Heidi Katajamäki- Praising the Experimental

Last week's Art Play session began with a photograph of Finnish artist Heidi Katajamäki with her installation. Heidi's work is a bold example that the 'process' can be the 'product'. Her work is a statement piece, praising the experimental.

I asked the children, 'What do you think about art like this?' 

'Fun', 'messy', 'crazy', they said. 'I want to go there!' said another.

We discussed how the artist has broken some of art's usual 'boundaries', that the art-work doesn't have to 'look like something' or be 'photo-real' to be 'good' or 'worthy'. We noticed that the edge of the paper doesn't necessarily have to be the edge of the painting and that the painting can even drip down onto the floor, all in a bundle.

To create our own 'experimental' work, we started off with a warm-up inspired by 'The Anatomy of a Pencil' at Access Art. Wallpaper lining paper was spread out across the floor in two long rows which would form the landscape on which we were 'taking our pencils on a journey'. The children were told to hold the pencil with two fingers by its very tip and make marks such as 'flick, stroke, flutter, tap, drip, drop'. 

Then the pencils were gripped by the fist- 'skid, bore, drill, stir, dig, scrape, mix, drag'. At this point, a few of the pencils were broken. It didn't matter, I had plenty more.

The children were then instructed to drop their pencils, then gently pick them up in a horizontal position. 'relax, gentle, zig-zag, flow, around, melt, curl'

Next the pencils were held as if they were extensions to their own finger. 'dig, poke, bore, relax, line, circles'

As the children got more involved with the activity, their creativity flourished- some children started to work standing up, running the whole length of the paper. One child held several pencils in both hands and skidded across the paper making lovely strong marks. Another jabbed at the paper, making many tiny holes. The paper became smudged, ripped and crumpled. It came alive!

When all the pencils were broken, the children, buzzing with enthusiasm, moved on to the giant white sheet that covered the rest of the hall, on which provocatively lay the 'loose parts' of the day- paper, pastels, brushes, sticks, pine-cones, leaves, water and paint. Like in Katajamaki's installation, the children's work didn't end where the paper did. Paints were mixed, splattered and poured. Different tools made different marks. 'My work is so.... DRAMATIC!' someone cried out. 'At first my work was neat, but then I went CRAZY!' said another. Once child experimented by repeatedly wringing out a wet sponge onto his painting, and then tipping out the whole jar.

You could virtually hear their thought processes. First, there were the 'am I really allowed to do this?' looks, to which I just nodded encouragingly. Then like scientists they experimented, discovered and wondered. The more they realised their sense of freedom, the more they excelled into that elusive creative 'flow' where all the magic occurs.

Heidi Katajamaki

Marks from the warm-up

Marks from the warm-up

My work is so...DRAMATIC!

At first my work was neat, and then I went crazy!

The paper is not the edge of the painting

What will happen if I tip the all the water on?

The children were getting really involved with their work

A New Venture

Following on from the success of the Beehive Festival, I decided to bite the bullet and begin my art club at school- Art Play. I wanted to create an environment for the children where they were free to experiment and just enjoy using the materials in their own way with no expectations and no agendas.

It has been really hard to strike a balance between directive instruction and imagination. I have found that the children really need a starting point to set their creativity flowing. It's hard to come up with that starting point whilst losing or ignoring the 'agenda'.

I have found, by accident (the best ideas always seem to be accidents), that a successful starting point seems to be telling a story at the beginning and then allowing the children to use the materials in any way they wish within a wide boundary. A story spurs the imagination on and also calms the class at the end of a long school day, easing the transition.

The first story I used (which I came across by accident on the morning of the last class of term) was 'The Wonder' by Faye Hanson. In 'The Wonder', a boy with a suppressed, but lively imagination finds himself in his art class with a blank piece of paper. 'Use your imagination,' the teacher says. He finds it hard at first, but then wonderful things emerge- 'his daydreams are set free' and 'they take off across the page... over a park where no one keeps off the grass...'

So as it was a sunny day, I took several picnic blankets into school, and we all sat in the shade under the trees on field and I read the children the story. When we got back to the classroom, a blank piece of paper was waiting in each child's place and I told them to 'use their imagination' like in the story. I also put other materials out- scrap paper, card shapes, scissors, glue, tissue paper and chalk pastels. It was amazing- there was silence as the children were engrossed in their work. They imagined 'a colourful lake', an 'underpants cleaning machine,' a 'house with an outside with a picture on the wall' and some children enjoyed using the stapler to make books. It was wonderful- masses of coloured sticky bits, each piece of work unique.

That was what those children needed that day- a calm, inspiring beginning, paper, scissors, a bit of glue, and the freedom to make what they wanted.

When I get chance, I will share the other things we got up to last term (and this term), the challenges I had, and the revelations.