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Debbie and Sara worked together to explore new ways of using webcam and GPS recording methods as a source for interpretive artworks which captured the working relationship between a farmer, his sheep and dogs.

The artists worked from data gathered by attaching webcams and GPS tracking devices to sheep, sheep-dogs and a farmer to simultaneously record their interactions and movements from multiple viewpoints and perspectives.  This GPS data and webcam video footage was used as a source to create each work.

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AccessArt is a UK Charity and we believe everyone has the right to be creative. AccessArt provides inspiration to help us all reach our creative potential.

Introduction to Flock Together

‘Flock Together’ was a collaborative project which explored how the artists Sara Dudman and Debbie Locke might work together to make creative contemporary artwork in response to sheep farming.

The exhibition of work took place at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery in Devon. This resource shares information about the artists, how they worked collaboratively, describes the work they produced and includes suggested activities which you may like to try in the classroom.

We hope this resource provides teachers of all key stages with access to the working practices and resulting artwork of contemporary artists, and shows you how to use their work as inspiration in your classroom.

Understand more about how the work was created here.

Get Away, Debbie Locke & Sara Dudman

Introducing the Artists: Sara Dudman & Debbie Locke

Debbie and Sara have been working together as an artist collaboration for 3 years, whilst also maintaining their own individual practice as artists.  The “Flock Together” collaboration relied upon both artists bringing their diverse methods, media and techniques together to explore their shared interests in movements, relationships, behaviours and mapping.

Find out more about Sara and Debbie

Flock Together Artwork

The artwork below was created as a result of the Flock Together collaboration. You may use the images below in the classroom to inspire the activities below.

Sheep-cam in barn 00.45 – 02.25 Debbie Locke & Sara Dudman

Field-cam farmer feeding sheep 00.51-01.25 Debbie Locke & Sara Dudman

Sheep-cam in airfield 06.47-07.21 Debbie Locke & Sara Dudman

Farmer-cam in Field 02.52 – 03.33 Debbie Locke & Sara Dudman

Talking Points for Pupils

“So, what are you looking at and how do you best go about understanding and responding to these abstract artworks?”

Find out how you might talk about these images with your pupils

Linking “Flock Together” to your Art & Design Curriculum

Use the buttons below to explore how you might work with pupils in each different Key Stage.

Key Stages 1 – 3

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 5

Links & Project Supporters

Flock Together artworks were originally exhibited at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery. The project has received great support from a range of partners including Arts Council England,  Double Elephant Print Workshop and Somerset Film at the Engine Room who have either financially supported the project or provided technical assistance with prints and video editing.

https://flocktogethernews.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flocktogethernews

Twitter: @flocktognews

www.debbielocke.com

www.saradudman.com

www.thelmahulbert.com

On Tuesday 3rd May 2016 Paula Briggs and Sheila Ceccarelli presented the AccessArt New Manifesto for Making at the Houses of Parliament, at the All Party Parliamentary Group for Art, Craft and Design Education.

Please read, share and comment. We welcome your views. Thank you.

“My name is Paula Briggs, and I’m here with my friend and colleague Sheila Ceccarelli, and together we co-founded AccessArt. Thank you to Susan Coles for inviting us to speak – we appreciate the opportunity, and to NSEAD and the Campaign for Drawing for their support. And it’s been wonderful to hear about the work taking place in schools across the country – very uplifting and a huge thank you for that.

To start, just a few words about AccessArt. AccessArt is a charity that aims to inspire high quality visual arts teaching, learning and practice. We do this through our evolving collection of online resources, online participatory projects and physical workshops and events. We were established in 1999 and we’re extremely proud of what we’ve achieved and of our creative output. There’s just two and a half of us: we’re unfunded – relying on income from memberships (we now have around 2000 members made up of 50% teachers and 50% creative practitioners) to carry out our activities.

I should also give you a little context about Sheila and I to make sense of what follows: Sheila and I were both makers as children. We were both lucky enough to have parents who gave us time, space and materials, and taught us that time spent making things was a good use of our time. We had teachers who valued making, and this shared passion was the driving force in our setting up AccessArt – a belief that we could inspire and enable others to pursue their own creative journey.

I want to speak today about how we (collectively) might give permission to the next generation to make. I use the word “make” in its loosest sense: to describe any activity which connects the hand, eye, brain, and which results in a transformative experience (transformative for both materials and the person involved, in addition to those who then experience the transformation third hand). Making a sculpture, making a print, making a model, making a film, making a painting, making a costume… the list goes on.

I think we should stop for a moment to recognise just what an incredible act that is – that we can take thoughts, impressions, instincts, add materials, and through our hands (and tools) manipulate those materials of the world to create something new. Let’s not underestimate what an important, unique, optimistic, intelligent act that is. And let’s remember how fundamental that is to us as a species – EVERYTHING around us is a result of our urge to transform, manipulate and reshape.

And yet, in 2016, we have children in schools who spend NO portion of their day, week and in some cases term, engaged in activities which involve them manipulating the world in a physical way.

• Does it matter if children don’t use their hands to connect eye, brain, heart with the material world?
• Do we want to create a future generation of creative contributors?
• Do we want to empower children with the idea that they can transform the world for the better?
• How will the artists, architects, craftspeople, makers, designers, builders, plumbers, carpenters, engineers, surgeons of the future begin to explore and realise their ability to manipulate?

AccessArt has tried throughout its 27 years, to remain apolitical. Instead we attempt to create positive and outward looking projects in direct response to perceived need.  So, in recognition of the importance of our ability to make things, we have grouped our ongoing strands of activity, described below, into the AccessArt New Manifesto for Making. The Manifesto describes four key areas that AccessArt has identified in which we can work together to bring change. We hope this inclusive action plan will enable us ALL to support and enable making and makers. Please join in where you can.

The AccessArt New Manifesto for Making

No. 1 Quality of Experience

First of all, we need to be brave. Because we want to defend art, I think sometimes it’s hard for us to admit that actually we have a lot of art in schools across the country which is not well taught. We need to recognise that not all art teaching is actually worth defending. That was really hard for me to write, and I do not like to criticise, and I certainly do not mean to criticise those who are teaching. There is a great deal of very good (outstanding) teaching in art, and lots of average teaching in art. We recognise the reasons for the (well-meant) but less-than-great teaching in art is often due to lack of specialist teachers and lack of training opportunities for those involved, as well as time and money pressures. BUT, until we raise standards in art teaching, across the board, then it will be hard for us to always defend the importance of art in schools, and the opportunities for children to make will continue to decline:

So, putting aside the teaching which is already outstanding, we need to concentrate on making sure that all art in schools is taught with as much rigour as any other subject. I certainly don’t mean rigorously assessed and didactically delivered. There are many creative ways to teach rigorously. A lot of the making which takes place in schools is not of a good enough quality: there is an underestimation of what kind of materials and tools children can use, and of the kind of creative journey children are capable of. Making is often too easy, too controlled, too limited in scope and vision and the outcomes too closed and poor. And when we don’t respect the process of making, we drive the subject into a corner which we can easily get rid of: we talk ourselves out of the activity. We can do with out it. Gone.

So No.1, we need to work together to raise quality in art education – right from the youngest primary school children. What if:

• We ASPIRE to deliver the best facilitation we can, wherever it takes place;
• We REVERSE the deskilling of teachers through accessible, cost effective, relevant training (online and physical);
• We SHARE examples of good practice, which is most definitely happening around the country.

NO. 2 Artists CAN transform lives

It’s not that artists make better teachers, but they can make a different kind of teacher, and one which complements existing teaching. What if:

• Artists are encouraged to see their potential as educators? How can we enable artists to recognise their unique skills as communicators, enablers and inspirers?
• Artists see artist in education opportunities as a role to aspire to, not a role to fall back on?
• Every artist works with a group of children and changes lives one child at a time?
• It turns out that artists can save the world?

No. 3 Empowering parents to ask

Parents feel enabled to contact their child’s school if they have concerns about maths, english, friendship problems… What if:

• Parents understand the importance and gravity of the lack of making in their child’s school week? Not just to potential artists and makers, but also to architects, builders, plumbers, engineers, scientists, surgeons… anyone who exists in the physical world (all of us), those who aren’t motivated or feel included by existing lessons, those who are in danger of exclusion, those who struggle socially…
• Parents begin to understand the problem with the disconnect between a school which doesn’t provide opportunities for hands-on experience of the physical world, with high quality creative experience, and the statistics about the cultural economy (at the moment parents are not aware of the disconnect);
• Parents feel able to ask of the school the simple question “What did my child make with their hands this week?”

No. 4 Telling children it’s more than OK…

We all need someone to give us permission to make:

• Here is the permission.

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Make, Build, Create: Sculpture Projects for Children by Paula Briggs

Published by Black Dog Books

#WHATDIDMYCHILDMAKE

A collection of resources to consider how you can increase opportunities for making

AccessArt is a unique organisation!

We work in collaboration with artists, educators, schools, museums, galleries and arts organisations to create inspirational visual arts resources. 

Find out how you can be an AccessArt resource contributor below.

Please contact rachel@accessart.org.uk for more information.

A big part of what makes AccessArt special is the evolving collection of unique resources which form a huge pot of inspiration for our users.

As well as inspiring others, these resources also serve to highlight artist educator practice, providing a ‘shop window’ for your work so that you can reach new audiences and find new work. They also help provide a legacy home for projects which might otherwise not get shared quite so effectively.

Resource contributors can live in the UK or overseas. You might be working alone, in partnership or with another organisation. Wherever possible we try to ensure contributors are paid for their contribution.

find our more…

Information for Artist Educators

Find out how to propose a resource if you are an Artist Educator.

Information for Artists

Find out how to propose a resource if you are an Artist.

See all current contributors

See the creative practitioners and artist educators who have created posts for AccessArt.

Drawing Projects for Children and Make Build Create aim to inspire and enable children, teachers, facilitators and workshop leaders to explore drawing and sculpture in an active and adventurous way.

Find further details about each book, including reviews, below. 

*The exercises and projects in these books are aimed at children aged 5 to 12, however the majority of the projects can easily be adapted for older pupils and adults too.

Drawing Projects for Children

Find out more and read reviews

Pre-Order

Pre-Order for August 2020

Make, Build, Create: Sculpture Projects for Children

Find out more and read reviews

Published by Black Dog Press

Black Dog Press specializes in beautifully produced illustrated books that represent a fresh, eclectic take on contemporary culture.

Five Star Reviews of Make, Build, Create

Amanda Warren, NSEAD Network

Make Build Create is an inspiring book. Like its predecessor ‘Drawing Projects for Children’, it is beautifully produced, with beguiling photographs and a carefully laid out task which is easy to access whilst being packed with inspiration.

Based on the premise that children love to make things but probably are given insufficient opportunity, the book guides the reader through some basic premises (such as, “Why make?”) and useful information about equipment and safe procedures. Some of the materials suggested may have been neglected in recent years (I confess it is a long time since I used plaster in powder form) and there are zany ideas, too. Making a plinth for a figure looks sure to appeal! And those wire insects! The photos can easily be shared with a group of children to inspire them or to illustrate processes.

 My only query is who the book is aimed at. To begin with I thought it was a book for children, but the forward is definitely for teachers and facilitators. But does it really matter? The book is sumptuous, gorgeous and appealing. Paula Briggs has done it again; lets get making! 

Amanda Morris-Drake, Darwin Centre for Young People

“Full of excellent ideas and beautifully presented”

Ros Corser

“Make Build Create by Paula Briggs is an informative and helpful manual which describes a series of creative sculptural projects designed to engage all. Beautiful photographs run throughout the book making it as visually appealing as it is inspiring. Thank you Paula for such an inspirational book, encouraging “hands on art” for everyone.”

“If we want a world full of innovative, entrepreneurial thinkers, we need to enable and sustain making from a very young age”

Paula Briggs from AccessArt writes about the importance enabling making in schools.

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Pathway: Sculpture, Structure, Inventiveness & determination

This is featured in the ‘Sculpture, Structure, Inventiveness & Determination’ pathway

Talking Points: What can we learn from birds

Drawing source material: nests

Where did the AccessArt Village Come From?

The end of 2018 also says goodbye to the AccessArt Village and this special project which started with a gift to AccessArt, from Appletons Wool, of a huge box of wool, which arrived on our doorstep in February 2016.

In a spontaneous moment, Paula Briggs, co-director of AccessArt, invited followers of AccessArt to join in the creation of an artwork ‘celebrating the diversity’ of the AccessArt community. Paula invited participants to draw a simple image of their own home and to ‘sew the image on a 20cm square of fabric’ and then send it back to AccessArt. The individual houses were then to be ‘brought together by a textile artist’ in ‘one amazing artwork’. And that was how the AccessArt Village began.

Little did Paula know that her email invite would lead to a project spanning almost three years and the sparking of creative responses from almost 700 individuals, from all walks of life and ages. A true celebration of individuality, community and creativity.

The AccessArt was ran by #TeamAccessArt, host galleries and participants on a voluntary basis with no renumeration for time and effort.

The project is now closed for submissions. We received over 700 sewn squares, from all kinds of audiences all over the world.

Finding Inspiration the AccessArt Way

Paula’s initial way to excite creativity and get the project underway was to create a series of resources to kick start the project and enable AccessArt followers to easily participate. Paula wanted to encourage participation across all ages and abilities from art novices to experienced artists.

Paula was then joined by artist Andrea Butler, in creating a series of resources to inspire creative actions.

Creating Your Sewn Square

This resource provided the starting point for the project and how to make a sewn square.

Make a Stitched Drawing of a House in an Hour

Andrea Butler explores approaching embroidery/stitching like the processes of making a collage or mark making: “hanks of wool and shapes cut from fabric can act as an equivalent to paint or coloured paper; stitches are very like the lines and marks you can create with felt tips, markers or coloured pencils.”

Draw your home: collage, stitch and fabric crayons

Andrea Butler shows how to use fabric rubbings and simple stitching to make a colourful collage of a home.

Collagraph, Collage and Stitch: Make a Image of Your Home on Fabric

Andrea Butler combines making a collagraph print with fabric and stitch to create a 2D image which could then be used to make a sculptural model house.

Make a Model Stitched House

This resource marks the turning point of the AccessArt Village Project and when the idea took off for the stitched houses to be transformed into 3D stand alone pieces. In this post Andrea Butler shares with participants the process.

Setting to Work on Making the AccessArt Village

The AccessArt Village came to life when sewn houses started to arrive back. The magnitude of the response to the call was incredible, with almost 700 houses arriving back to AccessArt from a broad spectrum of venues including schools, hospitals, libraries, Brownie groups, Art clubs, Art groups and galleries from all around the United Kingdom and as far as South Africa. 

Andrea Butler, from #TeamAccessArt, donated vast amounts of time, ingenuity and creativity to the project. Over the course of a year, she lovingly and painstakingly mounted the houses. Every house was given its own time and great attention was paid to detail. Andrea used her creative sensitivity to respond to the originality of each piece and all the houses were treated equally and with great and equal respect, whether made by a young child or established artist. Andrea was joined by Paula and Sheila Ceccarelli over the summer of 2017 to complete the task of mounting the houses.

The result of all this hard work and participation was an installation of over 700 3D models which juxtaposed work by children at the start of their creative lives next to that of accomplished artists and older generations. Whilst highlighting the character and individually of each piece, the project celebrated diversity and reminded us of the universal sanctity of “home”. Most poignant were those houses contributed by individuals who, for reasons of health or vulnerability, were away from home when they made their creations.

A Call for a Host Venue

Seeing how enthusiastically the project was being received by the AccessArt community, in January 2016, Paula sent out another email calling for ‘Host Partners’ to exhibit the AccessArt Village. The call was met with an enthusiastic response from schools and galleries across the county. The variety venues to respond to the call demonstrated the breadth of AccessArt’s engagement with its community and also the geographical span of its reach. 

September 2017 to November 2018: The Village went on tour!

The AccessArt Village Tour gave many people joy, from when it was first seen, in September 2017, in the rural setting of Farfield Mill, in the Cumbrian Hills. Since then it has been cherished by people visiting Mansfield Central Library, in the heart of the country, followed by Brentwood Road Gallery, Frances Bardsley School, Romford in a sub-urban venue, east of London.
In 2018 the Village was seen in the North East seaside town of Whitley Bay in the Old Gala House, Galashiels, and then finally came home to Cambridge on the 24th November 2

Making an Ink and Wax Village with Pupils in Mansfield

One of the highlights of the AccessArt Village Tour when Sheila Ceccarelli worked in Mansfield Central Library with children from Berry Hill Primary School.

The AccessArt Village and How a Small Idea can be Big

This AccessArt workshop was led by Sheila Ceccarelli for year nine students at Frances Bardsley Academy in Romford, where the The AccessArt Village was displayed in the school’s adjacent Brentwood Road Gallery, in January 2018.

A Grand Finale for the AccessArt Village as Cambridge Welcomes the AccessArt Village

The AccessArt Village completed its year long AccessArt Village Tour of the UK and was seen, for one day, as a pop-up exhibition, ‘Cambridge Welcomes the AccessArt Village,’ in the Ruskin Gallery in November 2018

The very special homes, handmade by children in schools and hospitals, artists, young people and community groups, were exhibited and sold, in collaboration with Emmaus, Homeless Charity, Cambridge.

Special Thanks

Rachel Hurcomb & 1st Stretton St Mary’s Brownies, Sarah Williams & 1S, St John’s College School, Pupils from King’s Worcester School, Amber Smith, Chailey School, Jean Goodall, Barbara Latham, Jill McDermott, Julie Ashfield, Evonne Bixter & pupils from St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, Natti Russell & members of Art4Space, Sharon Gale & The Art Cabin at Northaw C of E Primary School, Morgain Murrey Williams & students from Chesterton Community College, Jo Evans & Yr 2, Southbank International School, Victoria Lowe & pupils from Eyemouth High School, Helen Walsh & The Heathlands Project, Tullie Textiles, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Beth Shearing, Louise Shenstone & “Making It’, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Kate Gwen Jones & Yrs 9, 10 and 11 Art Textiles, Stanley Park High School, Megan Stallworthy & pupils from Sticklepath Community School, Liz Cook & children from Great Ormand Street Hospital, Heather Wilson, Isabel Brown, Rosie James & pupils at Dent C of E Primary School, Annabel Johnson & the Children’s Art School Wimbledon, Helen Jones & Yr 8 textile students, George Salter Academy, Sam Downer & pupils from St John’s College School, K Sellens & pupils from Lansbury Lawrence Primary School, Andrea Butler, Craft and textile groups, Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, Notts, Yr Four pupils, Berry Hill Primary School, Morag Thomson Merriman, Sandy Wright & pupils from All Saints Anglican/Methodist Primary School C Wimberley & The Art Club, Poppleton Rd Primary School, Jacqui Stewart & the Cotton Candy Art Group, Helena Malan & pupils from Eureka Primary Grade Eight, Burgersdorp, Reg. Charity No: 1105049 South Africa.

Supported by Appletons Wool

AccessArt is a UK education charity with over 850 resources to help develop and inspire creative thinking, practice and teaching.

AccessArt welcomes artists, educators, teachers and parents both in the UK and overseas.

We believe everyone has the right to be creative and by working together and sharing ideas we can enable everyone to reach their creative potential.

Join AccessArt from only £3.50 per month and enjoy full access to hundreds more resources!

AccessArt has been working for many years to help support and promote making as an activity which children need to be doing more of in schools (and possibly at home too!).

Enjoy the collection of resources below, and consider how you can increase opportunities for making in classrooms, schools, community organisations, studios, museums, galleries and homes in your area.

Explore Resources For Making…

Explore 3D Making Materials

Explore Disciplines in 3D

The New Manifesto For Making!

What Did My Child Make With Their Hands This Week?

AccessArt at the Houses of Parliament

Making Large Scale, Screenprinted, Collaged, Co-Created Campaign Posters!

AccessArt writes for the Guardian

Make, Build, Create now Launched

Black Dog Publishing 2016

Paula Briggs and Sheila Ceccarelli have been working to support making in schools for over 20 years. Find out more about our #WhatDidMyChildMake campaign.

Please share! Print out this PDF version and post it in your school, museum, gallery, community centre or home.

You May Also Like…

Make, Build, Create: Sculpture Projects for Children by Paula Briggs

Published by Black Dog Books

#WHATDIDMYCHILDMAKE

A collection of resources to consider how you can increase opportunities for making