Work in Education
Workshops & Residencies
Art residencies and leader of art & craft workshops in schools and community (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) 1982 onwards. (Included textiles for primary school children, exterior dance/carnival murals (secondary), shallow-relief interior mural based on African dance (secondary) and large-scale canvas paintings (primary) - Latter displayed in theatre, school and airport. Adult workshops - art & craft (including making of paper pulp paintings).Took part in drawing to music workshop in Brezice, Slovenia, with international artists. Experience of running art and craft workshops in own studio space, e.g. 'Painting with Pulp' (making of shallow-relief papier-mache artwork on wood or canvas which is stained with paint and dyes during the process, or coloured when dry), 'Mono Printing' (Oil and Acrylic on paper), Drawing and Painting techniques (acrylic and water colour) of still life, portrait, landscape and development of ideas, taking reference from contemporary and historic artists.
Teaching Experience
Broad range of skills in art and craft/design technology (including cross-curricular).1987 onwards - Art & design education, including multi-sensory lessons for the visually impaired and deaf - West Yorkshire (Leeds), Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire (primary and secondary schools). Late eighties to mid-nineties - pupils with moderate, severe and profound multiple learning difficulties. (Included combined arts lessons - working alongside music, dance and drama specialists. Responsible for introducing thematic/multi-sensory language lessons for pupils with communication and speech difficulties.)In Year 2000, taught art and design and general subjects (F.E./N.V.Q. Award) to Post 16 programme students with speech, language and communication difficulties (including Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). Included making of interior mural based on drawing to music. Early to late eighties - Taught drawing and painting, life drawing and painting and art appreciation in further education colleges and out centres (e.g. Cheshire home, warden-controlled flat and community centres) in Nottingham, as part of adult education programme.
During 2009 and 2010, worked for seventeen months as an activities co-ordinator in a residential home for the elderly, organising and providing range of daily activities and entertainment for the residents (many of whom had Dementia/Alzheimer's Disease).
After returning to teaching in schools, undertaking a further activities co-ordinator’s role in a residential /nursing home for the elderly and running a life drawing workshop in further education, I decided to concentrate full time on my own fine art practice, art and craft workshops and private art / craft tuition for children and adults, open studio solo and group arts exhibitions / art consultancy service in my purpose built home studio and exhibit my art work in local businesses.