Shire Oak: art and the environment
In early June, on a warm, balmy day, I went back to Shire Oak CE Primary to deliver two themed art sessions as part of their environment topic. Shire Oak is a one form entry, close knit school nestled amongst mature trees in the heart of Headingley, whose school motto really inspires the Energy Heroes team.
Session 1: Andy Goldsworthy
Using natural world sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy as a stimulus, Year 2 pupils spent a joyful morning outdoors in their school grounds selecting and assembling leaves, stones, sticks and other found objects, to create exciting designs.
Studying the concept of sustainable art through Goldsworthy’s processes, the children made careful choices with their materials, in order to have the least possible lasting impact on the environment around them.
Again inspired by Goldsworthy’s pieces, Year 2 explored the theme of contrasts; long and short, straight and curved, soft and hard, recording the results of their process with drawing and photography.
Session 2: The Great Wave
Later in the day, I worked with a mixed age group, looking at Katsushika Hokusai’s print The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, part of a large series of woodblock prints called Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Initially, we talked about what they could see in the image, including waves, water, spray, boats, the mountain and the people. We discussed what might cause a wave like this and described the difference between rogue waves and tsunamis, linking this to climate change and the increasing occurrence of unpredictable weather and natural disasters.
The children then recreated their idea of this image in different media. I asked them to consider contrasts such as large marks and small marks; the bigger image and the tiny details, like we saw in Hokusai’s work.
These examples display the large ‘swoosh’ of the wave and the small details of the spray.
Here, pupils have included the boats and the people.
This piece also explores the concept of contrasts between light and dark, as well as bright and sombre colours.
