As part of our Public Engagement Programme, VAU were approached by the Arts and Literary Guild in North Lanarkshire to provide a workshop programme for Drumpark, Carnbroe and St Patrick’s Primary Schools in October. VAU Artist Members Stuart Noble, Jon Nicolson, Paul Corbett, Laura McGlinchey, Emma Rogers and Edwina Bracken were involved in delivering the projects for Drumpar, Carnbroe and St Patrick’s through November to January. For each school, VAU were commissioned to deliver a final piece to be displayed in an exhibition to be held at the Tudor Hotel in February 2015.
Drumpark
VAU Artist Members Jon Nicolson, Stuart Noble and Paul Corbett delivered four full day workshops at Drumpark Primary over November/December. The group worked with young people aged 9 -11 with each day focusing on different materials and visual elements to do with the history of Coatbridge and the school itself. To begin with, the group were introduced to the fundamentals of different drawing materials and techniques using the likes of charcoals, chalks, pastels and pencils in a variety of quick, practical exercises. Using these drawings, the group began to translate their ideas into 3-Dimensional form, exploring this through the use of clay sculpture. The group were also shown basic colour theory and mixing which was used to paint some of their drawings and clay sculptures which they got to take home. With the skills and techniques learned throughout the project, the group worked together to make a large-scale multi-panel clay relief which will be permanently displayed in the school.
Carnbroe
For Carnbroe Primary, VAU Artist Members Jon Nicolson, Stuart Noble, Laura McGlinchey and Edwina Bracken delivered a similar program of workshops focusing around mythical creatures and the school’s phoenix emblem. The team worked with a group of over 30 primary 7 pupils, creating their own mythical creatures using collage, drawing, painting and clay sculpture. The group worked together to create a large-scale mosaic of low relief mythical creatures will also go on permanent display this time within Carnbroe Primary.
St. Patricks
The final project involved St. Patricks Primary, VAU Artist Members Jon Nicolson, Stuart Noble, Emma Rogers and Paul Corbett worked with the children to create a large-scale multi-panel clay relief akin to the Drumpark project relating to the history and heritage of the Coatbridge area. Similarly to the previous projects, this tested the children to learn and develop new art skills and gain confidence in their approach with materials.