Violet Lane Woodland Mural

So we finished the mural at Violet Lane last week, and we're really pleased with it! Here's the story so far:

Tim put out a plea on Twitter for scrap paper, and Lorna from Bryant Priest Newman Architects in Birmingham kindly volunteered their mass of old drawings.

Then we were introduced to the awesome reception classes at Violet Lane Infant School, who helped us to shred the paper up and make a huge vat of pulp.

They then used their pulp to make sheets of recyled paper. 150 sheets to be exact, which we took home and dried in the sunshine over the Easter holidays.










Easter Holidays over, it was time to get back to work, and Tim (with a little help from Jim) painted this huge 8ft backdrop in his Mum's back garden!

We brought this back to Violet Lane, where reception got to see the paper they had made and used it to make leaves for their woodland picture. Things got a little messy...

Finally, the children helped us to put the whole thing together using the leaves they had made, as well as some nice 3D tree trunks and flowers to brighten things up.

And here's what it looks like!

Pretty striking!

This is the first in a series of projects we're doing at Violet Lane this term to celebrate and enhance the school's woodland area.

There were no school holidays for the Big Art People this Easter, we visited six local libraries to run some craft workshops. The children (and adults!) got the chance to make Matisse-inspired hanging Easter eggs, hairy Easter beasties, thumbprint chicks, and to contribute to our giant Very Hungry Caterpillar (to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that classic children's book).

These were just the first in a whole programme of workshops that we're doing for South Staffs libraries. The next ones are in the Summer, so check our website for more information nearer the time.

Check out our Easter page for more information, and of course loads of lovely photos!

Paper Making at Violet Lane

The Big Art People just got back from two days outside in the glorious sunshine at Violet Lane School in Burton-on-Trent.
In just one of a whole programme of upcoming projects at the school, we ran paper making sessions with all four Reception classes.
The children loved ripping, mashing, pulping, and forming the paper; and we were glad of a few days in the sun after the last few weeks of office work.
The paper will be dried over the Easter holidays, then taken back to the school to form part of a giant woodland-themed installation.

The paper the children are recycling was very generously donated by Bryant Priest Newman Architects in Birmingham after we put out a plea for waste paper on Twitter.

Don't forget to check out the brand-spanking new website at www.thebigartpeople.co.uk