Folding Diamonds with Students
Exploring artist’s technique to make a modular design based on Buckminster Fuller’s Geodesic Dome – A recycling Project using School waste printed paper and exploring geometry and the qualities, properties and behaviours of paper in folding and joining.
Here is a presentation commissioned by The Design and Craft Council of Ireland for their online resources. It serves as an introduction to my artist practice, designed to elicit responses from young people in school settings:
CRAFTed RESIDENCIES
I have delivered programmes with CRAFTed (a programme sponsored by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland) in Primary schools since 2013. The projects are co-created with teacher and students and take place over 5 sessions. There is an initial germ of an idea discussed in planning sessions with artist & teacher, we talk about methods and materials and current class interests. We begin with an initial site visit and drawing research. We reflect on the day’s session together and discuss where to take it next. Students make notebooks where they record their ideas and findings. The time in between sessions is vital for research and development, reflection happens at every stage and the programme develops according to findings along the way. Work is student led and based on an ethos of discovery.
GURRANEASIG FOREST SCHOOL CRAFTed 2020
We spent time together in the woods looking at the trees, undergrowth and forest floor, we made mini installations on site with things we found. We foraged and found interesting objects to bring back to the classroom to draw. We looked at Ogham writing and the Celtic Tree Calendar, we recreated our names in the woods using twigs and other natural materials. We made ink from oak galls and Autumn fruits. We listened to songs about nature and drew what we heard. We made Clay talismans and ritual vessels using icons based on our celtic tree.
CASTLEDONOVAN WONDER PROJECT CRAFTed 2019
We explored ideas from our class reader Wonder. We drew a character that was a misfit in some way, we made a map of where we live. We gathered bits of old rusty metal from around our homes, we picked leaves and flowers nearby the school, we used tie dye and eco dying to recreate the landscape in fabric, we made some beautiful prints and patterns. As we handled materials we developed a story around our character. We made a set for our character using our fabrics and maps and we made some animations.
CANOVEE BIRD WHISTLE PROJECT CRAFTed 2018
Canovee Birds 2018 – 5th and 6th class Bird whistle Project – Students noticed and researched local birds, asked questions found answers made colour palettes, explored texture and pattern kept findings in sketchbooks. Modelled birdforms and completed engineering task to make bird whistle. Glazed pots referring to sketchbooks Birds were shown in The Hunt Museum
DERRINACAHERA FLAG PROJECT CRAFTed 2017 to celebrate awarding of Yellow Flag for Diversity
Batik and Tie Dye based on European Countries National Flowers for inspiration and abstracting from botanical form to create designs. 3rd and 4the Classes
DESIGN CIRCLE 2021 Work with Teachers on The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Continuing Professional Development and Mentoring for Art Teachers in the Junior Cycle of Secondary Education
Virtually There Projects with Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership
