Journey
Journey was chosen as a context to explore the viewing and making of artwork, and as it can be used to express a personal or group experience. The theme was not a limit on ideas, but used to create focus and to inform the choices faced in thinking about and making work.Two artists worked together to lead this programme. Working in this way achieved more in the limited time available, being able to give extra support to what was often a very large group. Maggie Smith and Karen Walsgrove have a wide range of skills between them, and they brought in artists Dave Wood and Pete Marsh for individual sessions.
Visits were planned around exploring the theme and included MAGNA in Rotherham, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Nottingham Castle Museum and Gallery, Surface Gallery, Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham Playhouse and a Nottingham-Hucknell tram trip and walk.
Workshops included carving breeze blocks, modelling with wire, mod-roc and found materials, collage, making artists books, keepsake boxes and memory boards, creative writing, music, painting, sculpture and a collectively designed and painted wall hanging.
Following a visit to the British Art Show participants planned and made work specifically for their exhibition, held in the YMCA for a week in June. Many of these pieces were sharply observed and some displayed an ironic sense of humour. This showed in some measure the considered approach that had been developed in the group.
