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Creative ID: 369

Art form(s): Community arts, Crafts/objects, Interarts, Multi-disciplinary, Visual arts
Language(s): English
Based in: Wellington
Where I'm available:
Wellington, Whanganui – Manawatu
I can easily access suburbs from Porirua (Wellington) to Otaki (Horowhenua).
When I'm available: I am flexible in my availability during the week or time of year, as long as I have enough notice. Each term I am setting my own schedule of art classes as part of my business, Creative Kid’s Art Lab. I can easily reduce my Art Lab commitments to prioritise time for the school project. I’d like to facilitate one or two school art projects a year.

My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)

My personal art practice has focused on sculpture, print-making, textile arts, black and white photography. I worked in different mediums depending on the project. Over the last 16 years my practice and career has been greatly influenced by my work with children and training to be a primary school teacher. This included four years as a full-time art teacher with 300-425 students a week coming through my art room. This was a highlight for me. Working on such a large scale I coordinated an art assistant and a team of parent helpers to deliver high-quality art classes. Now my art practice is integrated into my teaching practice and grows out of the needs of the students. In terms of your school project, I will adapt the art medium to suit the needs of the children and the project. My favourite areas to work in are ceramics, print-making, using natural materials and recycled / found objects, and mixed media. I weave in art skills, principles and concepts and an understanding of the creative process.

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

I remember a curator saying at my first shared exhibition that my work warranted its own solo exhibition. I’m not sure if he was referring to the quality or the scale of the work! From 2005-2008 I taught primary school art classes growing them from one class after school to six a week, while working part-time in several art galleries. During this time the largest group I taught was a YMCA group of 50 children in a large school hall, doing print-making with found objects. We had a wonderful session on trestle tables. Of course, behind the scenes, a lot of preparation work went in so that it was a smooth process with the students moving from station to station.

Previously, I completed the Graduate Diploma in Teaching & Learning in Christchurch. Not long after, I began work as a co-teacher overseas, at a progressive private international primary school focusing on PYP inquiry as part of the International Baccalaureate curriculum. I taught for three years, New Zealand Year 1 and 5. Facilitating inquiry learning with 5-years old and then 9-year olds, was a big highlight. I was fortunate to be co-teaching and learning from a very experienced teacher. I was then fortunate to be appointed art teacher for lower primary at what is considered to be in the top three private international schools in Shanghai (China’s most modern city). The school was well resourced (e.g. my classroom had its own large kiln). Teachers were from New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom and South Africa. Another art teacher and I developed the art curriculum, combining the Ontario and UK curriculum. This position was a major career highlight - teaching primary school art, full-time. I worked very hard and loved it. I taught 14-17 classes a week, with an intense timetable that involved a change in year- groups every class. I learnt very quickly to put planning first, and also invest considerable time into preparing resources that were age-appropriate and allow for quick transitions.

I ran an after-school art club for all ages. One of our memorable projects was acquiring old violins and each child designed how that would decorate them. I then supported the students with different enamel and acrylic painting techniques, including marbling. I have online photo albums of the students and volunteers, at work in the classroom and on specific projects. These are available on request only, due to privacy concerns.

Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes

I have described my school experience with children above. My experience spans several decades. I started working in ECE in the 80s and supervising after school programmes a few years later, and then developed programs for the OSCAR Network. I also have two adult sons. When I am working with students, I tune into their skills to create projects that are developmentally appropriate, and with topics that match their interests. This can vary from class to class, within the same year group.

I like to bring an inquiry context to our projects, for example, ‘Where does clay come from?’, as well as give them opportunities for skills practice that they would not normally have at school or at home. I have the flexibility to work in a way that matches the needs of your school. At my overseas school we developed an integrated curriculum with the kindergarten years. I would work with the home classroom teachers to create classes that matched the themes evolving the children. In my drawing and painting class this year we are following a curriculum developing a basic understanding of line, form, shape, colour and texture. Whereas in other classes this year, like clay sculpture, the children follow their own creative process, while I support them with the skills required.

Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice

I do miss working in a school environment. I would love to have a project that teaches art at school, and connects to the topics and projects that are evolving in the classroom. In a real sense, I can’t link this to my creative practice; it is my creative practice.

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