Workshop Content: We will first learn a little history about cave drawing and painting from the artists presentation showing example work and a visuals of different types of cave painting, drawing nd sculpting over the eras. The children will then be given brown sugar paper to draw with charcoal and chalks a series of iconic imagery as the artist demonstrates each component one by one that the children copy eg: Sun, Bison, People, Horses, deer, hand patterns etc. To make a cave drawing montage.
In the second part of the workshop the children will crumple up there paper to make look old and torn and then blue tac these sheets underneath their desks to create their own ‘cave’ the groups will then move tables so that are under someone elses cave and the artist will play a series of nature sounds that the children have to depict and draw underneath on their cave roofs!, This has worked really well in the past and the children really got into it as a sensory experience and also found it challenging enough to draw on the ‘walls’.
...................................................................................................................................... Lets visit the stone Age
The Stone Age lasted 3.4 million years . It encompasses technological, and cultural developments from the very first use of stone tools through cave dwelling to nomad shelters to basic farming and settlements of permanent shelters. It is agreed that the Neolithic ( late stone age) ended for most cultures between 6000 and 2500 bc. However Native American and Aboriginal time lines stretch up to exposure to modern cultures. A lot of what we predict about the Neolithic age is based on similarities drawn between archaeological finds and recent ethnographic studies of ‘stone age’ societies. The proposed workshops are therefore based around these theories as they allow participants to actively engage with the art and technology being studied.
75 minute session split into 3x 20 min workshops. Below is a list of possible activities that school can chose from:
Shamanism- Exploring how stone age people though and saw their world. (This session includes a short ‘mindfulness’ relaxation that will help participants to create ‘Medicine/ a spirit helper’ to imbue them with the courage and strength of the mighty orix.)
Build a shelter- A practical exercise ( indoor or outdoor) to build a shelter from basic materials:- (poles, canvas to represent hides and twine. Plastic water bottles can also be used to represent stones). Cave painting- the use of art to express spiritual/magical values of nature using paint blowing ,stick brushes and charcoal. (The significance of the pictures is explained as shamanistic experience, stories , instructions and incantations for bountiful times. ) £1.00 per head for canvas if required. Lighting a fire.- using principles of the fire requirements, participants will collect suitable fuel and look at fire starting techniques. . ( all materials can be provided if there is no access to wooded area, and fire can be set in fire bowl on tarmac if no outdoor natural space is available.) Pottery-Make and decorate a coil pot. (Examples of pots shown and the techniques demonstrated.) School can provide the clay if wished.
