Page 16 - link magazine

16 swindonlink.com • June 2008

Art is all around at north Schools
The April and May Links have featured the art works to be found at
the seven new PFI schools built across North Swindon and this month
we look at how art and the outdoors thrive together.
The Blackthorn School The importance of art in North
of Photography Swindon schools is seen long be-
fore you set foot in the buildings:
Digital image-making even the windows are works of
and black and white printing art with colours carefully chosen
based at our specialist to reflect the surrounding natural
teaching centre near Cricklade environment.
Evening, day and weekend Consultant artist for the North
courses for beginners and Swindon Schools Art Programme
advanced photographers Bruce Williams youngsters worked
www.photography-courses.com contributed to the with sculptor Tim
Tel: 01454 416937 choice of colours Norris to produce
or 07920 116492 used inside and ideas in clay and on
outside the build- paper. Tim incorpo-
ings. He used rated the children’s
pixilated photo- ideas into a crown
graphs of the flora shaped sculpture
and fauna at each of willow and oak
school site to create leaves, made in
the scheme for the solid oak.
coloured panes of “It’s a piece of
glass incorporated activity with seat-
into each build- ing inside,” said
ing. head teacher Deb-
Bruce’s involve- bie Kalynka. “It’s
ment continued with a commission very active. It looks beautiful: as
to produce a permanent artwork for you come into the playground you
Nova Hreod. Following an artist’s have full sight of it.”
residency in the school he created Mosaic artist Emma Biggs and
four sculptures bearing images ceramic artist Jo Veevers ran prac-
symbolising aspects of the school’s tical workshops involving all the
life. (Top, one of the four panels). children, who each created a tile
Pupils at Nova Hreod worked with an insect theme. The finished
with kinetic artist, Jim Bond. mosaic has been set low on the wall
They took part in team in the school’s reception
building and problem area, above. “It’s very tac-
solving workshops tile. As the children walk
and built a life size past, they touch it. For the
figurative sculpture children who were here
using soldering and in July last year, it’s theirs.
metal working. Jim They’ve all got a little bit
produced two sculp- of ownership.”
ture designs and the The art project in the seven
Would you like to become a whole school select- PFI schools is managed by
Artpoint Trust and is part of
ed a wind sculpture
counsellor or psychotherapist? which Jim has fabri- the Percent for Art agreement
between Swindon Borough
cated. It can be seen Council and PFI company
Bath Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy in the school’s chapel Education Support Swin-
don Ltd, a John Laing plc
is expanding into Swindon from September 2008 garden. company.
At Orchid Vale,
with our Foundation Certificate.
This is a one year, one day per week training Orchid Vale pupils and headteacher Debbie Kalynka enjoying Tim Norris’ work
which may be used as a stand alone course
for personal and/or professional development.
The Certificate also fulfils the entry criteria for
our Diploma in either Counselling or Psychotherapy.
The course will run on a Saturday and applications
are now being invited.
View our prospectus online at www.bcpc.org.uk
1 Walcot Terrace, London Road
Bath, BA1 6AB
Tel: 01225 429720
Email: [email protected]