This week I've been trundling around Merseyside on the bus with a suitcase full of clay, plaster and lace all in the name of 'love'.
Kirkby Gallery has a fascinating exhibiton charting the history of the Valentines card from the 19th Century onwards and to celebrate, I've been delivering a series of workshops inspired by Victorian Valentines.
Working with wonderful groups of adults with learning disabilities in Stockbridge and Halewood, we got messy making oversized 'Loveheart' sweet sculptures. The groups designed their own clay moulds, creating delicate imprints of lace and adding personal messages of love before pouring in liquid plaster and adding subtle colours with soft pastel. Its been brilliant getting to know all of the group members and staff at the centres and hearing about their own valentines. There is more to come next week as I visit centres in Kirkby and Huyton, watch this space!
This week the Valentines craftiness continued as I delivered workshops with groups in Huyton and Kirkby as part of Kirkby Art Gallery's 'Your Valentine' exhibition. First up was a very girly and pleasantly fiddly couple of hours making paper roses with a fantastic group at the amazing brand new Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park. I didn't expect to find so much art in a leisure centre with the brilliant Alphabet Trail sculptures dotted around the building
Next came printmaking in Kirkby, with a lovely group who created delicate prints by rolling ink over textured lace before using these to collage their own designs for Valentines. It has been a brilliant few weeks journeying around Knowsley and being welcomed by the most delightful and creative groups. I encountered lots of big hearted folks, very much in the spirit of Valentine's Day! Hopefully I get to work with some of them again for more crafty fun.
