As part of the Lead Creative Schools scheme – a joint Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government initiative - Year 3 children at Beaufort Hill Primary School in Ebbw Vale have been collaborating on a storytelling project. They have brought together a small group of creative practitioners to help them create their own stories … Continue reading Printmaking Project at Beaufort Hill
World cultures
Ibrahim El-Salahi: A Visionary Modernist
I first came across this artist at Tate Modern in 2013, surprised that this was the first exhibition there dedicated to African Modernism. Ibrahim El-Salahi has recently had a solo exhibition at the Ashmolean, Oxford where he now lives. I stood in front of this 8 foot square painting: Reborn Sounds of Childhood Dreams I (1961–5) … Continue reading Ibrahim El-Salahi: A Visionary Modernist
Creative Sessions at the YMCA
Recently, I have been asked to run a couple of taster sessions for YMCA Cardiff Design For Life. The learners were keen to work with clay, as this is something they hadn't tried before. Clay is so tactile, soothing and grounding. Several learners commented that they had come reluctantly to the session, thinking it would … Continue reading Creative Sessions at the YMCA
Natural Abstracts
Some stunning paintings made in response to two stories from Africa today on the Children's Art and Storytelling course that I am running at Llanover Hall Arts Centre. 'Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky' - a Nigerian folktale, and 'The Lion's Whisker' - an Ethiopian Folktale. Elements by Jim age 9 … Continue reading Natural Abstracts
This Is What I Would Turn Into At Night
Here are some of my favourite art works by children I have been working with over the past months. They have been responding to old folk stories from many cultures. The Lady of the Lake (Wales) Maui's Magic Fishing Hook (Maori) The Fox Maiden (Korea) Guardian Totems (Korea) Medusa (Greece) Gelert (Wales) Baba Yaga … Continue reading This Is What I Would Turn Into At Night
Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave
For the last week of this five week cycle of storytelling and art from around the world, we travelled to Russia to hear about the enigmatic Baba Yaga. She is a many-faceted figure, variously seen as a Moon, Death, Winter, Earth Goddess, totemic matriarchal ancestress, female initiator, or archetypal image.[4] After discussing some of Baba … Continue reading Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave
