<< Back to AccessArt & Saatchi Learning <<

We are pleased to share the work of Meg Klosterman, a recent Masters graduate from the University of Arts London and an exhibitor at London Grads Now.21

Meg’s piece ‘For Estelle’ is ‘a memorial to her great grandmother “my Mammaw, Estelle Clark (B. Lee Country, Virginia; October 16, 1925- D. August 6, 2011). A decade after her death, the handkerchief is the way I can still touch her. I feel the forgotten power in the softness of the hankies. This work is ongoing. I don’t believe that it will ever be finished… I don’t want it to be.”

March 2020- ongoing

Begin to interpret the artwork using these questions…

Try asking the following questions when looking at an artwork, either as a group or as an individual. Remember that there is no wrong or right response.

What do you see? First of all, let’s make sure we have really looked at the artwork. Keep it simple. Tell it as it is: Can you tell what it’s made from? How big is it? What can you see? Ask these questions as a group and you’ll find the hive mind helps individuals with the group see things they wouldn’t have seen before.
What do you like? What does it make you think about?
What do you see which makes you curious?
What do you struggle with? Are there things which don’t make sense to you?
Can you find out anything about the artist or artwork? Does the title help? Does the artist share why they made the piece and what they were thinking?
Have your feelings changed towards the artwork since we started exploring it by asking questions?

This is a sample of a resource created by UK Charity AccessArt. We have over 1500 resources to help develop and inspire your 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.

What We Like About This Resource…

“This is a great activity for really tuning into colour and shape. The process is ultimately quite a refined one (ie making a pattern balanced and repeated ‘correctly’) – but there’s plenty of scope for exploring pattern in a more experiential way prior to the refinement page. Try one of the recommended resources below to introduce pattern and begin with some open ended activities to build skill and confidence.” – Andrea, AccessArt

You Might Also Like…

Pathway: Exploring pattern

This is featured in the ‘Exploring Pattern’ pathway

Talking Points: Andy Gilmore

talking points: Louise Despont

Inspired by Rachel Parker

Teachers Explore Pattern, Shape and Texture

Block Printing Repeat Patterns

You Might Also Like…

Pathway: Music and art

This is featured in the ‘Music and Art’ pathway

Pathway: Playful Making

This resource is features in the ‘Playful Making’ pathway

Manipulating Paper

Cardboard Sculptures

The Chair and Me

What We Like About This Resource….

Working collaboratively towards a shared aim provides an alternative experience to working on individual projects. Creating together encourages listening, peer feedback and creative problem solving – all of which are hugely valuable in all areas of education” – Rachel, AccessArt

You May Also Like….

Animal Habitat Mural

Collaborative Public Mural

Mural and Workshop Project

What We Like About This Resource….

“The life of Madge Gill that Sophie Dutton recounts here gives us real insight into the challenges that Madge Gill experienced, and how these challenges would have been common among women at the time. When we study the work of Artists, it adds a rich context to our experience of their work to consider their personal history, and helps us ask questions like ‘why do you think the Artist painted in this way or was inspired by this subject matter?’ If you introduce your class to Madge Gill, begin with looking back over her younger life to try and better understand her motivations as an Artist” – Rachel, AccessArt

You May Also Like….

I am AccessArt: Ann Rippin

Making Batik Textiles in the Classroom

How I Use Drawing and Sketchbooks

See This Resource Used in a Pathway…

Transforming Materials into Sculpture

This pathway shares how teachers might take inspiration from El Anatsui and encourage pupils to think how they might disassemble objects around them to transform them into sculptural pieces. Read More. 

You May Also Like…

Transforming Cardboard with Andrea Butler

Artist Andrea Butler shows how to explore simple design and construction using cardboard and jewellery. Read More

What We Like About This Resource….

“This activity is a great example of how we can use paper as the focus of creativity. Often we use paper purely for drawing or painting on, but here, it is central to the activity itself. While these particular folded sculptures have their roots in Turkish culture, you could still deliver the activity if looking at things like Origami too, thus linking it across different cultures” – Rachel, AccessArt

You Might Also Like….

Puzzle Purses Part 1

Puzzle Purses Part 2

Paperback Figures

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s really interesting to hear how the interest Liz has in the quality of light comes from a personal place and is something she has responded to since childhood. Seeing how her work has developed over the years is therefore a really positive re enforcement that individual creative journeys, where nurtured, are so central to a rich arts education. We also love hearing Liz is always on the ‘quest for knowledge’ – meaning she is open to her ideas constantly evolving and the process of gathering new information and inspiration never stops!” – Rachel, AccessArt

You May Also Like…

Pathway: Brave Colour

This is featured in the ‘Brave colour’ pathway

using sketchbooks to make visual notes

Find out how pupils can respond to artists work in sketchbooks

Show me what you see

Enable close looking and drawing with this exercise

Lightbulb Art

Mini World Light Boxes

Visual Arts Planning: LIght and Dark

What We Like About This Resource….

“This project links poignant subject matter with meaningful art processes and local history. What we learn about the re purposing of materials, (in this case spent ammunition) re affirms how we can use what is around us as a starting point to making and creating. You could extend or adapt this project by looking at broken pottery, re purposing that into new sculptures that link with Roman or other local historical cultures” – Rachel, AccessArt

You May Also Like….

Henry Moore’s Shelter Drawings

Remembrance Day Soldiers

For Remembrance Day

What We Like About This Resource….

“We really enjoyed reading about the process of creating art work according to a design brief and how the experience of this differs to when an artist begins with their own idea or concept. That’s not to say an artist can’t approach a brief with their own individual style and ideas, but what this post shows us is that there can be a balance between the two. This would be a great resource to show older KS pupils who may be beginning to consider their options beyond Primary School”. – Rachel, AccessArt

You Might Also Like….

Pathway: 2D Drawing to 3D Making

This is featured in the ‘2D Drawing to 3D Making’ pathway

Talking Points: Packaging Design

What is Typography

Which Artist: Rachel Parker

Repeating Patterns

Block Printing Repeat Patterns

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s interesting to hear Theresa describe Printmaking as a social activity, with the shared use of materials and equipment so central to the practice. This could be a positive way of working for lots of children in school, where instead of just working on individual art work, they can collaborate and embrace the creative sharing experience!” – Tobi, AccessArt.

You Might Also Like….

Monoprint Animals

Screen printing Inspired by Matisse

An Exploration of Shepherd Fairey

See the Resource Used in Schools…

What We Like About This Resource….

“The sentiment behind this resource idea is lovely and it provides an opportunity to really develop some fine motor skills as well as independence of approach. Taking ownership of the medal design means the sense of achievement is heightened beyond the children just being given one. You can really imagine the positive energy that would surround this activity within a classroom, with each child working on a shared project but embarking on their own creative journey.”  – Rachel, AccessArt

You May Also Like….

Pathway: Playful Making

Featured in the ‘Playful Making’ pathway

Talking Points: Introduction to sculpture

Clay Art Medals

Talking Points: Nnena Kalu

Talking Points: Linda BEll

What We Like About This Resource….

“You can get a real sense of the environment in this post and how this could provide so much inspiration for creative projects. We are aware there the challenges to exploring the outdoors when many schools are in towns and cities. A way around this could be to have a regular collection of natural objects within the classroom and using them as a stimulus to respond creatively in sketchbooks or in extended projects” – Andrea, AccessArt

You Might Also Like….

Woodland Exploration

A Passion for Woodworking

Visual Arts PLanning: Tees, Forest and Landscapes

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s always so inspiring to hear how different artists work and we particularly like the detailed references Jake makes to his process – marking out the composition using neutral tones; adding and taking away compositional elements and gradually building in more colour and detail. Delivering a still life session in a classroom could begin with this process and encourage the practice of looking at positive and negative space. Some suggested resources below also touch on this”. – Rachel, AccessArt

You Might Also Like….

Tackling Still Life for Children

Drawing Negative Space

Visual Arts Planning: Still Life