Henry (Author: Francesca Simon Illustrator: Tony Ross)
Day the Crayons Quit (Author: Drew Daywalt Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers)
Kameido Plum Garden 1857 (Ando Hiroshige)
The Gingerbread Man (Animation: Barker Animation)
Little Red Riding Hood (Publisher: Usborne Books Illustrator: Stephen Cartwright)
Springtime 1886 (Claude Monet)
Cherry blossoms in the Grove of Suijin Temple and View of Massaki on the Sumida River 1856 (Ando Hiroshige)
Summer Additional Painting
Woman with a Parasol facing right 1886 (Claude Monet)
The whole story……………with a happy ending!
Spring
St. Brendan’s Primary School, Beanfield Avenue, Corby NN18 OAZ
‘Vivaldi’ Mural at St. Brendan’s Primary, Corby
Feb – March 20
Once upon a time…….
A new location, St. Brendan’s Primary in Corby, and a school with a musical reputation. Therefore when Headteacher Leanne Brydon invited me to design a painting with a collection of children’s book characters in four sections for their ‘Mini Hall’, the Red Priest came to mind immediately so I suggested illustrating a season for each wall. The working title for the project therefore became ‘Vivaldi’ from the very beginning. I considered calling it ‘Frankie Valli’, but somehow felt that didn’t work so well.
Leanne provided me with a list of 25 characters and I almost managed to include them all, Thomas the Tank Engine being the one that missed out. Rather than painting a simple procession of figures I created compositions of them within a landscape setting, which offered the opportunity to introduce and investigate images of various styles from differing eras of art history.
There’s always a story behind a picture, and of the person who produced it, and much to learn. For example on the Autumn wall I purposely selected the ‘Tree of Life‘ section of the Palais Stoclet frieze by Gustav Klimt. On the one hand I wanted to suggest a link to the world of decorative arts and surface design rather than another figurative representation of a natural form, but it wasn’t only that, there’s an important current affairs narrative to explore too. Klimt died in 1918 during the Spanish flu pandemic which swept across Europe and the world, which was one of the deadliest in human history. Bearing in mind the trauma of the current Coronavirus outbreak which has now brought this project to a halt, its selection as a comparison was well founded.
This project began with a presentation to a whole school assembly in which I introduced myself and a brief outline of the wall paintings at Altamira, Lascaux and the Sistine Chapel ceiling, as well as the designs I’d proposed for the walls of the Mini-Hall. During the course of the last 23 days I’ve also spent time meeting with several groups of classes and individual children.
However, despite working for the last week in an empty school and being so close to completion, the current government physical distancing advice has forced me to a halt, so unlike previous project overviews, this one is different as the painting is still unfinished. I’m very disappointed but don’t want to be irresponsible, and in any case I must be careful. Although I don’t want to admit it, my recent medical history places me very close to the vulnerable category, an experience which was the subject of a previous blog.
To coin a cricketing metaphor, I’ve decided to pull up the stumps. This blog therefore is only a latest summary of the scorecard as I’m now back in the pavilion. It’s not a declaration, simply a break in play. When conditions allow my innings will continue. It’s very frustrating and I’d like to be able to blame it on the light-meters, or the sort of rain you don’t get wet in, but it’s a tad more serious than that.
Hopefully, once the umpires are back out and considered conditions to have improved, the heavy roller will be ordered and play will resume. Till then, I’m having to take an early tea and dive into a Victoria sponge.
The story so far………
THE FOUR SEASONS:
SUMMER Book Characters & Paintings
Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs (Author: Ian Whybrow Illustrator: Adrian Reynolds)
Wheatfield with Crows 1890 (Vincent Van Gogh)
Winnie-the-Pooh & Piglet (Author: AA Milne Illustrator: EH Shepard)
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Author & Illustrator: Judith Kerr)
Noon – Rest from Work (after Millet) 1890 (Vincent Van Gogh)
Pippi Longstocking (Author: Astrid Lindgren Illustrator: Ingrid Vang Nyman)
The Cat in the Hat (Author & Illustrator: Theodor Seuss Geisel)
AUTUMN Book Characters & Paintings
Elmer (Author & Illustrator: David McKee)
Tree of Life 1905 (Gustav Klimt)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Author & Illustrator: Eric Carle)
Peter Pan (Author: J M Barrie Illustrator: Bob Brackman)
Ejiri in the Suruga province 1830-32 (Katsushka Hokusai)
Mog the Forgetful Cat (Author & Illustrator: Judith Kerr)
Cruella de Vil (Author: Dodie Smith Illustrator: Marc Davis)
Paddington Bear (Author: Michael Bond Illustrator: RW Alley)
Plop – The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark (Author: Jill Tomlinson Illustrator: Paul Howard)
Biff, Chip, Kipper & Friends (Author: Roderick Hunt Illustrator: Alex Brychta)
WINTER Book Characters & Paintings
The Gruffalo (Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler)
Hunters In The Snow 1565 (Pieter Bruegel the Elder)
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland (Author: Lewis Carroll Illustrator: John Tenniel)
Burglar Bill (Author & Illustrator: Janet & Allan Ahlberg)
Winter Landscape 1811 (Caspar David Friedrich)
#111 Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill, Meguro 1857 (Ando Hiroshige)
St. Brendan’s Primary School, Beanfield Avenue, Corby NN18 OAZ
Colin Slater - artist 