Shotton Community Centre, Art Project

 

Shotton Community Centre, Art Project - Mixed Media Mosaic Mural - The Green Room

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

This is the last blog post for 'Enriching Life With Creative Expression' for 2012!!

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as much as i have writing it. I look forward to the opportunities, developments and creativity in 2013!

Have a lovely CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2013!!

Manchester Art Gallery - Paper at the Cutting Edge Exhibition

This week i had the opportunity of viewing the 'Paper at the Cutting Edge Exhibition' at Manchester Art Gallery. It was extraudinary and it blew me away!

The gallery space was full of intricate paper sculptures exploring space, colour, shape and form. As soon as you realise what the pieces are made of, you automatically feel  a sense of awe and amazement. (One piece is made from an old Burger King wrapper - and it becomes some beautful flowers).

If you are visiting Manchester GO AND SEE THIS EXHIBITION!

iPad engAGE

iPad engAGE at Kirkley Lodge Residential Care Home has being unbelievable! Not only do the residents engage with the iPads - they ask for it during the week and the staff are aware of its success!!

This week sees the last four workshops of Kirkley Lodge Residential Care Home - with the exhibition catalogues on Friday. Over the next few weeks, Newsletter Three will be ready to view and read alongside all of the evaluations made upto date.

For more information on the iPad engAGE project follow this link:
www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com

Ageing Creatively Project...

Last week saw the end of the Ageing Creatively Project as part of Newcastle University. It has been a journey for many of the participants and due to this we will be extending the workshops some more into the New Year.

Watch this space for Ageing Creatively in the New Year!

Completion of Consett Open Studio..

After a fun filled packed three months at the Consett Open Studio it came to an end last week with plenty of Christmas Crafts and Festivities!

Christmas Crafts have included Wreaths, Candles, Decorations and Origami Trees and Stars.

What a fantastic Group! I hope to work with them again in the New Year!

iPad Intergenerational Project...

As part of iPad engAGE i decided to develop a set of workshops for both young and older peoples groups. The groups that participated in the Intergenerational Project included Roseberry Primary School and Carers Together in Redcar in which we were inspired by World War Two.

The workshops consisted of seperate focus groups and then concluded in a workshop which brought both groups together to watch the films they developed based around the curriculum theme of WW2.

Through evaluative feedback - both groups thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted to develop it more in the New Year. The Young (Year 5) students learnt alot due to it been 'live' and 'real' with the options to ask plenty of questions if had a querie. On the other end - the Older group enjoyed sharing their knowledge, stories and childhoods and being round the younger people provided a new enriching energy.

If you would like to view the two films that were developed on the iPads - iMovie App, feel free to get in touch at: claireford88@hotmail.com

Shotton Community Centre, Art Project

I was commissioned by Durham Council to work collaboratively with the young people at Shotton Community Centre on an Art Piece. The aim of the Art Piece was to work with the theme of 'Green' and brighten up one of the rooms in a local conference suite.

The Workshops consisted of exploring various print techniques to designing and developing the final piece - which ended up being a mixed media, mosaic mural.

It was a great opportunity to work with the young people with them leading all the stages of creativity. This meant at the end, they felt a sense of pride.

I hope to work alongside Shotton Community Centre in the New Year - so keep posted!

Photographs of the final Art Piece will be uploaded shortly - so watch this space!

iPad engAGE Developments!

iPad engAGE Newsletter Two is now available to read at:
www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com
Or you may suggest one through PDF to:
claireford88@hotmail.com


iPad engAGE is now running at Kirkley Lodge Residential Care Home right upto Christmas!
All the groups i have worked with through iPad engAGE have been absolutely fantastic and i am learning and developing by the second!

A BIG THANKS to all those who have / or are involved!

For updates and news on the project go to:
www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com

LWDP - iPad Training

This Monday was the first of the iPad Training days to take place at LWDP in Preston.

The delegates appeared to enjoy the day - so i hope they are now inspired to develop current projects or implement creativity into their care organisations using iPads.

I look forward to delivering the next iPad training day in January 2013..

iPad Intergenerational Project...

I have always had an interest in Intergenerational Work therefore i thought this would be an ideal time to set up a pilot project to see what happens, especially when the relationships with the school and older peoples group were already there!

Roseberry Primary School suggested working with the theme of 'World War Two' to fit in with the current curriculum in which the Carers Together group responded fantastically to!

Through the use of iPad's iMovie, Year 5 children developed various role play snippets of questions they would like answered to help them with their topic - World War Two. And in response the Carers Together group responded through iMovie.

The final film has been edited and put together using all discussions, role plays and creations to share and engage these two communities.

The Film showing will take place on Tuesday the 4th of Decemeber...

If you would like to see this Intergenerational Film brought to you by two fantastic groups, feel free to get in touch at: claireford88@hotmail.com

Ageing Creatively, Newcastle University Research Project...

It has been very interesting to work on a Research Project funded by Newcastle University - named 'Ageing Creatively'...not only to work alongside researchers but to delve into the world of participants who want to help with research!

It has really made me question 'Age' in general and our abilities as we grow older. This project has been fantastic to compare and contrast with my other work and the way i facilitate activity to other older people groups - does my way of facilitation change depending on their actual age?

Shotton Youth Art Project...

I was briefed by Durham Council to facilitate an Art Project which aims to develop a Final Art Work for an office space in Peterlee to make it young person friendly.

As part of the mentoring scheme at Shotton Youth Art Project i have been working collaboratively with a group of young and older children to develop a mosaic style, mixed medium image working on paper. Each stage has been very exciting and next week we hope to complete it! Keep Posted for Photographs of the final piece...

Colour Your Life Open Studio, Consett!

I have been facilitating various creative techniques and activities at the Colour Your Life Studio in Consett for a few months now...but with only TWO workshops left before Christmas!

Recent Workshops have included Candle Making, Origami Development and Decoration Building, Casting with mixed medium and Life Drawing.....
Keep Posted for Wreath Making and Christmas Decorating Photographs in the next couple of weeks!

House of Commons Dinner on behalf of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust..

A couple of weeks ago i had the pleasure of sitting on the top table at The House of Commons on behalf of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust!
It was a truly surreal experience, especially as i had Winston Churchills family next to me and the Queens private secretary of 22 years!
I will be writing up an extract on my experiences of the top table for the East Pennine Committee over the next couple of weeks, so feel free to get in touch if you fancy a read!

Rural Arts Night Course!

During January to May 2013 i will be facilitating iPad Creative Training on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 until 9:30pm!
The iPad Creative Workshops will include iPad Visual Arts, iPad Film and Animation, iPad Music Composition and many more...or if you would prefer - an iPad Basics workshop to get that new iPad set up that you received for Christmas!

If you would like to book on one or more of the workshops, follow this link:
http://www.ruralarts.org/?product_categories=digital-courses

Gallery Oldham's Big Draw!

I was employed to facilitate a Big Draw activity at Gallery Oldham this year and decided to go down the route of iPads.....but accomodating for young people instead of older people. This way i could develop my understanding of what was do-able and accessible in galleries too.

Using an app called 'Sounthingie' and inspired by the Kathleen Major exhibition, 10 iPads were used to create not only drawings but music compositions too. It was a big hit with 70 visitors taking part for various amounts of time!

As a way of sharing and viewing other visitors drawings and music compositions i was also commissioned to set up a blog that can be viewed on the internet by everyone who participated, you can view this at:
www.linetolife.blogspot.com

We hope to sustain this way of working at Gallery Oldham and over the next few months will look at the best ways of doing so. Keep Posted to see what happens...

Storybox Conference, Manchester

I was invited to speak at the Storybox Conference which took place in Manchester on the 23rd of October..which brought together all types of Art and Health workers in a type of symposium.

I felt very honoured to share my thoughts and ideas around the Storybox project, especially as it has been a huge changing point in my practice. It was also great to see so many familiar faces of staff and participants who engaged in the project with us.

I can't wait to see what happens in the next few settings - Storybox never fails to suprise me!

iPad engAGE Blog UPDATED!!

Stage Two of the iPad engAGE project is well underway, with it concluding in the recap / exhibition at the end of this week.

Working with members at Kirkley Lodge Day Centre has been very interesting and i have learnt alot around approach and apps dependent on stages of Dementia.
All of this information will be accessible in the Newsletter Two - which will be available to view by the 16th of November. If you would like a copy, feel free to get in touch at:
claireford88@hotmail.com

Why not take a peak at the iPad engAGE specific blog and see what has been going on in Kirkley Lodge Day Centre?!

Follow the link: www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com

Ageing Creatively Research Project - Well underway!!

The Ageing Creatively Research Project run by Newcastle University at the Hatton Gallery in now well underway...

The focus is on 'Older People', classed as 55 and above...in which i facilitate 'Art Appreciation' workshops based around the Hattons Exhibitions and Collections.

It is really interesting to design sessions that really push individual boundaries of the possibilities of exploration and i feel that over time they have become more open to activity and what 'Art Appreciation' is.

Newcastle University are researching through multiple art forms including Art Making, Music, Creative Writing and Theatre to see which is the most beneficial to Older People - thinking about overall Health and Well-being.

KEEP POSTED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE PROJECT AND THE RESEARCH RESULTS!

Parachute Jump and Great North Run COMPLETED!

 

With huge amounts of adrenaline i completed both a Parachute Jump from 13,000 feet and the Great North Run at 13 miles for the Alzheimer's Society - raising a total of = £842!

A BIG THANKS to everyone who sponsored and supported me!
Bring on next year when i hope to tackle the Three Peaks Challenge for the Alzheimer's Society...

TWAM Project...

The Equal Arts sponsered Tyne and Wear Art Galleries project has now finished!

We have worked in four different locations including:
Stephenson Railway Museum
The South Sheilds Museum
The Shipley Art Gallery
The Laing Art Gallery

It has been very successful - with the last session concluding in the museum staff running the session! We now hope that these workshops will be sustained over time, enabling access for older people and people living with dementia! I feel very priviliged to have been part of this project...

Consett Open Studio

We have been VERY busy at the Consett Open Studio every Wednesday....as you can see we have been delving into printmaking and exploration, clock making, negative and positive printing and much much more...(more photographs to follow)..

It has been great fun so far...with another term to go upto Christmas! Looking forward to facilitating both drawing workshops and Christmas inspired making and crafts!

iPad engAGE Newsletter...

If you have not been in touch in regards to be signed up to the iPad engAGE newsletter - feel free to get in touch and this can be sent through to you....

The Newsletter will be live and sent out this week - with news, developments, facts and ideas on the project, iPad engAGE.

Consett Open Studio

My series of the Consett Open Studio has started! It began with Paper Making and Manipulation and throughout the next three months will take a varied journey into Art Form development.

I look forward to sharing my knowledge of techniques with the group over this amount of time, and i am sure i will really learn alot from them in return!

Keep Posted for Photograph evidence of the groups development!

Tyne and Wear Project Development...

The Tyne and Wear Museum and Gallery Project is well underway now with two completed sessions at the Stephenson Museum and now we are working in the fabulous South Sheilds Museum. As the project develops so does the group confidence, engagement and overall enjoyment - it really is a pleasure to see and be part of.

This is a story come poem that was developed in South Sheilds Museum as part of walking down an old street (which in fact was Catherine Cookson's old street)...

Bread Bin,
Hot Water Bottles,
When it gets cold you tighten up that lid,
With hot steamy, boiling water,
They used to call it the grey hen,
Maybe it was used to keep the chicks warm?
A flat iron,
You out it on the gas,
Hot Hot Hot,
Wrap a towel round it for your feet,
Spectacles - they are rather little - i wonder who they belonged to?
Perhaps for a child or an old grandmother,
Child's booties,
A babies bottle - that you put the milk in,
A large plunger to unblock the drains,
A Watering can and huge Malet,
China Dog,
People had these either side of the mantle piece with an aspidestra next to it.
Rolling pin, roll roll roll,
Maker and Jelly Moulds,
A meat dish for that yummy roast to go on,
Soap and Hairbrushes,
Carpet Beater, Shake it, BEAT it, to get all the dust out and about,
I like it these days.


The last line really sums up the whole process of appreciating the exhibits which lend themselves to really personal memories...

Boxes of Identity and Curiosity at Stanley Day Centre...

 

These are photographs from the completed boxes of identity and curiosity developed by members of Stanley Day Centre. Throughout the programme we looked at various Art Medium including Photography, Sculpture and Casting, Paper Making and Manipulation, Origami and Embellishment.

Working with Older People Journal - Article Published!!

This week the article that i wrote for the 'Working with Older People' journal has been published online....the hard copy will be available very shortly.

If you would like to view and read this, feel free to get in touch at: claireford88@hotmail.com

Ageing Creatively Project Planning Underway!

After meetings both last week and this week - the Ageing Creatively Project planning is well underway....i am looking forward to being part of a research based project in which i am facilitating workshops based on primarily Art Appreciation at the Hatton Gallery in Newcastle...Keep Posted for Updates!

Gianty Woodland Mosaic at Guisborough Forest Festival!

On behalf of tri-arts we developed a Woodland themed mosaic on a very large scale! It looks absolutely fantastic and will be presented in the main walkway centre when grouted and completed - keep a look out!

TWAM - Stephenson Museum...

The Tyne and Wear Museums Project started off well - with the theme of Journey's and Packing....the Stephenson Museum provided all types of suitcases which inspired all sorts of stories and discussions!

iPad engAGE Photographs online!

Click the link to be taken to iPad engAGE Exhibitions photographs and to find out more...

www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com

Parachute Jump for Alzheimer's Society!!

 

Saturday was the day in which i jumped out of a plane at 13,000 feet and it was truly amazing! With the next event next Sunday - the Great North Run! And hopefully i will raise my goal of £800!

If you fancy digging deep, follow this just giving link:
http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Ford6

Colour Your Life Project at Stanley Day Centre...

The Colour Your Life Project at Stanley Day Centre is soon coming to a close with a fantastic final piece based around 'Identity'...

The sessions of consisted of mixed media including hand and face casting, paper making, embellishing and photography...

Keep posted for Photographs of the final piece!

Further LWDP Dates Booked in!

After the success of the last LWDP Training i have been asked to deliver some more:

The Dates for the Arts Based training are:
Monday 15th of October
Wednesday 23rd of January
Tuesday 5th of March

The Dates for iPad Training are:
Monday 26th of November
Tuesday 22nd of January

If you are interested in any of the training and live in the Preston area, sign up at:
http://www.lwdp.org.uk/

Arts and Health International Conference, Australia

I have recently been accepted to facilitate a range of workshops at the annual Arts and Health Conference in Australia, this will be taking place in November 2013 in Sydney!

Looking forward to this fantastic Conference and to share ideas and passion with others in the same field / practice!

Tyne and Wear Project Designed and Ready to Start!!

After delivering training to Tyne and Wear Museum and Gallery Staff a few weeks ago...we have collaboratively designed sessions that will be facilitated by myself and the staff during the next couple of months, working with a group of older people, specifically with Dementia.

The sessions will run in four alternative musuems and galleries, consisting of:
The Stephenson - Railway Museum
The Shipley Art Gallery
The Laing Art Gallery
The South Sheilds Museum

This is a great opportunity to put into practice everything that i have learnt over the last year!

The sessions are based around Art Thinking and Discussion but also Art Making too - Keep Posted for Art Works and Stories Produced from the Sessions....with the first one next week!

Fundraising for Alzheimer's Society!

In just ONE week i will be jumping out of a plane at 10, 000 feet!!!
In TWO weeks i will be running 13 miles from Newcastle to South Sheilds!!!

ALL FOR THE ALZHEIMER'S SOCIETY!

If you would like to make a difference to these peoples lives, follow this link:

http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Ford6

iPad engAGE Blog...

The iPad engAGE project is all been documented on the new blog, view it here:

www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com

Breeze, Summer 2012 Completed!

The Young Person's Festival - Breeze is now over for 2012! I spent 10 days delivering various Art Workshops across various Hot Spots in Leeds. It was great fun and the results were visually beautiful! I look forward to next year....

Across the Lines, Colarado!

Amazingly at a conference that was taking place in Milwaukee this year Anne Basting spoke of my new project - iPad engAGE and it sparked common ground for Bruce the founder of 'Across the Lines' in Colarado...

The work that Across the Lines is facilitating is fabulous! Check out the website below for inspirational iPad music tracks and stories...

http://www.acrossthelines.ca/ 


I hope one day that both iPad engAGE and Across the Lines can collaborate and share on ideas!

The Olympics - NHS Shout Out!

Watching the opening to the Olympics...i have never felt so proud to be British, especially with the NHS Scenes.

It made me think about our National Health Service and how honoured we should be to have this system. Now all we need to do is strengthen it to be the best, incorporating the Arts! The Opening Ceremony was certainly Creative and it showed the NHS in an entirely different way!

iPad engAGE underway!!

Check out the iPad engAGE logo above - designed by Graphic and Logo designer Richard Hunt! Buisness cards, new blog and newsletter are now underway with this Logo now....

The iPad engAGE project will be blogged regularly at:
www.ipad-engage.blogspot.com


Today was the first day for iPad engAGE with it taking place at Carers Together in Redcar! It started astoundingly with all participants typing confidently and really embracing the iPad technology - i really look forward to observing and inspiring Creativity for individuals with Dementia!

Keep posted with iPad engAGE at the above address for regular updates!

Training for Tyne and Wear Museums, Newcastle

Through Equal Arts (Projects for Older People in the Newcastle area) i delivered training to the Learning Team across the Tyne and Wear Musuems which was held at the Laing Art Gallery, very central to them all.

Following on from a 'Meet Me at MOMA' model delivered by Kate Horbury from the Royal Academy in London, my training was based on how we can combine all of our senses into cross collaborative art forms to enhance the learning experience for individuals living with dementia in musuems and galleries across Tyne and Wear.

As a follow up to this i will be facilitating similar sessions 'live' with participants and training the various learning teams how to facilitate such a session. The Museums and galleries involved are the Laing Art Gallery, The Shipley, Stephenson and South Sheilds.

Keep posted for updates on how these progress along with additional photos and qualitative data!

Facilitating Training at LWDP, Preston

I was asked by Katie Burgess at LWDP in Preston to deliver a days training around 'Visual Arts enhancing Creativity and Communication'. It went down a storm and i thoroughly enjoyed myself too - learning off others too...

The training was attended by all walks of life and careers, ranging from Care Workers, Activity Co-ordinators, Age UK and Managers of various Dementia Care Organisations and Care Homes, therefore it was really interesting sharing experiences and opinions around the Care Sector and Creativity.

I facilitated the training as interactively as i could with only around a quarter based on presentation - all those who participated left with many ideas due to participating at various levels with mixed sensory input and with alternate cross collaborative art forms.

The more training courses that are put into place like this, the more this work will be a success and sit stronger in the care sector!



I will be delivering the same course in both October and January too - so check out the LWDP website if you would be interested to attend.

Creative Legacy Project, North East...

These are photographs that were taken at the Creative Legacy Sessions - lots of people = lots of fun!

Other Photographs from the Storybox project, by Roshanna Rubin - Mayhew

These amazing photographs were taken by Roshana Rubin - Mayhew on behalf of Storybox at the Library Theatre Company. They really depict what the project was all about - relationship, fun and laughter and old and new stories!

Additional photographs can be found on the Library Theatre Company Website under the Storybox Project...

Library Theatre Company Updated Website...

The Library Theatre Company have updated their website recently and the fabulous Storybox Project article is now available to read at:

http://www.librarytheatre.com/news-and-blogs/news/storybox-success-in-day-centres/

What a great project that was...

The Winston Churchill Ceremony 2012