school

Sculpture Workshops for Schools

creating permanent artwork

CLA approved artist - CRB checked - First Aid Appointed person - Public Liability - Child safe trained

I am a professional sculptor who runs sculpture workshops, for key stages 1-4, that lead to pupils creating a permanent artwork.

I work in collaboration with pupils to design high quality artwork - sculpture, wall relief or text based work made in steel or other metals for the school grounds/buildings.

For the pupils it is a wonderful opportunity for them to take ownership of a project that has an end product and that can visually enhance their school environment.

The workshops are designed to cover many aspects of the Art and Design national curriculum, including drawing skills, working in 2 and 3 dimensions, exploring a range of starting points. They will also investigate shape, form and space, exploring scale, understanding of materials and process, exploring ideas based work and abstract form, learning to collaborate on specific project, evaluating and developing work. The project also brings in other elements of the national curriculum such as Technology – in terms of materials and process and Science and Maths in terms of structures, geometry, scale etc.

The designs resulting from the workshops are computerised, laser profile cut and then industrially fabricated and finished and finally installed at the school. The pupils gain insight into this industrial process tracking the work throughout as it is produced by slide and video presentation.

All work is fabricated to a high standard, is durable in the outdoor environment and meets all health and safety standards.

The overall budget of the project depends largely on the scale and type of work produced. A project like this is not as expensive as you may think, however suggestions for possible additional funding include:

Sponsorship from local business – Firms like the idea of high profile visible public work.

For Public/Private funding suggestions visit:

http://creativelearningagency.org.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=22932&isa=Category&op=show

http://www.publicartonline.org.uk/practical/funding.html

Finally these workshops provide students with wonderful opportunity to meet a professional artist, that exhibits regularly and has work sited throughout the country and to gain insight into an artist’s career. The workshops allow them be fully involved in the design, and then follow their project through to completion.

The project gives students an immense sense of pride, seeing their resulting work installed on the school premises.

I very much enjoy working with young people, encouraging their creativity and sharing my experiences and skills as a professional artist. I’m experienced in working with children with learning and physical difficulties.

If you would like to discuss this opportunity further please contact Pete Moorhouse:

info@petemoorhouse.co.uk 0117-9084181 www.petemoorhouse.co.uk

Recommendation:

Ashley Down Junior School - Collaborative Art Installation with sculptor - Pete Moorhouse

I approached Pete Moorhouse during school year 2006-7 to ask if he would be interested in working on a school sculpture project with our Year 6 pupils. I knew Pete as a member of the local and school community – his child is a pupil at Ashley Down Infant School – and I had seen pictures of his work through the North Bristol Arts trail.

Pete took an immediate interest in the idea of producing an installation for the school but, more than that, he was extremely enthusiastic about working alongside the children - to follow their ideas, help them develop their thoughts and share his skills and expertise with them.

We organised a series of workshops when Pete came in and initially talked about his work and showed the children examples of the type of artwork he designs and produces. This led to the pupils putting forward thoughts and ideas for a piece of sculpture that would somehow reflect the ethos and feeling of the school in a very striking, simple and visual way. The key ideas of play and collaboration developed as the main inspiration for the work the children wanted to end up with. From beginning to end Pete worked with the children’s ideas - guiding and encouraging them, suggesting alternative ways of developing the plans and sketches – but he never took control away from the children. The pupils were enthused, motivated and inspired and the finished product is a stunning addition to the school environment and, judging by the praise and positive comment we have received from local people, something that enhances the local community as well.

We feel very proud of the work that the children did with Pete and believe that the pupils were able to share in something very special working alongside him. The process and the end product were both of the highest standard – a testament to the approach Pete takes in his work.

I would whole heartedly recommend Pete to work with groups of school children – he shows professionalism, humour, empathy, understanding, warmth and a commitment to producing high quality work alongside children.

If anyone would like to speak to me or other members of staff at the school about this work, or would like to come see the installation for themselves, please feel free to contact the school.

Laurence Pitt

Headteacher

Ashley Down Junior School

Tel: 0117 377 2637

Early Years

work with pre-school children

My approach to teaching is closely linked with that of the early years educational philosophy of Reggio Emilia. Many of these techniques can be applied throughout all age groups.

I take care to incorporate many ways of approaching art and explore various techniques to include many of the National Curriculum requirements for the particular age group.

The key points:

Reggio Emilia

Creativity is an essential foundation of learning

Emphasis is placed on the process of the children’s explorations

To co-explore the learning experience with the children and giving children some control over their learning direction

Actively listening to the children’s ideas –inquiry based learning

Children to be inspired by use of different materials and to utilise children’s natural creativity.

To encourage ideas, innovation and creative problem solving

To help children express their knowledge through representational work

Encouraging children to learn through experience

Longer projects – allowing opportunity to develop over time developing children’s ideas

Full documentation of the children’s learning is an important aspect and producing wall displays