Story of Place

> What are the ideas behind the ‘Story of Place’ exhibition?

Helix Arts asked me to help students to share and gather stories about the pandemic. Our partner schools were keen for their students to experience using clay. Clay is fun to work with and for centuries has been used to record events, myths and stories. I had lots of ideas to get the conversation going using everyday things like pieces of jewellery or ornaments. After talking to Ruth from Western Primary, I began thinking about plates. Plates can symbolise time spent together talking over a meal sharing the day’s news. Also, decorative plates are often used as ways to commemorate important events. I also wanted the students to create a sculptural figure thinking about their COVID hero, the person most special to them throughout this time.

> How did your vision for ‘Story of Place’ change over the course of Story of Place?

With all artistic processes, you have a vision in mind, but often the final outcome ends up quite different from what you initially imagined. For example, the drawing work, which was the starting point for the project in each school, was so interesting, that I knew it should be included in the show as well as examples of the 3D work. Also, the amount and type of objects made by the students varied. It was important to adapt the processes and ideas to the needs and interests of the students as the project went on.

> Why is letting children take the lead so important?

A lot of the work for ‘Story of Place’ was process led. It is not necessarily about a polished final outcome. Child-led work is one of the main ways to build creativity in the classroom, but it is not always the easiest thing with external pressures. If we want children to be creative and share their experiences, then we have to appreciate and value their ideas. It’s important for us as adults to facilitate rather than dictate. We need to listen and be as flexible and responsive as we can.

>What did you think of the pandemic as a starting point for the exhibition?

It was an interesting brief. ‘Story of Place’ gives us a snapshot of the children’s feelings on the pandemic. Some of their experiences were difficult, but what also came through were stories of fun, sunshine and connection. The whole process really demonstrated to me the children’s resilience and adaptability. Though the children were able to communicate their unique experiences, there is a definite sense of the shared nature of the pandemic.

> Can you share your thoughts on talking and making?

In this project the emphasis was really upon the telling and sharing of stories and the artwork was the way in which these important conversations were enabled. Something profound happens when using creative processes that seems to allow people to open up and express themselves verbally. In particular the group and paired activities gave the students a chance to discover common ground as well as voice their own experiences. The sound of the children working together and enjoying the variety of materials was lovely.

> It struck us how willing the children were to collaborate, share and compromise…

Some children were very clear ‘this is my half’ when doing their paired work, but the majority readily found common ground. Some worked extremely collaboratively. Their pieces of artwork were made through conversation. They thought about the whole thing together, planning the whole the design. It helped that they knew it was going into the exhibition. Suddenly it was not about ‘ownership’ and taking it home! The children realised that the work could be a shared community piece.

> Is there anything you think exhibition visitors should be mindful of or are you happy for them to explore and find their own meaning?

I’d like visitors to just explore and enjoy. I’m happy for people to take what they find and interpret it in their own way, but there are elements which perhaps require a little explanation to understand. The symbolic abstract work has some profound qualities. Simple abstract shapes and lines (e.g. in the drawings) tell stories of journeys and places. The movement of marks and lines has been purposeful, deliberately made to indicate the difference in freedoms before and during lockdown. The children really took pleasure in the making all of the different elements in the work, and I hope that comes across to the visitors.

> What do you think about how we can avoid letting our expectations or assumptions potentially limit children and young people?

Creativity is a set of habits, it’s for everyone. We are all born artists, but too often we are not given the scope to explore and develop creative skills, and those innate abilities are limited or lost. Throughout my career I have worked with young people, both as an art teacher and a visual artist, and I have seen first-hand the tremendous capacity that students have to create. As we raise the profile of creativity, with projects like ‘Story of Place,’ we encourage more people to appreciate children’s artwork and what they are capable of achieving.

 > What new habit would you encourage everyone to embrace to feed their creativity?

Play! Experiment with anything you have to hand! A piece of paper can become a sculpture. Paint with coffee and a cotton tip. You can draw on a steamed-up window. Art doesn’t have to be expensive or exclusive. Value process over product and don’t be afraid to make a mess – it doesn’t matter what is looks like as long as you enjoyed doing it! Value creative play, experimentation and getting hands-on with lots of different materials.