PS

Just one final note though, I would like to say a really special thanks to our lovely young art teacher Sharon Turner. Her support, humour and unflinching co-operation since she arrived in December has been truly great. Thanks Sharon:)

We are now preparing a lottery funding application so that the after school art studio, so popular with the pupils, might be able to continue.

So..............as they say.......................watch this space.

bye
:)

Finale?

Well, it's come to the end of all the excitement, preparation, installing, sore backs, last minute panics. All well worth it!
I can't tell you how proud I am of their achievements. Sometimes, we have negative expectations of young people. But surely this artwork, evidence of so much effort and talent, should be applauded by the whole community. They've created their world for us to enjoy and share and that's what's it's all about. Isin't it?

Can I now get to the embarrassing part and say thank you to some people?

Major thanks to Isabel, for her continuing support of the project :)
our new HT, for his support too as well as all his staff.
Our funders; The Eden Trust, South Ayrshire Council, Carrick Academy, Phillip Reilly, Centre for Advanced Textiles, GSA, Caroline :) but most of all I want to thank you, the pupils. It's been a bumpy ride at times but we weathered it rather nicely don't you think?
Hope I haven't forgotten anyone?

Old hands like me think we know it all, well, we don't. I've learned a lot and I have these kids to thank for that.

I'll miss you all.

Good luck :)

Alison

More images from today, as you see , the exhibition is in our art studio. This is where a great deal of the work was created. Nice space to work in, very good light. I enjoy sunlight and this has lots!
We've had several visitors already; grannies, mums with toddlers, my rent a crowd :) our cultural co-ordinator, janitors, cleaning ladies, teachers, the lovely ladies from the office :) and our SMT as well.
Some S3 boys are making a video of the exhibition, interviewing pupils and yours truly. I don't know how, but they intend to upload it onto our blog. Should look great! Hope they got my good side though :(

images

exhibition

It's a pity I'm not a better photographer.............it looks wonderful! I think all will be suitably impressed on entering this room full of youthful creative energy!
Here are some views, hopefully I'll get better at taking pictures soon!

finished :)

The exhibition is up and looks great. You should all be very proud of what you've acheived!
It's open as from tomorrow, Tues - Fri 10am - 4pm

I'll be uploading images from it tomorrow so watch this space.

Special thanks to all of you who helped out today as I became increasingly demented and grumpy :)

preparing for the exhibition next week

The art studio is rather chaotic just now as the work is made ready for our exhibition. Last minute touches, tidying up and hopefully lots of impressed visitors to the art studio.

ideas

As the work develops, it's good to see what tomorrow's designers are up to today.
Here's one of them worth watching.

day out

As part of this residency, I've been working with some S1 pupils. I'd promised them a day at Rozelle..............here it is! Lunch was good too :)

Almost there

I just wanted to say hi to our followers out there..............thanks!
It's good to know the world is watching, helps to make it all worthwhile. Makes me check my spelling more often too.

This blog is not about me at all, but I would like to comment on how much I have enjoyed this past year. I came to it with certain preconceptions, linked to experience I guess. Yet now I look at at all with fresh eyes. You're never too old to learn it seems and I have my young friends at Carrick to thank for that :) I've enjoyed their company and relished their enthusiasm. I'll miss them when I go. But their artwork remains!

The OPEN ART STUDIO EXHIBITION is during the last week of term, Tues 23 - Fri 26 June. Do come along anytime then if you've time. It's open during the school day. We thought that rather than have a formal opening, we'd just go with the ethos of the studio itself and just be open for all to enjoy. The whole school is invited to come along during Tues 23 lunchtime as well, janitors, cleaners, teachers, pupils.............all of you!
If you can't make it then get in touch and we'll try to arrange a special view for you :)

vibrancy and variety

There is a range of talent here, from wild, textural abstract painting to fine detail, all expressing aspects of personality and taste. Individuality and creativity go hand in hand.

It's all about curiosity and creative play, isin't it.

new timetable day June 8th

New timetable day today :)

The new S3 art & design kids were together fro the first time in the department this morning. I brought them up to speed with the exhibition plans and what work still needs to be finished. Thankfully, they all seem enthusiastic. The art studio after school is a real success, where self motivation is the key. This is worth maintaining as it has its own momentum now. Let's see what comes...............................................

the 5 digital panels

These are the 5 panels. Printed using a wide format digital printer at the Centre for Advanced Textiles, Glasgow School of Art, they embody all that we've been trying to achieve: colour, impact, vitality, heritage and youth. Quite large too, approx 4ft x 3ft they'll be displayed throughout the school itself after the exhibition. The beauty of these is that they are so portable and easy to install in wherever seems to be the most approprita spot.

june 3 in art studio after school

The kids' own culture is shining through in all their work, strong influences of music and colourful imagery.
Here is something a little different................one of our stars created a lovely felted piece then scanned it into PhotoShop. Wonder what he'll do with it now?

new work this week

The after school art studio is going well. Here's some of the resulting artwork.

19th May interesting day

Yesterday I had a really interesting day.

The Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT) at the Glasgow School of Art have printed out our 5 very large panels.................they look fab! At the moment they are lying out on my studio floor in all their glorious colour. I'm taking them into school today to show the kids! Then they go off for lining and finishing.............ready to install in the school.

And................I met the printer who can do our commissioned wall panel for outside the school.
Similar technology to that of CAT, but obviously not on fabric! It's on aluminium composite. His turnround time is good too. It's all go in the art studio.

All we need to do now is get designing :)

13 May request

Today, the new Head Teacher at Carrick, Mr Webster, asked me if we could create something vibrant for the entrance to the school. It's currently rather uninteresting...............plain brick :(

An exciting challenge! Let's see what we can do to jazz up this dull area. It will be a real design brief, with real clients.............................the school itself.

I'm now researching possible companies who might print our final design, so keep watching.

Remember, next Wed is an in-service day but I'll be in school from 2pm onwards so S2 folk, come along to the art studio if you like.

Alison

our follower

The follower we have on our blog is a BA student I met while in North Uist, installing my exhibition at Taigh Chearsabhagh. I gave an artist's talk, some of the students came along. We met up the next day for soup and talk. They made me feel very welcome.

Our follower is developing her own online project. Have a look at this site and see if it appeals, as a project you might follow yourself. For fun, for creative play, for whatever reason.

Had I more hours in a day and not need sleep, I might do it too :)

http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/

happy photos..........................................................

more

moving forwards

The Residency will be finished soon, sadly. It's been an interesting year for all concerned.
I'm working with new pupils now where we're doing hands-on artwork, creating exciting textures and surfaces which we'll scan into PhotoShop. These will be worked on using digital tools, printed onto cotton, then enhanced with mixed media. The plan is to have our exhibition in late June! The after school art studio is going strong.............the room is almost full. Can't be bad!
Here are the pimages which I've prepared of the pupils artwork so far. These are being printed by the Centre for Advanced Textiles at the Glasgow School of Art. The use a wide format digital printer..................printing straight onto cotton. (Bit more expensive than my A4 printer.) The results will be wonderful. Final size of each image will be approx. 48ins long.

new directions

We have an art studio running every Wed after school. Today we did blockprinting, experimenting to see what is possible, how colours react, surprises. Adigraf is so user friendly, soft yet strong enough to withstand pressure.

The kids have to be patient as good ideas don't come right away, but they do try! See the results!

I now have a dedicated art studio within the school, where I'm putting up colourful work, some of it even by me.
There's an after school session every Wednesday, for those who are keen. Cool materials to create with.
Staff can come along too :)

red nose day

those turquoise cars keep popping up!

more images in March

The S2 classes are really getting to grips with this now, some interesting images evolving.

new work from S2