Saturday, 16 April 2011
Show your working...
How often do adults show their working? i.e. the process which leads to a complete product/ successful project etc.
Increasingly creative practitioners are asked to reflect on their processes which lead to products (without necessarily showing it, although documentation often happens for other reasons) but in primary schools children are regularly asked to show their work. Why?... its scary!
I suppose that is the aspect which I find most engaging about this whole blogging thing- I'm creating time outside of 'drive time' to explore my own 'workings' and challenging myself to go further in my thinking and delivering; but I also have the opportunity to understand how other people reach their 'products' through their own blogs which is fascinating. This morning I have been playing with photoshop - just because I can!.. its fun to work out how to do knew things and its also a way to enjoy creating new pictures out of old favourites...
original photo from Vienna...
I'll be honest - I quite like this photo and have no problem sharing it. I'm no photographer so any photos I like I can be proud of!...
so now I play with the image...
Not incredibly original - mixture of Van Gogh style colours and Warhol style 'posterizing' but still fun to explore. I've wanted to play like this ever since I saw the 'Refuge' exhibition by Yasmin Yaqub at Mid Pennine Gallery a few years ago. - it was a truly inspiring exhibition (still inspiring me five years later) which led to a great education project working with Daksha Patel and Lord Street Primary School but its only now I have got round to playing in my own time!
Another one?...
This time I've explored more 'realistic' colours but still using a fairly limited palette - not unlike the poster paints a child might use. You may notice that there's more detail this time though - its a smidge more finished. I've zoomed in to fill in smaller elements of colour as well as taking the time to separate the person and give him his own colour so he doesn't get lost in the background. As I started to consider sharing these images on my blog I couldn't help but try and make it a little bit better!
So - I guess that's why we endlessly encourage children to show their work. If its ok to challenge children in this way though - surely we should at least recognise that its not always comfortable to share our work, make sure that there is a genuine reason and a safe place for doing so - and maybe challenge ourselves in the same way from time to time! Perhaps adult work should be alongside children's as we look along the walls full of displayed work in schools?!
PS... a final image from the 'Inspired by Refuge' project which I referred to earlier. Where digital media merged back into 'real/tangible?' visual art using collage of photographs, newspaper cuttings, charcoal and pencil drawings...
Increasingly creative practitioners are asked to reflect on their processes which lead to products (without necessarily showing it, although documentation often happens for other reasons) but in primary schools children are regularly asked to show their work. Why?... its scary!
I suppose that is the aspect which I find most engaging about this whole blogging thing- I'm creating time outside of 'drive time' to explore my own 'workings' and challenging myself to go further in my thinking and delivering; but I also have the opportunity to understand how other people reach their 'products' through their own blogs which is fascinating. This morning I have been playing with photoshop - just because I can!.. its fun to work out how to do knew things and its also a way to enjoy creating new pictures out of old favourites...
original photo from Vienna...
I'll be honest - I quite like this photo and have no problem sharing it. I'm no photographer so any photos I like I can be proud of!...
so now I play with the image...
Not incredibly original - mixture of Van Gogh style colours and Warhol style 'posterizing' but still fun to explore. I've wanted to play like this ever since I saw the 'Refuge' exhibition by Yasmin Yaqub at Mid Pennine Gallery a few years ago. - it was a truly inspiring exhibition (still inspiring me five years later) which led to a great education project working with Daksha Patel and Lord Street Primary School but its only now I have got round to playing in my own time!
Another one?...
This time I've explored more 'realistic' colours but still using a fairly limited palette - not unlike the poster paints a child might use. You may notice that there's more detail this time though - its a smidge more finished. I've zoomed in to fill in smaller elements of colour as well as taking the time to separate the person and give him his own colour so he doesn't get lost in the background. As I started to consider sharing these images on my blog I couldn't help but try and make it a little bit better!
So - I guess that's why we endlessly encourage children to show their work. If its ok to challenge children in this way though - surely we should at least recognise that its not always comfortable to share our work, make sure that there is a genuine reason and a safe place for doing so - and maybe challenge ourselves in the same way from time to time! Perhaps adult work should be alongside children's as we look along the walls full of displayed work in schools?!
PS... a final image from the 'Inspired by Refuge' project which I referred to earlier. Where digital media merged back into 'real/tangible?' visual art using collage of photographs, newspaper cuttings, charcoal and pencil drawings...
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Time to create!
It seems obvious but the temptation as a practitioner is to fill up the diary till you can't see the space from one term to the next but having finished work at Sing Up last week I am LOVING the space to reflect, relate - with impromptu coffees and lunches - well overdue chat that leads to creativity and as a result I can't help but buzz with excitement about the work ahead next term.
Everything needs more planning of course but for once it is good to let ideas germinate - here are some of the things I'm hoping to develop next term...
1. Tauheedul - last term to really consolidate the last two years of learning and build resources which the school can progress with next year. Currently writing an arrangement of Yusuf Islam's Nasheed - I look, I see for that. Tempted to see if we can link into next project at Clitheroe...
2. Contemporary Heritage at Clitheroe Castle - Mid Pennine Arts have commisioned Ailis Ni Riain to create a sound installation using humming and I'm quite excited to be one of the twentyish people who will be recorded humming this Friday. Depending on the outcome I'm really keen t1o then explore how school groups can engage in the installation and create their own humming composition!
3. Marsden Primary - continuing to develop my learning around South Asian song and building it into collaborative storytelling process with Jackie Harris, school staff and hopefully others! This will involve lots of fabric, a labyrinth with space for children to experience individual time in a reflective space , variety of musical instruments, possibly a tea party and hopefully a trip to the beach!
4. Early Years Network - facilitating training days and residency observations for MusicLeaderNW who have developed a Workforce Development project to accompany the Music Boxes Project which is all part of and funded by MIF.
5. Brighter Sound Primary Network - shared some of the exploration in blog yesterday but is full of potential!
6. Springhill Primary - collaborating with Thea Soltau to devise celebration of all things Brazil! - looks as though it will involve a samba/celebratory dance/festival 'type thing' which has stories inserted exploring rainforests/ the uncontacted tribes of Brazil/ traditional tales from the connecting cultures etc...
...just a taster - there's also ongoing Creative Agent work (am really enjoying challenging myself to find more creative ways of evaluating with people in response to pod conversations), Sing Up legacy and the minor matter of a wedding to prepare for - which has numerous exciting creative projects connected - mostly textile and sculpture inspired rather than music! What was that about time to create?!! - had better get on and make the most of it!
Everything needs more planning of course but for once it is good to let ideas germinate - here are some of the things I'm hoping to develop next term...
1. Tauheedul - last term to really consolidate the last two years of learning and build resources which the school can progress with next year. Currently writing an arrangement of Yusuf Islam's Nasheed - I look, I see for that. Tempted to see if we can link into next project at Clitheroe...
2. Contemporary Heritage at Clitheroe Castle - Mid Pennine Arts have commisioned Ailis Ni Riain to create a sound installation using humming and I'm quite excited to be one of the twentyish people who will be recorded humming this Friday. Depending on the outcome I'm really keen t1o then explore how school groups can engage in the installation and create their own humming composition!
3. Marsden Primary - continuing to develop my learning around South Asian song and building it into collaborative storytelling process with Jackie Harris, school staff and hopefully others! This will involve lots of fabric, a labyrinth with space for children to experience individual time in a reflective space , variety of musical instruments, possibly a tea party and hopefully a trip to the beach!
4. Early Years Network - facilitating training days and residency observations for MusicLeaderNW who have developed a Workforce Development project to accompany the Music Boxes Project which is all part of and funded by MIF.
5. Brighter Sound Primary Network - shared some of the exploration in blog yesterday but is full of potential!
6. Springhill Primary - collaborating with Thea Soltau to devise celebration of all things Brazil! - looks as though it will involve a samba/celebratory dance/festival 'type thing' which has stories inserted exploring rainforests/ the uncontacted tribes of Brazil/ traditional tales from the connecting cultures etc...
...just a taster - there's also ongoing Creative Agent work (am really enjoying challenging myself to find more creative ways of evaluating with people in response to pod conversations), Sing Up legacy and the minor matter of a wedding to prepare for - which has numerous exciting creative projects connected - mostly textile and sculpture inspired rather than music! What was that about time to create?!! - had better get on and make the most of it!
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Stronger than the sum of our parts...
Had a fab day today - was working on behalf of Brighter Sound to facilitate the development of a practitioner network.
Began with mapping exercise -
- literally! (may have got a bit carried away with my flag making preparation!) We also mapped our current interests/experience mapping common ground and celebrating diversity with the obligatory post-its and flip chart categories!
Following that I dared to facilitate an open forum style session where people brought their ideas and interests forward to develop conversation and explore potential for using those within the network and primary school delivery. Have never tried this before and I'll be honest it's quite scary to trust the concept of people bringing things forward but since witnessing the amazing process and results which came out of the Vocal Force: Sangeet project which was facilitated in this way by Beccy Owen, I was convinced it was worth a try!
I remain convinced - really inspiring and a rich pool of ideas and skills to draw upon. Really looking forward to seeing how the network evolves from here. And we managed to fit some singing in too! - Songs from the Baka tribe and Gospel roots.
Began with mapping exercise -
- literally! (may have got a bit carried away with my flag making preparation!) We also mapped our current interests/experience mapping common ground and celebrating diversity with the obligatory post-its and flip chart categories!
Following that I dared to facilitate an open forum style session where people brought their ideas and interests forward to develop conversation and explore potential for using those within the network and primary school delivery. Have never tried this before and I'll be honest it's quite scary to trust the concept of people bringing things forward but since witnessing the amazing process and results which came out of the Vocal Force: Sangeet project which was facilitated in this way by Beccy Owen, I was convinced it was worth a try!
I remain convinced - really inspiring and a rich pool of ideas and skills to draw upon. Really looking forward to seeing how the network evolves from here. And we managed to fit some singing in too! - Songs from the Baka tribe and Gospel roots.
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