Bagpuss & The Clangers on display at the V&A Museum of Childhood

This weekend I visited the V&A Museum of Childhood, a lovely museum near Bethnal Green, East London.

Apart from the superb array of toys from bygone eras, there was an exhibition of TV characters created by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate. I hold Bagpuss and The Clangers (along with other TV characters such as Fingerbobs, Pipkins and Mary, Mungo and Midge. Morph, Trumpton) responsible for getting me interested in creating and making.

I loved the stories, animation, puppets and plasticine so much, that I wanted to create my own world. And I did (I still do).

If you get a chance to visit the exhibition, you will learn that The Clangers’ attire was based  on an outfit that Twiggy wore (who knew!)

 

Of course, I was very inspired by my visit to the museum (I always am). So, now I’m thinking of what kind of art project we can do? Perhaps, the children can create their own 3D character and make up a story about their adventures … oh the possibilities.

The Clangers, Bagpuss & Co exhibition is on till 9th October, but do check out what else is on too at the museum, because during holiday times there will be workshops for children, so you can make a day of it!

 

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Art Day in Sunny May

I couldn’t have asked for nicer weather for last Saturdays Community Art Day. Families enjoyed the activities on offer such as mono-printing, clay work, painting, computer graphics, kite making and doodling cartoons. Refreshments and delicious cakes were enjoyed too. As the day came to an end the last remaining children enjoyed a water fight – Well, it was hot!

Mono-prints drying out in the sunshine

Having a go at mono-printing

Young artist with his mono-print

Having fun with photoshop

The fun you can have with photoshop

Taking a plaster cast of a clay tile

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The Big Day, The Big Draw

Wasn’t the weather nice on Saturday?  It was just what we ordered!

There was a fantastic turnout and the Art Cabin came alive with the hustle and bustle of people getting their hands dirty (literally). I had a hunch things were going well when I saw a row of boys sitting at the desks, pens in hand, concentrating on their artistic doodles, occasionally checking out each others work and laughing.

Mr Disbrey was in charge of the clay area, visitors really enjoyed making thumbpots and sculptures. The sand pictures were a favourite too, some of the art produced from this medium was amazing. The doodling, fingerprinting caricatures and computer enhanced self portraits created lots of laughs. Putting earphones on and listening to some thought provoking music, which you then had to draw using charcoal, created some wonderful results.

It wouldn’t be an art day without some mess, and this was achieved with zeal in the hand-painting on vinyl corner. Despite the screams of laughter and the bucket load of green sludge coloured paint left over, there were some extraordinary Jackson Pollock style art painting to admire.

When it was time to pack up we still had a full house, but many hands make light work and my heartfelt thanks must go to everyone to stayed behind to clear up and to Brigitta who took some wonderful photos of the artwork produced. Quite frankly the day couldn’t have gone any better.

Sand fish

Jazzy’s sand picture

Jackson pollock?

clay sculptures

Drawing to music

Illustration drawn to music

Lily, Demi & Jazzy get artistic

Jack with his computer generated self portrait

Doodling away

Nancy with her clay koala

Lyn helping out with sand pictures

creating a masterpiece

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