Introduction.

My intention of this blog is to share my experiences as a teacher of Art and Textiles.  I wish to share the highs of working alongside creative, young emerging practitioners and show you their outcomes.  I have always taught sixth form students (21 years as a sixth form teacher), and have truly loved every minute of this challenging but rewarding job. 

 

I have now spent two years in my new post at MV16 (Melton Vale Post 16 Centre, Leicestershire), and this year the first of MV16's A' Level students will emerge.  I am immensely proud of this years students achievements; they have been with me from day one on my mission, their personal journey to roll out a new way of working in what must be said to be one of the newest and finest sixth form establishments in Leicestershire.

 

Many of these students have 'blown me away' with their determination, continued hard work and sheer creativity.  They are A' Level students that are now ready to enter any H.E institution with confidence, most are set to do exactly that in September, and like any proud Mother I wish them all well.  I know they will make themselves & especially me very proud.

 Here one of my A' level Art  & Design students (AQA Art, Craft & Design syllabus) created a range of bow ties that were illustrated with hand stitch.  She wanted to create an illustrative visual effect, using a combination of text and imagery.  Her collection of stunning bow ties hung delicately on illustrated heads. 

 

 This A' Level Art & Design (AQA Art, Craft & Design syllabus) student wanted to embrace a range of paper based materials to create a whole collection of paper collars.  As a language student and budding linguist she chose to use a range of foreign newspapers to wax, stitch and manipulate into delicate and carefully crafted collars - there are nine in total, all of various styles and complexities.

 



 This A' Level Art & Design student made a fabulous paper study (almost like sketching in 3D) which supported her ideas for further extravagant collar/jewellery designs.  I loved the simplicity of this paper idea - she went on to develop this further using fabrics etc, but I will always hold a special place in my heart for this highly effective and yet very simple design.

 

 This A' Level Textiles student has used a restricted selection of media to create this dynamic collar - she's pleated thin plastic & layered & stitched the panels together (areas of the plastic have been foiled with silver before being pleated). 

 

 This A' level Art & Design student has never faltered from her passion for portrait painting.  She stunned me with her raw ability from day one and has continued to do so ever since.  This is a portrait of her Mother bracing a stormy day in The Lake District.  Below is another of her portraits, this time of her Grandfather.  I think the love for both of her subjects shines through, with these highly competent and very exciting paintings.

 

Congratulations to all of the MV16 Arts students on their recent exam results!

Apologies for the delay in this post -

I've got an abscess on my tooth & have been in such pain I couldn't even think straight.

 

Congratulations to all of the students from MV16.  The Arts students really did the staff & themselves proud! (Boy are we so very, very proud of all of them).  There are so many amazing achievements, too many to mention - but several students gained more than one A* in their Art & Design related subjects, that is an amazing reflection of their gritted determination to succeed, but also their innate creative ability.  An A* truly reflects a sustained approach, but also an incredibly high level of creative skill.

 

Anyone who has sat in one of my lessons they will know I am a 'skills & techniques' freak.  I love developing and perfecting a wide variety of skills/techniques for my own personal work, & I have never lost the excitement of actually using my hands to create something.  Additionally, I love teaching skills and techniques & then watching my students manipulate and expand their own ideas with a more considered approach.  Students often 'seize my imagination' by applying their own fresh & creative way of working a technique & as a result I learn from them too.  Eureka moments!

 

 

The following images are several examples of some of the excellent up & coming AS talent.  Many of these students have received their AS grades last week & are now progressing onto the A' level programme of study.  These portraits are from 'Unit 1' - where the students explored the exciting theme of 'Portraits'.  I think all of these portraits are stunning, there are many more, too many to upload today.  Painting the human form (especially the portrait) is one of the most challenging tasks an art student will face - these were completed in their first term at MV16 - 'Miss S'& myself taught every student a range of appropriate painting skills to enable the students to achieve these stunning outcomes. 

 

 I've lots of new ideas for the coming year, & have spent time over the summer visiting places to gather valuable resources/photographs to inspire all of the new Art & Design students for 2013/14.  I'm looking forward to sharing some of these with you all soon.