Art Lab

This summer I put on my very first Art Lab, which is a holiday programme specially designed for teenagers between the ages of 9 to 13. It’s full day where they can meet other artists their own age and get amongst the art-making scene. I love working with this age group because many of them will be making school curriculum choices in the years to come and thinking about whether Art might play a part in that…

At the time of planning, I was drawn to the materials and ideas behind Xin Cheng and Richard Maloy’s work as part of our summer exhibition Freedom Farmers: New Zealand Artists Growing Ideas. Using makeshift materials, they encourage us to dream and (literally and conceptually) grow our ideas from seed or scrap. I began positioning my programming for Art Lab around the interesting use of found materials in art, sustainability in New Zealand and what it is to have utopian ideals or dreams.

Xin Cheng Propositions 2013, installation view, Auckland Art Gallery

On the day, I had students hunting for materials that may have held a past life. They recognised old bike chains in Cheng’s work that held up planter shelves and how she had cut up old tires into strips holding together her bamboo structures.

Richard Maloy Tree Hut #5 2013, installation view, Auckland Art Gallery

But I also wanted them to compare and contrast this work with another, so we climbed up into Maloy’s installation, Tree Hut #5 (2013) and talked about the artist’s use of material waste that he found onsite from previous exhibitions at the Gallery and whether or not he might be considered a sustainable artist in New Zealand? Something that was on my mind, that I wanted to ask the students was, 'So if utopia is like this vision of a perfect world, then do these artworks look perfect or even finished?' What they told me was that the work actually looked quite rough: 'Having exposed nails and miss matched wood.' I agreed and likened the works to being almost like a sketch…and how growing good ideas can begin as a sketch and grow from there.

In the studio, I wanted the students to be experimenting quite literally along the lines of growing something. A growing structure, of your own fancy that you could fill with potting mix, seeds and be able to take home and test out the growing and feeding process. We were using biodegradable and found materials to construct these and the group successfully put forward an interesting range of growers, one even featuring a self-watering showerhead and we talked about the many possibilities for this brief as we went along.

But something curious happened with the group in the second week of the holidays. There was a notable leap in creative thinking and my assistant Vivian and I found the students putting forward some very sophisticated justification for their quite ‘out there’ designs. I really had to think back through my teaching about why this might have been the case and here is what I think may have happened.

During sketch stage, I started talking though my own idea for a growing structure (I was deliberately trying to focus on modeling my creative thinking and problem solving out loud) and I got my co-worker Vivian to do the same. We hammed it up for extra emphasis, 'I was just randomly thinking about making a mini Ferris Wheel for the structure and planting seeds in each carrier so that I could rotate it daily for equal sun distribution…..but another part of my brain started reasoning with me that with the bio-degradable materials we will be using, it might only last a week or so before turning soggy and the seeds would fall to the ground!' I pointed out that this was the creative problem and talked through my ‘Plan B’ for a something more supported by soil which would biodegrade exactly where I wanted, meaning I was much more in control. But Vivian stopped me in my tracks and she talked about her design going for this ephemeral (short lasting) option as she pulled out her sketchbook for a hanging seed bank. 'Just as they germinate it may break down and fall with the seeds scattering and sprouting in a new patch below...and then the cat might eat them and who know where they might end up next Ha!' Anyway, we had lots of students playing with and bending the brief which was just so excellent.

One student spent hours 'Using my new technology skills' to sew together a range of biodegradable, mini calico planting sacks. She asked for more material to be able to do this and I went on a hunt to find what she needed. I told her I could imagine them being a hit at a local market or school fair.

Now by bending the brief, I mean another student did away with soil completely. Explaining that, 'It was a working wind up fan with tiny pockets on each blade and when filled with seeds, it would scatter them randomly.'

The Seed Scatterer 2000! And it really did work. He told us that 'It’s probably best not to use fruit and veg seeds because otherwise you would have fruit and veg growing everywhere and that perhaps grass seeds would be better.' Great sense of humour this boy!

So once again, I have been shown a thing or two by the youth of today and I am super excited for the next Art Lab. It will be up and running next April holidays and you can check out our website for more details. Finally, I would like to say a big thanks to Andrea and Viv for giving me a well-experienced hand with all of this. Thank you!

– Charlotte Maguire, Gallery Educator

Professional Learning and Development

Learning Through the Creative Process - SCREEN PRINTMAKING.

Professional Learning and Development for teachers has started up again at Auckland Art Gallery!

Learning through the creative process we explored examples of screen prints in the collection, experimented with techniques and styles, created paper and fabric screen prints and then shared ways these techniques could be implemented successfully in our classrooms. Junior and intermediate teachers and a teacher of students with special needs participated enthusiastically in a busy 5 hour session - so enthusiastically nobody wanted to stop for lunch!

We began by exploring the Auckland Art Gallery Print Room with Assistant Curator Mathew Norman. Mathew showed four different examples of screen prints from our collection and spoke about the time they were made, the  techniques used and the style of the work.

Mathew explained the use of the room, the storage of artworks on paper and the precise conditions that need to be maintained in the space to ensure the artworks would be safe and well preserved for the future.

Back in the studio, we explored other screen prints on paper and fabric from our collection. In groups, we tried to work out the process. How had these works been made? What would need to have been considered? How has colour been used?

Focusing on screen printing on paper, we discussed possible backgounds for the print such as collage, paint, sprayed dye, brushed on dye or coloured inks. We then experimented with different designs, materials and techniques to create a backgound on paper and a design to go on top. The designs were photocopied and made into a number of different stencils.

Some problems needed to be solved before moving to the next stage!

Then the screen printing on paper creating began!

Followed by screen printing on fabric.



Finally, we came together and shared our reactions to the process, how we learnt through the creative process, how we problem solved, made modifications and refined our ideas. This lead to great discussion on exactly how we could follow this process and teach screen printing in our own classrooms.

Feedback from the teachers:

• 'A wonderful environment to create without the fear of failure. A perfect mix of talking and sharing paired with creating, exploring and experimenting. A fabulous day that seemed to zoom through - a great example of a fun day!'  Year 1 classroom teacher.
• 'The content was awesome! I've gathered many ideas to use in class. I enjoyed being allowed to work at my own pace and problem solve my own artwork.'  Intermediate art specialist teacher.
• 'I achieved my goals. Great facilitator, very welcoming and plenty of opportunity to explore. I will definitely build these techniques into term 2 and 3 planning.' Teacher of 5-21 year old children with special needs.

How have you implemented screen print making in your classroom?

Useful links:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wogKeYH2wEE

Find out how silk screens are made and watch a number of different screen printing processes.

www.visual-arts-cork.com/printmaking/screen-printing.htm

The process and history of screen printing. Famous screen print artists.



Schools in the Studio : Landscapes Foundation Programme

Recently, Year 1 and 2 students from Parnell District School enthusiastically participated in the gallery and studio sessions of one of our Foundation programmes - Landscapes.

After looking at traditional landscape artworks in the Gallery, we explored Golden Cloud by Gretchen Albrecht. We wondered - could this work be a landscape?

Gretchen Albrecht, Golden Cloud, 1973
acrylic on canvas, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1974

The children initially retorted, 'NO it could not!' But then, on reflection and further observation, some children changed their minds. Perhaps it could be?

'It reminds me of the sea, the sand and the sky...'
'I can see some clouds!'
'It looks like the sunset!

We decided as a group that this was a work that ‘reminded’ us of a landscape we are familiar with. We discovered when Gretchen Albrecht painted Golden Cloud, she was living on the West coast of Auckland.

Back in the studio, inspired by Gretchen Albrecht’s work, we experimented with dye to create an artwork that somehow reminded us of a landscape. We applied two or three bands of colour, then tipped the paper and watched the colours run together.

This reminds me of a landscape.... I can see two people at sunset, land and some strange kind of animal. What can you see?

What parts of the landscape does this artwork remind you of?

What time of day could this be?

How do the colours used make you feel? 

We shared our results and observed the work of others, discussed what we noticed, then tried another painting. This time, we thought about what worked well in our first artwork and what adjustments could be made. We followed the same procedure then blew through a straw to create some interesting effects.

I can see the sun setting behind a forest. What can you see?

We could title this work 'Hydrating Grasses'.

Can you see why I chose this title? Can you think of another title?

Once again, we shared our creations and talked about what parts of the landscape we could see in our work. We even turned the work upside down to see if another part of the landscape appeared and then discussed which way we wanted the final work to go, and why.

Some of the children created a title for their work, to help others understand what part of the landscape the work represented for them.

Thank you Parnell District School for a wonderful day!

Useful links:

• This documentary (made for TV One's Artsville series) traces the development of Albrecht's work from her art school years through to her current interest in sculpture.
• View artworks by Gretchen Albrecht in the Gallery's collection

Gallery Explorers – no adults allowed!

This summer the gallery launched an exciting new holiday programme for 6-8 year-olds – Gallery Explorers!

GET CURIOUS:  The intrepid explorers head off into the depths of the Gallery.

Our sell-out holiday workshops have traditionally been studio-based, and focused around the creation and development of artworks. A key aim in the creation of the new Gallery Explorers programme was to actively engage our younger audience within the walls of the Gallery itself, providing opportunities for them to create meaningful connections between themselves and the original artworks on display.

An excited group of children (led by excitable gallery educators) spent the morning traversing the lengths of the gallery, proudly sporting their official ‘Gallery Explorer’ badges. Original artworks served as starting points for close observation, discussion, game playing and art making. The drama and mystery of Edmund Blair Leighton’s InTime of Peril inspired drawings that imagined ‘what happens next’ in the story. Ideas ranged from the happy (escape, and the consumption of cheese and Marmite sandwiches), to the not so happy (the consumption of the baby via a dragon)...

GET THINKING: Based on what we can see in this painting, what do you think happens next? Why?

Jacques Carabain’s Queen Street, Auckland transported the explorers back to 1889, a time before iPads, cell phones and Xboxes - the horror! Gallery educators facilitated a deep exploration of the work, then used children’s responses to create a ‘soundscape’. Children and educators alike filled the gallery with the aural clutter of horses trotting, dogs barking, wind howling, people chatting, sellers selling, and bells chiming! This really brought the painting to life for the children (and for the other visitors who happened to be in the room at the time…Haha).

GET SHARING: Under Carabain's historic work children shared what they knew about life in the 1800s, and imagined  themselves as Victorian children.

GET TALKING: Brett Graham's Te Hokioi, 2008, is named after NZ's extinct giant eagle... A predator so large it lived on moa! Now THAT'S a pair of drumsticks!

GET MAKING: With no photographic record of this feathery beast, it was up to the children to imagine what one may have looked like. (Disclaimer: Several of the drawings created featured younger siblings being carried away in the beak of the eagle. The Gallery bears no responsibility.)

When it was high time for a wriggle and a giggle the explorers took to the sculpture terrace to play the ‘connections’ game on Jeppe Hein’s Long Modified Bench... Auckland’s future contortionists?

GET LAUGHING: Play 'connections' on Hein's sculpture - a leader calls out 3 or more specific parts of the body (e.g. right ear, left elbow, right knee). The players have to connect all said body parts to the sculpture as quickly as possible. Hilarity ensues.

At the end of the programme the explorers gathered up all the drawings they had created and bound them into a book to take home. They promised to bring their books back to the Gallery and add to them each time they came to visit. Explorers for life!

Bring on the next school holidays- we can’t wait! Keep an eye on the website for details of upcoming Gallery Explorers sessions.

-Vivien Masters, Gallery Educator

Art Lab Art Stars!

We had a great time piloting our new programme for 9-13 year olds, Art Lab, during the summer holidays. In this new format children come along for an extended art-making workshop over four and a half hours, allowing them the time and creative freedom to really explore and experiment with art ideas and techniques. Children, parents and educators unanimously declared it a great success!

In Art Lab: Merchandise we began by exploring the Who Shot Rock & Roll exhibition and gift shop, which inspired the children in the creation of their own Art Star/Rock Star brand. After thinking about brand development and design ideas, we spent the rest of the day experimenting with etching and collograph printing, silkscreen printing and badge making. The children created an incredible collection of merchandise to promote and publicise their Star identity.

The children worked excitedly all day experimenting with materials and processes to create multiple posters, postcards and badges that had a real authenticity to them. The Gallery staff were so impressed, feeling convinced that these fictional bands would be amazing. Sold out shows all round! The focus on repetition and the multiple meant that the children were all swapping badges with each other at the end of the day, leaving happy and covered in merchandise.

The new format of Art Lab was hugely popular with parents and children alike. It meant that the children could benefit from the extra time for idea-generation and had more opportunity for exploration and experimentation in the studio. We will be continuing with this new format, and will have two Art Labs running during term time as well.

Bookings are now open for our next Art Lab: Project Print which will run on Sunday 10 March. In this one day Art Lab we will take inspiration from artists John Reynolds, Shane Cotton and Richard Killeen as we experiment with everything from silkscreen printing to etching and monoprinting. Find out more and make your booking here.

Food and Feasts, Heroes and Heroines! Tales from the Studio

We have just completed a great four weeks in the studio, with the 6-8 year olds exploring food and feasting in art, and the 9-12 year olds looking at the way artists portray heroes and heroines.

After a mouth-watering brainstorm about feasts and the types of food the children like at parties, we experimented with sculptural techniques including object design, cardboard construction and papier mache. We had conversations about the many ways artists have explored food in art – from religious and historic feasts, still life paintings, artworks about food production, as well as artists that use food as a raw material (like Richard Maloy’s butter painting in Toi Aotearoa).

Gallery educator Selina offering some different portrayals of food in art

We also managed a visit to the Auckland Art Gallery café to discuss the art of cake decoration! Using paint and mixed media the children decorated their party food objects, and invited their families to our party on the last day.

The 9-12 year olds looked at a number of works of heroes in the Gallery (including William Theed’s busts of Roman gods and goddesses and Juan de Juanes’ painting of Saint Catherine of Alexandria) to explore posture, body language and expression, and the way artists use symbols to provide clues about the work.

After brainstorming our ideas of what makes somebody a hero, the children used sculptural techniques to construct a hero personal to them, using wire, foil, plaster and paint. Heroes ranged from skateboarders, Mark Todd, grandfathers, superheroes and priests. Their pieces were photographed against a watercolour background to provide a setting for the character. The results were outstanding, and all parents (and gallery staff) were impressed with the works! Great work everyone!

Bookings are open for our next four-week studio classes which begin on Sunday 2 September. The 6-8 year olds are exploring artists’ interpretations of landscapes, and the 9-12 year olds will be looking at the way animals are used as symbols for characters and emotions.

Super Sonic Sour Suck! Pop Art sculpture holiday workshop

We had a great time in the studio during our pop art sculpture workshops! We were exploring the way artists Siliga David Setoga and Claes Oldenburg play with the scale of everyday objects like food.

Claes Oldenburg, Dropped Cone, Installed March 2001, Commissioned by Neumarkt Galerie, Cologne, Germany

Siliga David Setoga, Lolly Lei

Setoga’s giant lolly lei was the starting point for this workshop as the children learned construction techniques to build a giant lolly of their very own. The younger children had a great time inventing new names and flavours for their lolly. The older children enjoyed subverting the common names of lollies and other food items to surprise the viewer, like Leo’s Crunchie bar logo becoming 'Crunchme'.

Here are some images of their fantastic work!