Today was the day of the last workshops at the schools, and I was overwhelmed with happiness and sadness, Happy because I’ve enjoyed it so much and could do it again today, but sad that it has come to end.
It has been so lovely working along side Sioux and working with the wonderful children from both schools, their characteristics have shone through, and it’s been great getting to know them.
Today we were making more mutant flowers! At both schools it was about letting them be independent, and seeing how much they remembered and learnt from the first workshop. They all did really well! and didn’t need hardly any help, there were tasks that they weren’t allowed to do, which Sioux and myself went round and did (pushing the holes into the plastic).
Sometimes during the afternoon session we take it upon ourselves to sweep up after lunch so we can set up quicker, it is also a matter of health and safety, take today for instance the dinner ladies had mopped up, but it hadn’t yet dried when the kids came in, so we decided to put a wet floor sign up.
I took photos today, not so much that we needed to document the flower making, because it had been done before but because it was the last day, and it’s nice to have something from each session to remember not only for me but the schools too.
The teachers have asked for the photos that I have been taking so I will forward them on to Sioux.
Photo’s from the morning session:
We even received lots of thank you notes from the children, which was so sweet and thoughtful of them.
And then the afternoon session:
I got given a nickname today, it was Miss L, which was quite cool so I let them call me that. One little girl at this school made the effort to come and say thank you to both me and Sioux separately for coming in and teaching them, again it’s little things like this that make it all seem worth it.
I never felt the need to sit and have a formal interview with Sioux because I was learning so much from her anyway, not just during the classes but the trips there and back, today we were discussing how funding works, for example if in the future I wanted to have my own photography workshop, and she told me about the huge importance it is to know how to write, and do well in interviews, It is never just ‘taking photos’ or ‘making art’ and to make money from it, it is wise to practice your writing skills.
In the next few weeks we will be going back to the schools to build and attach everything to the final trees, this will be 2 days (one at each school) there then will be a private viewing night, so the children get a feel for what it’s like in the art world. I am so excited to see the final outcome!
I have loved every minute of these sessions, no matter how tiring it is, I’ll always be up for going back.
Laura's Lens 