Creative ID: 217
Otago.
My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)
My art practice has evolved over many years. Initially I have trained as a visual artist and costume designer and have gone on to work for and enter successful submissions to Wearable Arts as well as costuming for theatre shows and commissions in Wellington. I have painted numerous large-scale murals for a city council and Chorus. I graduated with a BA in Art and Design in 2017 working that year on installations and learning woodworking techniques to add to my skill base. My personal work is in pyrography and painting primarily and I have had many successful exhibitions. I have always enjoyed teaching art to children and have run community workshops and my own business doing this. I use my multi-disciplinary skills to help them achieve their goals and use their natural creative imaginations and problem solving. I am now working as a Teacher Aide and hope to extend my practice toward more inclusive arts as a therapeutic learning tool.
My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with
As outlined above.
Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes
I have always enjoyed teaching art to children and have run community workshops and my own business doing this. I use my multi-disciplinary skills to help them achieve their goals and use their natural creative imaginations and problem solving. I have worked with children as young as 4 and 5 up to 12-year-olds. I am now working as a Teacher Aide and hope to extend my practice toward more inclusive arts as a therapeutic learning tool.
Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice
I am interested in a project that spanning a term would provide students with a better understanding of their own and others' cultures using visual language, specifically their national dress/historic costume. I propose a Wearable Art programme, inclusive of all students, new entrant, middle, and senior students to research, design, and make a whole or part of a garment that uniquely represents their specific cultural heritage or beliefs. At the end of this project there would be a choreographed parade or class performance and 'Culture Day' to incorporate the wider community (parents, teachers, caregivers) to act as audience. Students' families could be encouraged to come and talk to classes about their specific cultural dress and perhaps provide a dish specific to their culture to share as part of a potluck lunch. Materials for the art would be inexpensive, sticking to recycled and re-purposed general found materials such as cardboard, wire, polystyrene, foam, papier maché, glue, paint, second-hand clothing and fabric, etc. I feel this project can only have positive outcomes for the students as well as enabling myself as practitioner and teacher to reach a broader level of inclusion, making myself available to teach all children regardless of skill or privilege.