Video artist Chris Oakley led lively workshops at Oriel Davies, during which participants combined filming with stop frame animation to create original video self-portraits. The Ysgol Cedewain sixth formers and older residents of Rhosllyn residential home, who worked over 3 and 2 days respectively with Chris, brought photos and items of personal significance to use in their animations, adding to these with drawings and collages. Family photos, holiday snaps, giraffes, cars; army cadet and St. John’s Ambulance uniforms were added to the mix.

My Big Splash!

Text by Anthony Jones, workshop leader at Oriel Wrexham. Wednesday 16th April '08, 8 children aged between 8-11 from Borras Park Junior School, Wrexham attended an energetic, and colourful workshop.

I met the children and their teacher at their school during the previous week and I believe we all were fired up with fantastic artistic enthusiasm and excitement.

I introduced them to artwork by Patrick Heron, Dr. Chew who was exhibiting in the gallery and my own work.

The actual workshop was fantastic and amazingly rewarding because all the young artists launched themselves into making large, colourful artworks-at a scale bigger than themselves!

Then each explored more personal artistic development on smaller scale paper.

The following comments were made during the workshop...

"Look if you shake the Broom...it splashes like rain, try it with the other colours".

"Let me paint. Let me talk".

"Try putting your hand in the water, rather than the brush".

The feeling I had after the workshop - especially rewarding, it is one of immense pride and gratitude, especially after the individual letters they sent in, one of positively making a difference to someone's life.

Some of the children's comments sent in:

I really enjoyed the day and I have asked my mum if she will buy me the special paints so that I can do some more painting by myself.

I had lots of fun yesterday painting. That trip was the best we'd ever had. I learned how to paint with wet paper. My best part was flicking the paint on the big pieces of paper with the brush.

My best thing was blowing the glitter on to the paper and using the mop on the paper.

Explore at Oriel Davies Gallery

The Explore workshop series at Oriel Davies will be led by 3 artists - Morag Colquhoun, Chris Oakley and Tanya Raabe. The workshops are taking place during May and relate in varying degrees to our current exhibitions, William Roberts and Sue Challis: But You Promised. Please follow the link to www.orieldavies.org if you’d like to know more about these exhibitions.

Morag Colquhoun’s practise addresses environmental issues through a variety of media, including video installation. She is an experienced artist/educator and is particularly interested in the quality of the individual participant’s experience in an arts workshop. Morag will be working with a small group of deaf and disabled individuals who have been recruited through Disability Arts Shropshire and Disability Arts Cymru. They will be making work in response to works in the exhibitions.
For further information about taking part in Morag’s workshops, please contact Clare Martin at Oriel Davies on 01686 625041 or email clare@orieldavies.org.

Chris Oakley is a UK based artist working with video and digital imaging. His concerns are focused on mediated experience in its many forms, including mainstream media, amateur photography, mass communications and augmented reality. Chris will be working with a group of sixth form pupils from Ysgol Cedewain, who have special needs, and also a group of adults with learning disabilities who attend local day centres. Both groups will make video portraits, either of individuals or the group, possibly incorporating animation.

Tanya Raabe is a professional disabled visual artist, making, exhibiting and touring work as well as devising and running practical arts workshops and projects. She is an expert in the field of disability and visual art and has fulfilled a variety of consultative roles in partnership with major organisations. Tanya will be working with the ‘Know Your World’ group of adults with learning disabilities from Coed Isaf day centre. She will take them ‘on a journey around the art gallery’, using photography and other media to create their responses.

We are currently devising ways in which work created during the Explore project can be shared and exhibited at Oriel Davies. Watch this space!

Oriel Mostyn's Explore celebratory event!
Dathliad Explore Oriel Mostyn!

More Fun!!!
This week Beverly Belshaw started workshops in Ysgol Gogarth, she is leading students to make an abstract silk wall hanging. Each class are making their own silk hanging that will portray different aspects of our beautiful landscape. All work will be displayed in our Explore exhibition in 6&7, Oriel Mostyn's temporary art gallery, from the 15th to the 28th of May and also in the foyer of Venue Cymru from the 19th until the 30th of May.

Mwy o hwyl!!!
Dechreuwyd weithdai yn Ysgol Gogarth yr wythnos yma gan Beverly Belshaw. Dysgu ac arwain y plant i greu murlun haniaethol ar sidan. Pob dosbarth yn gweithio ar eu murlun arbennig i ddangos gwahanol agweddau o'n tirluniau prydferth ni. Caiff y gwaith i gyd ei weld yn yr arddangosfa Explore yn 6&7 Oriel Mostyn, yr oriel dros dro, 15ed-28fed Mai a hefyd yn y Venue Cymru 19ydd-30fed Mai.

Thank you to all the staff for their support during the workshops and for making me feel so welcome.
I really enjoyed working with the staff and members of both the Deaf Blind forum (at Llandudno Junction) and Canolfan yr Orsedd in Llandudno.

Everyone participated and seemed to take something of the experience away with them.
e.g. learning new ways of using (and taking risks with) art materials, trying out new ideas and methods of expression.
I enjoyed seeing people experience their work evolving from mark making (with oil pastel or ripped paper) into finished pieces.
Some people even expressing a wish for more!

I also took away some valuable skills. I was able to reflect on my methods of working (with both groups), consider the group's response and consolidate these for future planning.

Thanks again and hope to get the opportunity to work with you again in the future.

Siân Hutchinson