Term 1 Week 7

October 19, 2018Leave a comment

Turquoise Class

Our reception, year 1 and year 2 artists completed their assemblage project this week. We experimented with different ways to attach our embellished objects from last week, using aluminium wire, yarn and glue guns. We combined elements in different ways to create interesting sculptures. We got some great results!

Amber and Magenta Class

Our year 3 and 4 artists tried their hand at yarn wrapping this week! We wrapped twigs using various coloured yarns, adding beads as we went. The twigs make a lovely table centrepiece when stood together in a vase!

Violet & Emerald Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists also had a go at yarn wrapping. As well as wrapping twigs, we created wrapped wire sculptures using aluminium wire and pipe cleaners. Some of us chose to link to last week’s typography project and create words!

Term 1 Week 6

October 11, 2018Leave a comment

Amber Class

This week, Amber class had a visit from two of our Bronze Arts Award students! The students are working towards Part D of the award which involves sharing their skills, and they chose to run a workshop for one of our younger classes. Amber class had a lovely time learning how to decorate pebbles using acrylic paints and Posca pens!

Turquoise Class

Our reception, year 1 and year 2 artists are working on an assemblage project. This week, we chose elements that we would like to include in our assembled sculptures, and used acrylic paint and glitter to decorate them. Next week we’ll be investigating different ways to join the elements together.

Magenta Class

This week, Magenta class investigated the work of Australian artist Rachel Castle. We looked at examples of her work (see below), then used felt shapes to create our own versions. We came up with some very colourful designs!

Violet & Emerald Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists also looked at Rachel Castle’s work, in particular her typographic work (see below). We then chose a word or phrase to work with, and sketched it out on paper before cutting the letters from felt. It was quite fiddly work which took a lot of patience, but the results are looking lovely!

Term 1 Week 5

October 5, 2018Leave a comment

Turquoise Class

Our reception, year 1 and year 2 artists have been considering line as an element of art this week. We experimented with different forms of continuous lines including zig zags, wavy lines and curved lines, and invented repeating patterns using shapes, letters and numbers. We chose our favourite lines and patterns to create a design for a rug using Sharpies and oil pastels. We then added further elements of line by gluing lengths of wool to our designs. We got some lovely results!

Amber & Magenta Class

Our year 3 and 4 artists had a go at weaving onto a pin board this week! We tried out some different patterns on our individual boards before deciding which one to go for. We also made a large scale group weaving!

Violet and Emerald Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists completed their Lake District inspired textiles pieces this week! We added some more embroidered details, then used soft pastels to add further areas of colour and texture. The results look lovely!

Term 1 Week 4

September 28, 2018Leave a comment

Our reception to year 4 classes have been having a go at wet felting this week! We each made a piece of handmade felt using wool roving in different colours. It was a very wet and soapy process, and we got some lovely results!

Amber Class

Turquoise Class

Magenta Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists have been continuing with their textiles pieces based on artist Lynne Chapman’s Lake District inspired work. This week, we embroidered details onto our watercolour backgrounds in order to add texture and interest.

Violet Class

Emerald Class

Term 1 Week 2

September 14, 2018September 16, 2018Leave a comment

Turquoise Class

Our reception, year 1 and year 2 artists have been investigating Process Art this week. We experimented with the ways in which different media interact with one another to produce interesting effects- we combined gel glue, PVA glue, hot melt glue, salt, Brusho inks and pieces of wool in lots of different ways. We particularly enjoyed adding salt to a pattern drawing in glue, then touching the salt with Brusho and watching the ink get drawn into the patterns!

Amber & Magenta Class

Our year 3 and 4 artists have been looking at some textiles work by artist and illustrator Lynne Chapman- in particular a piece inspired by photos of rust (see below). We looked at examples of rust, both real and photographic, discussing the colours and textures we could see. We then used a variety of media (soft pastels, watercolour, coloured crayons, graphite, metallic wax crayons and charcoal) to make a piece of fabric look as rusty as possible. Next week we will be adding some embroidered details!

Violet & Emerald Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists also looked at some of Lynne Chapman’s textiles work. We discussed in particular a piece inspired by some soft pastel drawings Lynne completed on location in the Lake District (see below). We practised mark making and blending techniques using soft pastels, then worked on a pastel drawing of our own, using a photo of the Lake District as reference. Next week we’ll begin recreating our drawings using different kinds of fabric.

Term 1 Week 1

September 7, 2018Leave a comment

We’ve had a lovely first week back after the summer! Our focus this term is on textiles. We’ll be investigating various contemporary textile artists such as Lynne Chapman and Rachel Castle, and having a go at different techniques including weaving, wet felting, assemblage and embroidery. We’ll produce individual and collaborative two and three dimensional pieces inspired by different artists, using yarn, wool, cotton, canvas and other materials.

This week, each class had a go at circle weaving. We threaded wool onto a cardboard circle in a star shape, then wove different colours around in a spiral pattern. We finished off our woven piece using soft pastels. We got some lovely results!

Amber Class

Turquoise Class

Magenta Class

Violet Class

Emerald Class

Term 6 Week 7

July 20, 2018Leave a comment

We had end of year parties this week! I managed to remember to get class photos of most of the groups- we had quite a few artists missing though as they were already off on holiday. Have a lovely summer everyone!

Amber Class

Turquoise Class

Magenta Class

Cyan Class

Violet Class

Emerald Class

Arts Award

July 20, 2018December 16, 2018Leave a comment

Indigo Class- Silver Arts Award

Indigo class have been working hard on Unit 1 of their Silver Arts Award course. Part of the award requires the students to attend and review different arts events, which we would like to share with you! Events include the Jekyll and Hyde production at the Key Theatre, which we visited as a group; the On Form exhibition at City Gallery; a visit to Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge; a concert at Cambridge Junction and a visit to a gallery in Switzerland!

Please click on a photo to enlarge.

Term 6 Week 6

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018Leave a comment

This week, our classes investigated the work of Los Angeles based artist Jen Stark. She uses various materials, including paper, wood, metal and paint, and her works often resemble organic, molecular, cloud-like structures.

You can find out more about Jen Stark’s work on her website.

Amber & Turquoise Class

Our reception, year 1 and year 2 artists worked on creating 2D and 3D patterns using a series of neon paper squares . We followed some step-by-step instructions to produce various folded structures, then experimented with the pieces to produce our own creations.

Magenta & Violet Class

Our year 3 and 4 artists looked in particular at the concentric forms that Jen Stark creates using many layers of coloured paper. We produced two pieces of work- one showing a layered mountain range, and another made by cutting an initial shape, sticking it onto a second piece of paper, then cutting around it again and repeating. It was fiddly work but the results were very effective!

Emerald Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists were inspired to create 2D and 3D artwork of their own, using coloured paper. We got some great results after experimenting with different techniques for joining and manipulating paper strips.

Term 6 Week 5

July 8, 2018July 8, 2018Leave a comment

This week our students have been investigating the work of American sculptor Alexander Calder, who is widely regarded as one of the most influential sculptors of the twentieth century.

Amber & Turquoise Class

Our reception, year 1 and year 2 artists discussed Calder’s preference for primary colours and identified some of the shapes he used in his work. We made our own sculptures using aluminium wire and shapes which we cut from craft foam.

Magenta & Violet Class

Our year 3 and 4 artists made similar sculptures- we decided to use a wider variety of colours for our own interpretations of Calder’s work!

Emerald and Cyan Class

Our year 5 and 6 artists and some of our Arts Award students focused on Calder’s wire portraits. We looked at different examples, then practised creating a portrait from one continuous line using fineliners on paper. We then created portraits of our own using coloured aluminium wire. We got some great results!