Form 6 had a collaborative art and design technology whole day workshop with world-renowned visual artist, Mr Michael Brennand-Wood in contact via Zoom. The children were encouraged to think about geometry, woven patterns, negative shapes and rhythms to create their own unique artwork, exploring textiles and taking inspiration from the artist’s own imagery. Mr Brennand-Wood is internationally regarded as one of the most innovative and inspiring artists working in textiles. All the material used for the children's work was recycled.
The children were shown some of Mr Brennand-Wood’s easily recognisable work, which is rich in colour, texture and meaning. A different approach to making 3D artefacts in a direct and intuitive way was encouraged by the artist and, rather than devising and making firm choices about what they were going to make beforehand, the artist showed, through his own work, that something can be made and then afterwards a purpose can be found for it. For example, a hoop bound with multi-coloured yarn can become a bangle, part of a container, or even a model for a new type of building structure. Form 6 had the choice of a range of frame shapes and sizes and were then able to select from a multitude of recycled fabrics and materials.
Head of Art, Mrs Sam Downer, commented, “This immediate and direct approach gave the children a chance to experience the enjoyment of making without placing a fixed idea on their work; it could be abstract or representational. This was also a wonderful demonstration of how closely Art and DT are linked through craft and design.” A Sixth Form pupil explained, “Having the ability to show the artist our work throughout the process via a webcam was so helpful in talking through each stage of the journey.” Another pupil commented, “I loved that we had real freedom to explore materials and to create our own original pieces of work. They all looked so individual and each one had its own special story and meaning.”
For more information about Michael Brennand Wood's work: http://brennand-wood.com/michael.html