Have a Hammer over Half Term

So, half term, a time for sitting back, reflecting, watching the rain drum against the window pane?  Excuse me!  I don’t think so, and nor do the participants in Art.Works half term fun packed arts sessions either I’ll have you know!

I’m pleased to announce last Monday saw the members of St Andrew’s Parish, Dearnly brave the weather and come crashing into the church corridors, quite literally!  Over 30 members took part in a mass mosaic making workshop.  While some may think the church is a place for quiet contemplation and solitude the parishioners made the walls reverberate with their laughter, their industrious tile cutting and constant tea and coffee supplying.  Where else could you find a sixty year old grandmother brandishing a hammer (and safety spectacles I might add) on one side of the room, and a teenage Grandchild dutifully brewing up on the other?

We had an amazing amount of fun, as young guided the old and old chastised the older in a bid to create one cracking mosaic.  We may not have finished the board quite yet, but I for one am looking forward to another session, safe in the knowledge that I’ll receive a delicious slice of homemade cake to keep the energetic activity, and enjoyable chitter chatter,  flowing.

And that’s not all!  Thursday saw the creation of over 25 hand printed bags and T shirts as Art.Works delivered a printing workshop for Woodland’s Primary Half term activity programme.  It didn’t take long for the inventive youngsters to scribble down their ideas to create some sensation prints.

From t shirts splashed with puppy dog paws to bags which flaunted oceanic scenes in the sea, children created a great diversity of designs that would make even the buyers of Topshop squirm with envy! 

So, all this, and drawing up the designs for six lectern silk paintings recently commission for Art.Works, half term may not be a holiday, but for Art.Works it’s always brimming with fun!

Starting the Year with a Bang!

And a crash, and a whollop! Yes, all those who are keen followers of the blog will know I’m talking about mosaic making, full steam ahead!

It’s been over a year in the planning, but thanks to the dogged determination of Friends of Littleborough station’s (FOLS) Stuart Carmichael, the biggest mosaic to date is making all the right  noises along the Calder Line.

Back in 2009 FOLS approached Art.Works to make a mosaic, brightening up the platform for Littleborough’s train travellers.  Together we approached various funding bodies, and thanks to Stuart’s persuasive persistence funding came through thanks to the Yorkshire bank, STEAM and the Pennines Township.  Then the fun could really begin.

During the Autumn term local schools and community groups scribbled down their Milltown memories, all hoping to be included in the mosaic’s final design.  From canal barges chugging along the Rochdale canal to Sladen mill, one of the final factories of LIttleborough.  From quaking ducks to the village’s viaduct arches, the budding artist were keen no local landmarks would be left on the slag heap.  And the result?  It’s chugging along nicely thank you very much.

During January pupils from Alice Ingham, Holy Trinity and St Andrew’s Primary Schools have crashed and smashed tiles, they’ve meticulously fitted them together again to create a beautiful platform picture.  Their carefully produced masterpiece is guaranteed to  cheer any  bleary eyed Monday morning commuters.
But it’s not over yet!  

Art.Works is pleased to be running the final mosaic making session over half term with people just like you!  Art.Works and FOLS want locals to come together and make their mark.  

We will be running a community mosaic making session on Monday 21st February from 10am at St Andrew’s Church Hall,. Arm Road, Dearnley OL15 8NJ.  So why not come along to set your tile, make sure that next time the train’s delayed you’ll be proudly standing on the platform admiring your perfect picture.

For more information about the mosaic making session on Monday  21st February contact Cat Jessop: art.works.coop@gmail.com

Mobile: 07816168981

Festive Felting Fun.

Stuck for a last minute Christmas gift for creative kids? Always fancied felting but not managed to attend one of our workshops? Never fear, Art.Works is here. Like a little Christmas elf swaddled in a woolly jumper and tinsel (and that’s just to keep out the cold!) I’ve been busy creating the perfect crafting kits for creative kids and adults alike.

Art.Works’ ‘Funky Felt Making Kits’ are a great introduction to felting and inspire an imaginative afternoon willed with fabric, soap suds and more giggles than the jokes in your crimbo cracker (guaranteed!).
Felting is an ecological art form, mixing fibres to form shapes and pictures. It’s a hands on process which, with a little elbow grease, compresses material together, transforming a wool fibre into a trendy fashion accessory.
Each kit contains a full colour step by step instruction booklet and all the resources needed to make a beautiful button broach. All you need to provide is a mat, a flat surface and a twinkle of energy.

Kits cost just £10 (plus postage and packaging) each and are available to mail order. To make sure you receive your ‘Funky Felt Making Kit’ before Christmas place your order by Friday 19th December. Just drop me a line either via email: art.works.coop@gmail.com or phone: Cat Jessop: 07816168981 and I’ll wrap up your kit with a dusting of festive cheer, chuffed with the knowledge that someone somewhere will be making a masterpiece this Christmas.

Alternatively kits are available to buy from the following stockists:

Gallery Ten, Rochdale
Pumpkins Interiors, Littleborough
The Crooked House, Littleborough
Touchstones Arts and Heritage Gallery, Rochdale

Unleash Your Inner Child

Recently I’ve had many questions regarding my illustration; do you sell your
pictures? (Oh, yes!) Do you do commissions? (Oh yes!) Is the picture of the
monster actually a self portrait! (hell, no!).

So in a change to the regular blog format, charting what Art.Works has been
up to over the last couple of weeks (running family fun days, continuing the
residency and securing funding for a new mosaic project since you ask) I
thought I’d give you a couple of illustrations to print off and enjoy.

Now remember, colouring ain’t no child’s play, it takes a keen eye and diligent
mind to keep the colour chart flowing. Go on, I dare you, drag out the rusty tin
of crayons that’s gathering dust on the book shelf or swirl some primary colours
across an old plate. Mix and match media; paint, cut, crayon and create!

The nights have well and truly drawn in, so there’s every reason to add a little
colour to these dismal grey days. Send a picture of your finished masterpieces
into Art.Works, either via email: art.works.coop@gmail.com or post them up on
the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/artworks and if you’re incredibly
imaginative I bet you could colour in front of X Factor...

Mummies and Pharohs

Family Tree Pictures

Scary Monster

Cameras Capture Co-operative Art

It seems a rose tinted memory now, picture the sense, June,  a balmy day blows blossom onto the bustling streets of Rochdale.  An animated crowd gather in eager anticipation, then wham, bam, yes you can!  The people of Rochdale come together to create an amazing piece of public art to celebrate Co-operatives Fortnight.

Those of you who regularly follow the blog you may remember reading about this exciting event back in June, you may have even picked up a pastel and taken part yourself, but to those of you who missed out on this fun filled afternoon don’t panic!  I can now exclusively show the film (created by Peace Effects Media) made to celebrate the co-operative collection of participators who took part in the event.

So dim your light, grab your pop-corn and share in our Co-operaitve Fortnight event by watching 60 seconds of show stopping art creation.  Enjoy!

*HUGE thanks go to Peace Effects Media for creating the film and the pupils and staff at Alice Ingham Primary School for giving permission for the film to be used on the blog.

Kentmere Kids Prove a Challenge to the Roman Masters

We all know those Romans were a productive lot, while the Celts were busy applying the mud and manure to their out houses the Romans were busy creating geometric stone walls, taking part in vigorous army training and creating marvellous mosaics.  

But, in truth, were their designs as animated and colourful as the kids’ from Kentmere?  I think not!

Because this week, inspired by the lifestyles of their industrious iron age forefathers, Kentmere pupils slaved over four fantastic Roman mosaics.  The masterpieces will be displayed in their new school building, due to open in January 2011.

After an animated assembly introducing the topic, I received over 50 entries from the creative key stage two, each depicting elements of Roman life.  From shiny sword and shields to fruit bowls filled with ripening fruit, the pupils designed picture representing their understanding of Roman life.  Many of their designs were then transferred onto four huge mosaic boards key stage two all helped transform into colourful caricatures from the past.

It took a whole week of smashing, crashing and creating, but by Friday the hard work had finally paid off as the children put the finishing touches to their magnificent mosaics.  Never have I had the pleasure to work with such animated, enthusiastic pupils and I’m looking forward to putting the grout between the lines to unveil their amazing Art.Works.

And good news!  I’m chuffed to bits to be back at Kentmere very soon indeed.  I start my ‘artist in residency ‘in October and can’t wait to get imagining and  inventing once again to create some sumptuous designs with the pupils to make their new school sparkle.

Interested in having your very own artist in residence?  Or creating a mosaic with your group?  Just drop me a line to find out more.

Falinge Comes Alive with Art

Ever used the phrase ‘come up against a brick wall’ and felt frustrated, fruitlessly lacking inspiration? Not the people of Falinge!  They saw their brick wall as a creative opportunity, quite literally!
So I was pleased as punch when they invited Art.Works to come on board and make their creative ideas a reality.

Over the summer months Lower Falinge Housing Estate has been awash with poster paints, sticky palettes and plywood as six community groups from the estate got to work transforming a dull brick wall into an animated artistic space.

Over the course of eight weeks each group designed and painted three gigantic murals to represent their groups’ ethos.  From scurrying rabbits on a veg patch to a football match on an urban kick-pitch each group created amazingly unique art works which positively gleam in the late summer sun.

So, what kind of funky designs did each group come up with?  In no particular order:
L play: a comic strip illustrating a monster on the run from the mischievous kids, look out behind you!

Women’s Group: inspired by the paintings of Beryl Cook, a beautiful painting of their group enjoying a arts session on the estate, also featuring Percy the Cat!

Boy’s Group: an amazing mix media mural featuring football photos, speeding cars and towering skyscrapers

Girl’s Group: stimulated by Andy Warhol a photo-montage of their beautiful faces block printed and painted so brightly they make Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe look comparably dowdy!

Gardening Group: an animated illustration of their allotment including squirrels, foxes and even chickens! So meticulously painted it could have come straight out of a children’s picture book!

Young Wardens: all the kids of the world celebrate! The young warden’s design commemorates the vitality different cultures bring to Lower Falinge Estate.

Thursday 26th August 2010 saw the launch of the murals, now perfectly placed on Cartmel, Lower Falinge.  The launch was attended by each group along with their friends and family.  There were many ‘oohs’ even more ‘wows’ and lots of looks of amazement as the artists showed off their talented display of work.

The afternoon was brought to life with the Dancing Group’s performance along with face painting, henna painting, a bouncy castle and scrummy cakes.  A fantastic finale to a fabulous project on Falinge.
If you’re passing through Rochdale so make sure you check out the group’s work: Cartmel, Lower Falinge, OL12 6RQ