On Tuesday 23 September InspirED at Take Art hosted its first CPD session of the new academic year ‘Light as a Feather’ at Willow Set Pre School, Stoke St Gregory.
Teachers and practitioners, from pre schools in in the area, joined practitioner Sarah Butterworth for a practical, creative and fun session of making, manipulating and exploring working with foam and resources to create feather bird headdresses.
The aims of the session were to inspire creativity and familiarise participants with new materials and techniques that can be used with children and adults.
Activities included; Creation of basic headband for children’s costume, using plasterzote foam to decorate the headband, exploring different types of plasterzote, explanation of artists’ work – looking at hats and costume and cutting, gluing, shaping, colouring plasterzote.
Sarah Butterworth commented“Plasterzote foam is a wonderful, adaptable material for working with all ages of children and adults, and it is normally very cheap from your local scrapstore and available in large amounts. It is great for costume making and comes in different thicknesses and colours. It can be cut with children's scissors, painted with acrylic paint. Use a stapler to stick layers together, or split pins, (but put some gaffer tape on the surface to protect the foam from ripping). You can use a glue gun to decorate the foam, and it can be heated and shaped with a heat gun.”
Within the hour and a half CPD session practitioners created eye catching headdresses and embraced new skills to use within their EY setting to share with colleagues and of course their children!
Feedback from the session included using the innovative ideas and new techniques within settings towards making outfits and costumes for all seasons, including Easter bonnets, Christmas hats, cultural art and feather headdresses towards work with The Great Crane project with InspirED partner SAW - click here for further information.
“Interesting & practical ideas that easily transfer into the classroom.”
Emma Gibbens – Stoke St Gregory Primary School
“I was initially nervous – thinking what I can do then keen to get going. The enjoyment of the activity and pleased with the end product.”
Ruth West – Abacus Nursery
“I have been given enthusiasm to use other tools and materials in the setting.”
Caroline Stone – Comeytrowe under fives Pre School
“The light as a feather CPD training gave practitioners the skills in which to develop their ideas for making head dresses for any season within their Early Year’s setting, building confidence and ideas for creativity to share with their colleagues.”
Sarah Butterworth – CPD trainer & practitioner
For further information on future activity and information about InspirED visit:
www.takeart.org/inspired
www.inspiredsomerset.co.uk
Delivered in association with Somerset Art Works and The Great Crane Project for the Celebration of Cranes project greatcraneart.blogspot.co.uk