Having worked as Assistant Artist with Family Art Club on several occasions, this was the first session that I directed as Lead Artist. The activities I designed were linked to my recent and current projects, using St Helens’s landmark buildings, silhouettes and light. I took along my rotating shadow lantern from the “Art in Libraries” installation as an example of my work.

There were two main activities. The first was to create a large shadow picture featuring recognisable buildings of St Helens along with silhouettes of people. I used large-scale heavy weight tracing paper fixed to wooden frames to create a translucent base for the picture. I hand drew the buildings prior to the session. I looked at several ways for the participants to make silhouettes. Initially I had hoped that they could somehow project and trace their own silhouettes that could then be reduced in size to add to the picture. However after several experiments, I realised this wouldn’t be feasible given the limited time, space and equipment available for the session. Instead I created a selection of generic people shapes that I had laser-cut from board to make templates. The participants were encouraged to draw around the templates then change the silhouettes to make them look more like themselves.

Children love to make something that they can take home. So for the second activity we made paper bag lanterns using cut-outs and coloured acetate. As I had a materials budget I was able to give each participant an LED candle to illuminate their lantern.
I think the session was a great success and participants enjoyed both activities. Most of them stayed for at least an hour and took great care in making their lanterns.

Thanks to Claire Weetman, Family Art Club Co-ordinator, and Hannah Bold, Assistant Artist.