Trading Places/CR.E.A.T.E. Programme

Third Phase Residencies

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Strandtown PS, Strandtown, Belfast; Andrew Livingstone

Erased Figures

Written by artist Andrew on 27 April 2005

The image is taken from our last session and shows some of the children interacting with the etched perspex, which is a consequence of our activity that imitated the historical image of women who hand smoothed linen table clothes.

Smoothing the crease

Written by artist Andrew on 27 April 2005

Smoothing the crease

The image shown is taken from our last contact day and shows the children erasing images that follow an image that we came across earlier in the project. The historical reference showed a number of women hand smoothing a large linen table cloth without the assitence of irons or steam. We have used this imagery to develop elements for our finished artwork.

Hand Place Setting

Written by artist Andrew on 27 April 2005

Hand Place Setting

It was the last contact day today so the session was extremely busy getting our last activities finished. The stitched piece shown was completed and will form part of our finished piece of work. The weeks have flown past and I have certainly enjoyed working with room 31 & 34 and especially the teachers Mrs Patton and Ms Courtney. A number of amusing events have taken place over this residency, even occuring right up to the last minutes (I won't mention names). Our final piece of work will be constructed from all the elements over the next few weeks and will be displayed primarily at the school open day in may.

So signing off here in what has been a tremendous project with the support and total professionalism of all at Kids'own, thanks for bringing me on to the project. Adios.

Ceramic Transfer

Written by artist Andrew on 20 April 2005

Ceramic Transfer

Today we had visitors to the school, Orla and Heather from Kidsown. We were working on several pieces today including the transfer of our images onto ceramic objects that the children had brought in from home. Numerous designs were made for the transfers, including both drawn imagery and text. The process of applying the transfers to the plate is very tricky but everyone managed to get it right and now they are all being fired in the kiln to make them permanent.

We also made a sound piece today which completes all our sound files which we will use for our final piece of work. Some of the group were also removing some other transfer designs from linen sheets and pillow cases. All in all a very busy and productive penultimate day.

Place Setting Animation

Written by artist Andrew on 13 April 2005

This week we were very busy, the image shown is an animation of the process of applying image maker to a collaged piece of work. The image is then transfered onto linen where it becomes permanent. In the class we all worked together on sound pieces using our ipod. Scenarios were made about working in the mill which the children made up in small groups. The class as a whole then used various items around the art room to make sounds that imitated the factory floor of the mill. The children then recorded their narratives together with the various imitated sounds of the mill.

sewing animation

Written by artist Andrew on 7 April 2005

Click the image left to view the how fast the children can sew. The animation shows the table settings being stiched onto pieces of linen. The event was also captured on video for further exploration.

Sew Dinner Setting

Written by artist Andrew on 5 April 2005

Sewn Dinner Setting

Busy day after the easter break. All the children worked on there sewn dinner setting which was captured on video for further exploration. The collages of their place settings were also completed for the next stage of producing transfer images for both fabric and ceramic. Part of the group also completed the second part of the plaster moulds so that multiple ceramic objects can be cast in the classroom everyday. Some have already gone into the kiln so that we can see how they look...

Embossed Stitch

Written by artist Andrew on 18 March 2005

Click here for imageEmbossed Stitch

A short movie showing the beginning of a stitched place setting. The developed imagery will include overlayed visual references and extended stitched elements.

Outside In

Written by artist Andrew on 8 March 2005

Outside In

Image shown is of completed and half process plaster moulds. Great fun was had mixing the plaster and constructing moulds so that we can begin casting multiple items in ceramic. The workshop ran smoothly unlike the "plaster disaster" which occured at the last session, where we used a bag of plaster from the last residency - the lesson being, never use old plaster. So new plaster arrived on Friday so we were able to complete our moulds today. Hooray!!!!

Table performance

Written by artist Andrew on 1 March 2005

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Table Performance

Today we created our moulds so that we can make multiple objects using casting slip. Tricky work, but enjoyed by all. The image shown is a short performance that happened on top of the table, a reference to our theme of the table setting and the association to the linen tablecloth.

Jelly Sillouhettes

Written by artist Andrew on 24 February 2005

Jelly Sillouhettes

First day of the third residency at Strandtown. Kicked off with an introduction and discussion about our theme based on my artist response to previous residencies. We did an exercise based around the concept of positive and negative which is a feeder to mould making. We thought the most fun way, whilst also informative was to cast jellies, which the children did the previous day, so that we could work on them in the contact day. Some moulds were more successful than others, you know who you are....

The jellies were used together with cut out sillouhettes based on the table setting, all these, including the jellies were projected and the children did performance pieces in front of the projection, whilst at the same time filming themselves. So a lot of activity and to end it all jelly for everyone, yum yum!