Art Explorations by King Athelstan Art Club
Inspired by Kingston School of Art Degree Show 2016
Throughout academic year 2015-16 Stanley Picker Gallery have been collaborating with King Athelstan Primary School in Kingston upon Thames to deliver a weekly Art Club for children from mixed classes across year’s 4, 5 and 6.
Current Art Clubbers: Aleks, Archie, Chloe, Ellie-May, Eloise, Jake, Jessica, Kayla, Maxim, Tafi, Tom and Zac
During the programme, with workshops tailored to meet the interests and requirements of individual groups, the young artists named above have been learning about contemporary artist and designers practice, influences and creative processes, while sharing their individual interpretations, ideas and personal preoccupations through free-writing, drawing, collage, digital-making and discussion.
As part of this programme art clubbers visited Stanley Picker Gallery where they examined a number of onsite permanent and temporary works installed by Stanley Picker Fellows past and present – including Oreet Ashery, Richard Trupp and Fabien Cappello. The group made a special trip to the Knights Park Library, Fine Art Studios and 3D workshops at Kingston University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture where many of the Gallery’s Fellows experiment and make their work alongside students. This was very exciting and to top it off we were lucky enough to watch the 3D printer in action!
Recently, the artists returned to explore the 2016 Undergraduate Degree Show where they researched ideas for formulation and presentation of their own works – making lots of notes in specially folded zines! Particular highlights included Interior Design, Illustration & Animation, Product Design and Fine Art, where each artist chose their favourite exhibited piece to inspire a new work on paper – a selection of outcomes is playing above.
Click here (shortly) to view a slideshow of our adventures – snapped by members of the club when we found the time to pick up a camera!
King Athelstan is a two-form entry community primary that teaches children to ‘take risks and ask brilliant questions’ – and very popular with use at the Gallery, have named each of their classes after artists. Art Club is supported by Art Coordinator Georgina Barr and Clubs Coordinator Darren McLaughlin.