Melton Mowbray Felt Wall Hangings

The project began with the creation of a set of photographs taken in and around Melton Mowbray and the three Sure Start Centres, The Edge, Fairmead and The Cove to act as inspiration for the imagery in the hangings. Further consultation with staff and participants lead to the creation of a master drawing to inspire felted pieces. The central themes were the kind of help and support offered to young families by the Sure Start Centres, the 2012 Olympics, The Torch Relay and the Queen’s Jubilee.

As each centre has different types of space, I decided to create a set of hangings, which took the issue of space into account. The hangings have been designed in such a way that they can fit almost any available space in an easily changed combination. The design has been inspired by, and takes the format of, the baby blanket, an everyday item and a potent symbol of comfort, warmth and love. Each set has a large central panel – the style is loose and reminiscent of a pastel sketch or a child’s drawing. 

Participants have learnt how to create images using a wet felting technique which is very old and very connected to home and family – Mongolian yurts have been made for centuries in this way, creating portable homes that are warm, sturdy and weather proof. Wool and felt have played a huge part in Britain’s history and it has been good to take a traditional technique and give it a contemporary use. 

Many thanks to Louise Callaghan, Jess Laws, Shantel Gibbons who created many of the pieces and helped to make this project a success!

Imagery on the Central Panels:-

The Edge – Mother and child walking with baby in pushchair

Fairmead – Two toddlers playing outdoors – bunting in the background

The Cove – Mother and baby reading in the garden – trees and bunting in the background

Key to smaller blankets

Union Jack for Team GB and the Jubilee

Olympic Torch to commemorate the Torch Relay coming through Melton

Crowns – the Jubilee

Cake with candle & number 60 - the Jubilee

Swimmer – 2012 Olympics

Gold medal -  2012 Olympics

ABC – support & encouragement of reading at Sure Start Centres

123 - support & encouragement of numeracy at Sure Start Centres

Hearts – caring, family, community

Flowers – nature, countryside, fresh air, breathing spaces

Play – celebrating Stay & Play sessions at Sure Start Centres and highlighting the importance of play in a child’s development

Hand and Heart – family, support, community, love, care, working together

Fruit – Healthy eating

There are also two sets of bunting created for The Edge, which can be used in any celebratory context.

Project work hand over with Clive Breedon and Kate Parkinson representing Melton Borough Council and the Sure Start Centres

Olympic Mosaics in Druids Heath

Just before the end of the Summer Term I had a 6 day residency at Bells Farm Primary School near Birmingham. I was working with Year 6 pupils to help them create 5 mosaic panels as a Legacy Project. Each panel featured the silhouette of a sporting activity on a 1m x 1m board. There were many other activities going on during the week, a  sleep over for Year 6, the school production of The Jungle book, flute practice, sports coaching, art activities and the finishing of work books. Through it all staff and pupils remained lively, active and focussed and were a delight to work with. All the children have wonderful singing voices too and the working days went with a swing!

Outlining

Filling the gaps

Gymnastics

Tennis

Basketball

Football

Athletics

Get Involved & Olympic Values banners, Corby

Kate Dyer and I were given the task of creating a series of banners for Corby Sports Forum celebrating local sporting and Olympic heroes. Local sports groups supplied the photographs, Kate and I met with the groups and were delighted when they approved my banner templates.

banners seen along part of the Torch Relay Route 

Artists Kate Dyer, Jo Dacombe and I worked with children from many of the schools in Corby making drawings that expressed the Olympic values. There were many wonderful drawings made and there will be a touring exhibition later in the year. 

After the drawings were made Kate transformed blank templates, similar to those used in the banners above into a series of banners which can now be seen along the route of the Torch Relay throughout Corby. Why not see if you can spot them all!

Torchtastic!

Artists Kate Dyer, Sophie Cullinan, Jo Dacombe and I worked on various parts of the Corby project to animate the route of the Torch Relay, the project was dubbed 'Torchtastic' by Sophie, in honour of her fabulous Torch inspired rattles. I spent a day at The Old Village Primary School with Sophie creating rattles and flags for the children to shake and wave when the Torch Bearers make their way through the Old Village and towards Corby town centre on July 2nd.

Sophie wealding the glue gun

Painting

Drying

Springs and flames attached

I had preprinted torch pennants for the children to embellish

After an initial feeling of "Bah Humbug" about the Torch Relay, I found myself swept up in the crowd waiting for the relay to arrive in Kettering and strangely moved by the waving and cheering which brightened the greyish, rainy day. I then felt compelled to watch the Corby leg on the internet and the next day was in Asfordby making paper flags with the children as they waited for the relay to come through on it's way to Melton Mowbray. Once again there were smiles, laughter and unexpected patience, perhaps we all need a reason to stand together and cheer, especially when many aspects of life seem increasingly grim. 

Portrait of the artist with actual Torch Relay Torch which was carried by Nicola Kenton during the Wellingborough leg of the relay. Many thanks to her Mum, Yvonne for letting me touch a little piece of Olympic history!

Olympic Values Created in Silk, Plaster & Paint

In June 2012 I was delighted to return to work with Year 4 children at Barry Road Primary School in Northampton on a project to explore and express the Olympic Values in a visual format. The children created a set of silk paintings to hang in their school, a personal 'gold' medal for each participant and 6 plaques to present to their paired school. The project took place over the course of two days.

The first task was to work in groups make a drawing each of one Olympic value, the drawings were then enlarged and the children used gold gutta to outline their designs on to silk panels. While the gutta was drying, the children made their individual clay medals and group plaques which were then cast in plaster. Once the gutta was dry they added the colours to their panels and once the plaster was set the clay was pulled away to reveal their designs which were painted with gold, bronze and verdigris acrylic paint.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games are about much more than sporting excellence. Underpinning the Games is the philosophy of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympic Movement. He saw in the Games an ideal opportunity to develop a set of universal principles – or Values – that could be applied to education and to society as a whole, as well as to sport itself.

These Values are:

respect – fair play; knowing one’s own limits; and taking care of one’s health and the environment

 excellence – how to give the best of oneself, on the field of play or in life; taking part; and progressing 
according to one’s own objectives

friendship – how, through sport, to understand each other despite any differences

The Paralympic Values are based on the history of the Paralympic Games and the tradition of fair play and honourable sports competition.

They are:

▪               courage

▪               determination

▪               inspiration

▪               equality" quote from Get Set page.

The children came up with some lovely ideas to illustrate quite complex concepts and their use of colour was beautifully vibrant.

Excellence

Determination

Inspiration

Equality

Friendship

Courage

Respect