Bedford College Art & Design staff and
students spent a fantastic three days in the stunning grounds of
Shuttleworth College as part of a field course. Armed with pencils,
chalks, paints and inks the students entered the grounds to explore
and document their surroundings through a series of arranged
activities.
With a strong focus on sustainability the
project started with 'Leave no footprint…' a day of drawing,
creating, photography and interventions that would leave no trace
of human hands on the environment.
Students created a panoramic of the estate by
sitting in formation with each person drawing what they saw. The
final piece was created when all work was combined was a unique
drawing/painting of the view.
On day two students worked with natural
materials and found objects to create beautiful and environmentally
friendly works. They built works from leaves and twigs and created
complex and intriguing pieces. Some students played with patterns
and colour using leaves to make stunning shapes and structures
while others created earthworks and models. Students used a variety
of natural techniques including weaving, whittling and carving.
Having to build without the help of glue and nails gave the
structures a temporary quality and challenged students to be
creative in their approach to the project and use real ingenuity in
their designs.
The final day went on into the evening with a
BBQ for the staff and students. Fire sculptures were made, then
photographed and filmed and students took part in sawdust and coke
firing to produce various ceramic sculptures and mouldings. There
was also a night photography assignment that encouraged students to
respond to their surroundings as well as document the work being
made on site that evening.
The three days were a huge success and the
students who took part produced some exceptional work, which was
put on display in the corridors the Bedford College's South Bank
Arts Centre.