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We are pleased to share the work of Mel Woo, a recent Masters graduate from the University of Arts London and an exhibitor at London Grads Now.21.. Mel is an artist originally from New Zealand. Mel’s work often reflects the environment in which she lives. Her work ‘Devices’ is a collection of works made during the second lockdown in 2021.

‘Devices’ by Mel Woo- copper, rope, plaster, clay and cuphooks L50cm x H90cm x W22cm. Jan-June 2021

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….

“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

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I am AccessArt: Ann Rippin

Making Batik Textiles in the Classroom

How I Use Drawing and Sketchbooks

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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 project provides a real opportunity for children to engage with a range of different processes to produce truly individual final results. Jan Miller is an experienced teacher and connects her projects well with learning outcomes. In this case, children are encouraged to have a loose approach and to make their own creative decisions – which is such a valuable part of any child (or adults!) creative education”. – Rachel, AccessArt

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Painted Houses

One Line Street

Responding to Place

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

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Henry Moore’s Shelter Drawings

Remembrance Day Soldiers

For Remembrance Day

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.

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Monoprint Animals

Screen printing Inspired by Matisse

An Exploration of Shepherd Fairey

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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

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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….

“It’s great to see music being explored in this way, and combining it with making creates a really interesting immersive project. This activity would work well as part of an extended project looking at musical instruments around the world and some of the natural materials they are made from.” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Pathway: Music and art

This is featured in the ‘Music and Art’ pathway

talking points: wassily Kandinsky

drawing source material: orchestras

A Cheerful Orchestra

Talking Points: Linda BEll

Talking Points: Nnena Kalu

What We Like About This Resource….

“The sense of journey and feeling of movement is such an interesting part of Cas’ textile work here. We love how location and place is communicated through the variety of fluid and meandering textile marks used. Cas’ Romani background as well as early experience living in Japan make for a rich cultural backdrop to her work. The themes here could be explored in the classroom by asking children to use memories of places they’ve visited to produce a creative response using fabrics and mixed media” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Draw Your Home

Working With and In the Landscape

Landscape Sculptures

What We Like About This Resource….

“It’s lovely to see a resource that centres on a particular material and the scope it offers. I particularly like how the dogwood is used here to make wooden beads. This idea could be developed further by looking at how wood has been used to make jewelry throughout history and within many different cultures.” – Rachel, AccessArt.

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A Passion for Woodworking

Woodland Exploration

Visual Arts Planning: Trees, Forests and Landscape

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What We Like About This Resource….

“We love how this activity provides an opportunity to explore a well known Artist’s work, through focussing on their materials and techniques. The children looked at Frank Bowling’s work before creating their own individual responses that retained individual ownership – something we advocate as part of a rich and balanced visual arts education. It was also great to see how a professional artist visited the school to further enhance the children’s experience.” – Rachel, AccessArt

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Pathway: Cloth, thread, paint

This is featured in the ‘Cloth, Thread, Paint’ pathway

Talking Points: Frank Bowling

Talking Points: Hannah Rae

Talking Points: Alice Kettle

What We Like About This Resource…

“Rosie highlights the importance of embracing a wide variety of interests and ways of working into our wider creative practice, resulting in wonderfully rich and very personal explorations and outcomes.

There are so many clues in this resource for teachers. Look out for how Rosie slows down her whole process into a series of interconnected stages, which weave in and out of each other. These include time for research (collecting and observing), analysing and revisiting, drawing, making and finally documenting.” Paula, AccessArt

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Pathway: Telling Stories through drawing and making

This is featured in the ‘Drawing Stories Through Drawing and Making’ pathway

Pathway: Set Design

This is featured in the ‘Set Design’ pathway

talking points: negative space by tiny inventions

Gabby Savage-Dickson: Felting & Embroidering Sets

Year 3 Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake Homework

Draw, Paint, Build, Make: Gallery Project

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Pathway: Print & Activism

This is featured in the ‘Print & Activism’ pathway

Talking Points: Luba Lukova

Talking Points: What is a Zine?

Making Large Scale, Screenprinted, Collaged, Co-Created Campaign Posters!

Making an Artist’s Book

Book Artists

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Pathway: 2D Drawing to 3D Making

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

Talking Points: Packaging Design

What is Typography

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Pathway: Stick Transformation project

This is featured in the ‘Stick Transformation Project’ pathway