Diversity & Identity
Tree of Life
Also nicknamed the Diversi-tree by the school. I had a wonderful week as artist in residence at Nottingham High Shool (junior). I worked with 150 young artists over 5 days to create this sculpture. They were curious, asked great questions and worked hard - a real pleasure to work with. I had a rough idea of what I planned to make for the Diversity and Inclusion theme, referencing Keith Haring's colourful figures and the old Busby Berkeley dancers in formation, to create a tree of life. On the first day, I realised I could be quite ambitious with this sculpture. The level of dexterity and the children's enthusiastic commitment to making, meant we could be really ambitious with the figures.
Art’s Education In A Multicultural Society (AEMS)
AEMS = Art Education in a Multicultural Society
Faith works on the annual AEMS Residential arts courses for primary school groups, managed by Edsential and held at Conway Centre, Anglesey. Students from schools across the North West get together to produce their own piece of artwork in a collaborative and creative environment. Faith talks to students about her own Caribbean heritage and then they created a sculpture based on Caribbean themes, using newspaper and sticky tape. The children experience a range of art forms through workshops led by music, storytelling, and dance artists.
UBUNTU
"I am, because you are"
UBUNTU meaning "I am, because you are" was the thoughtful theme for the first AEMS residential course Faith had worked on since pandemic restrictions ended. Over five busy, creative days, Faith and a diverse mix of artists worked with over 200 children from 6 schools from south Wirral and Cheshire.
“We based our co-creations on the African philosophy of “ubuntu” — a concept in which your sense of self is shaped by your relationships with other people. The children ranged from Year 3 to Year 5, so 7 -9 year olds working in pairs to create a figure and clothe it using wire, newspaper and sticky tape. Each group session was either 2 or 3 hours long. Some works are more elaborately decorated as they had a bit more time. I put each groups' figures together at the end of each session, to create the final sculptures featuring towers, circles and paper chains of figures signfying Ubuntu.”
Caribbean Fish, Flowers, Birds
Faith has led themed sculpture workshops for AEMS residential weeks with mostly Year 5 and 6 students making recycled sculpture based on themes including Caribbean Fish, Flowers and Birds.
Caribbean Life
In spring 2012 Faith spent a busy, but enjoyable week working with students from schools across Cheshire at Conway Centre, Anglesey. Students worked with Faith on 3D pieces, as well as having a go at music, dance and painting with other artists based on the theme of 'One World Together.' The residential Art education in a Multicultural Society (AEMS) course was provided by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
