Schools: Once Upon a Picture Experience 24 Mar - 23 Apr 2015
Every artwork has a story to tell. Sometimes worlds cross over and strange things happen - humans take on animal form, objects shrink or grow, people dream enchanted dreams and things are not as they seem. Your class can let their imaginations run wild as they explore our exhibition of artworks which we think are a little bit mysterious, alluring and perhaps magical. These artworks suggest themes that have fascinated artists, writers, thinkers and dreamers across history.
Your class will firstly view the exhibition, then join an artist facilitated discussion that explores the theme and introduces the idea of ‘story making’, and how artists tell stories through their work. This session aims to develop visual literacy and language skills and is an ideal opportunity to explore the Emotional and Imaginative Development Through Language strand unit of the English curriculum alongside the Looking and Responding unit of the Visual Arts curriculum.
Your class will then take part in one of two artist-led workshops, using the exhibition as inspiration to create their own piece of artwork or unique stories. See the Workshop choices below:
Supported by Unesco Dublin City of Literature
Fantastical Characters Visual Arts Workshop
Dates: Tue 24 – Thu 26 March
Ages: Junior Infants – 2nd Class
Facilitator Paula Henihan
In this imaginative workshop, your class will take inspiration from an artwork by noted Irish artist Alice Maher, to invent their own fantastical characters. Visual artist Paula Henihan will help your class create these
characters, using a range of mixed media, collage and drawing techniques. When the characters are made, the children can bring them to life by sharing the story of their characters with the group. They will then
reflect on how one artwork has had several interpretations and imagined stories – marvelling at the power of images to capture the imagination.
Paula is an artist and qualified art teacher who has taught for several years in formal and informal educational settings. She has a Master’s in printmaking and makes mixed media art works and installations that focus on themes of science and nature. More info can be seen at paulahenihan.com. This workshop is aligned with Drawing and Paint and Colour strands of the Visual Arts curriculum.
Unfold Your Own Fairytale Literature Workshop
Dates: Tue 21 – Thu 23 April
Ages: 3rd – 6th Class
Facilitator Lucinda Jacob
Your class can bring their own imaginary worlds, legends and stories to life in this literature workshop. Using simple paper folding techniques, they will create their own mini-book to fill with words and pictures.
From an early age children love to invent the most fantastical stories – this workshop session aims to nourish and develop these inherent skills. Poet, children’s writer and illustrator Lucinda Jacob will help your
class to create their own stories inspired by their exhibition visit. Your class will invent characters, settings, and a basic storyline and realise these stories into a simple flap-book to bring back to the classroom.
Lucinda has written and illustrated a number of picture books for 2-6yr olds, and two storybooks for 5-9yr, olds as well as scripts for RTÉ. Lucinda writes poems for 7-11yr olds which have been included in a number of anthologies for this age group. This workshop draws on many of the language strands in the English language curriculum.