Page 12 - link magazine

12 EDUCATI(

LOOKING AND LEARNING GR

A FUNDAMENTAL OF
ART EDUCATION ORIV
by Leo Norris
Design Co-ordinator,
Greendown School PION
We are all guilty of looking with- boll ~Ell
WARBEC
out seeing. U r, , nO ow
Our physical environment, School
GRANGE o
both natural and man made, is
providing us all with a constant
source of ever changing visual
images; shapes, forms, lines, 7iTñ'
colours, textures and patterns,
that contain details and delights Winners of the PHH Europe design competition held at Greendown
few of us have time, let alone the and reported in the last Link: front to back, Margaret Hockley, Linnus
inclination to stop and study. Lieu, Jamie Uncle.
TV, Video and computer what they see. Let's put our 'Design', here quite deliberately.
graphic artists enjoy something students in a situation and present It is interesting to note that just
of a monopoly on the attention them with a task; "make a draw- as the student can learn by look-
of young people today with the ing of a new office building on ing and drawing so the develop-
slick presentation of fast, bright the Western expansion".The ment and refinement of drawing
and ever changing images. student must then embark on a skills allows the student to com-
This makes the job of the art series of opperations: Select a municate ideas and so have the
teacher doubly difficult, firstly building and a suitable viewing means to suggest alternatives
by having to compete with that position; select materials; draw and improvements to what they
quality of image for the attention the outline, the windows doors see around them.
of the child and secondly to and all the various architectural At Greendown school we en-
switching the child onto an active details, then the background, courage students to be aware of
rather than passive process of foreground and so on . . . But their surroundings, to appreciate
viewing. Passively viewing an hang on, how about all these what is good, to be constructively 1. The Hook Street site proposed
image on a screen (albeit a power- funny reflections in the windows, critical of what, (they believe) to by the County Council.
ful and high quality one) can be how can these be represented in be bad, and most importantly to 2. The site originally reserved for
no substitute for actively looking, the drawing? And so begins the be able to develop and offer
a primary school.
enjoying, recording and under- process of careful observation positive alternatives. 3. The Rectory field site off Hay
standing their physical world. followed by questioning and And what of those who have Lane.
So where can this experiment reasoning and making sense of no access to art education? Firstly
start? With a pencil and paints the world about them. slow down and look around you
perhaps. The actual process of The child is looking and learn- and you will see things that please
drawing and painting are very ing. That, in a nutshell is one of and supprise you, but you may Below: Looking north-east to the R
straightforward ones, (specific the many basic things that a good be confronted occasionally with Lane. The Holbeins in the foregroui
techniques are another matter of art design education ought to be a piece of imposing 'Art' that
course) but they provide the child providing students with. raises eyebrows and questions
with a quick means of recording I use this additional term like, "Is this really art?", "was
public money spent on this!!?"
THE KIRK TUTORIAL REGISTER Perhaps such a confrontation
Private tuition available will lead to closer scrutiny of the
GCSE and A-Level, most subjects. piece in question, it's design,
Specialists in Maths, Physics and Computer Studies. construction, the artist's use of
Telephone: Swindon 876389 for more details materials etc. You will probably
think about it, worry about it,
(Enquiries from experienced Tutor Teachers welcome and even argue for or against it...
- no registration fee). you are looking and learning!
Perhaps the artists, designers
and architects who determine the
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RETIRE AT 50? nature of our environment are
teachers too.
In or to do so, you have to start making adequate
provision today. THE CHALLENGE
Did you know that as from July '88 all working
personnel are entitled to retire at 50 years old if they OF 'THE WHITE
are contributing to a personal pension plan. HORSE PACIFIED'
To find out more about pensions and all aspects of On page 16 Julie Livsey,
personal financial planning, including: West Swindon's sculptor
Mortgages * Savings * Investments in residence, talks to
Life Assurance * Inheritance Tax The Link
Childrens Gift Plans * School Fees etc. about her sculpture to be
Phone Sue Davies unveiled in Shaw on
on Swindon 615829 or 874355 Saturday 13th February
Your local conact.