The Chickens of Heathlands

Sometime last year we decided to brighten up The Heathlands Project site with a welcoming sign on our driveway, this was partly to replace the sadly weathered rainbow sheep who had seen better days and partly for fun. We thought it would be good to have large wooden shapes (probably animals) painted up to welcome visitors and show them the way in. The guys chose chickens (several of the staff do have chickens on site) and so we had a little competition to design some funky chickens. The best designs were selected by the lovely Janette (admin officer and fount of knowledge) and we asked one of our excellent volunteers to cut us several large chickens out of plywood.

Painting chickens

Detail

We then set to work painting them all up and getting them varnished and weather proofed. When this was done the chickens were installed in the lane, welcoming visitors to the site and hopefully brightening people's day!

Chicken of Art outside the Art Cabin

Hedgehog

The chickens were so popular that a request was made for more animals so I drew out some large silhouettes of various animals found on or around site and again the guys came up with a range of designs. Once again, they were cut from plywood, painted up, varnished and installed around site. Some of them have signs and point the way to places, others are just for fun. There probably aren't too many places where you can be shown to the cafe by a hedgehog or directed to the car park by a horse.

The stoat of directions

Happy bunny

Watchful Owl

Bumbling Badger

No More Chickens...

The Opulent Room

Last week was my last session with the No Borders Art Group, which was a bit sad as it's been a really fun project but also quite exciting as they got their rooms finished and in two weeks time they have an exhibition. I've really enjoyed this project and I think that the group have learnt a lot, developed their skills and developed a real understanding of how to take an idea and make it into a successful project.

Chicken Bunting

Bunting (detail)

Print on coloured paper

Print on coloured paper

As one of the participants had finished their room a while ago and had been working on prints on fabric which we'd sewn up into bunting she decided to spend the last session making some prints on paper that could be framed for the exhibition. She worked on different coloured papers, giving very different effects.

Stained Glass Window

A luxurious set up

During the session before last one of the participants had made a window for her room; she wanted a stained glass effect so we collaged tissue paper together and stretched it across the 'window.' In the last session she covered the outside of her box with satin and added a lace trim, this served to cover the joins but also fitted in well with the opulent, luxurious theme and all the amazing accessories she has created.

Pink and Purple Retreat

Texture and colour

Beaded chair

And a garden

Last but by no means least the other member of the group wanted to add a garden so she selected different images from magazines and collaged them onto the outside of her box.

The chicken kitchen

Chicken wallpaper

I'm so impressed with the finished rooms, the care and attention to detail is great and I think that they have succeeded in creating beautiful set ups that reflect their personalities wonderfully. I can't wait to see the exhibition!

Chicken Bunting and even more Exciting Interiors!

Mirror of Bling

If you loved the chicken wallpaper you are in for a real treat, this week the No Borders art group came up with more excellent ideas and continued to create beautiful things. Having completed her kitchen the lady who made the chicken wallpaper was ready for another challenge. The group are working towards an exhibition and I've always thought of exhibitions as rather celebratory events and what celebration is complete without bunting?

Chicken drawing

Cutting stencils

Cutting stencils

Following a similar process as for making the wallpaper we started by drawing chickens, we then used the drawings to make stencils to print with. One of the aims of working with the No Borders group is to help develop the support workers skills as well as the skills of the service users so I asked the support workers to make the stencils, it is quite a difficult task as it is often hard to visualise what the stencil will look like when printed up and it is difficult to work out which bits to cut out and which bits to leave. I considered this a successful session because both support workers made stencils that will work really well to print with and both hopefully feel more confident.

Printing

Yellow chickens

Red chicken

The mirror of great bling was also completed this week, it looks great in the 'room.' We also made a table covered with beautiful handmade paper and the group member chose designs for her sofa and chairs. It was a really good session because the person was able to start identifying exactly what it was she liked about the chairs and sofas she had cut out of magazines and this really helped her understand the design process.

The room so far

Table with handmade paper

Chicken Wallpaper and other new Trends

Chicken wallpaper in yellow

Chicken wallpaper in red

As regular followers will know I am currently doing an interiors project with the No Borders Art Group at Harraby Community centre. Since the last post about their mood boards they have raced ahead and their model rooms are really coming together.

Room with collaged wallpaper

Room with chandelier

Kitchen with collage tiled floor

One of the things that I love about working with people is the different approaches people take to the same task and the highly individual outcomes. Last week I worked with one of the group to create some customised wallpaper for her room. Chickens have been a running theme so I asked her to draw some chickens, I then used her drawings to make stencils and she then used the stencils to print up two sheets of wallpaper. When the prints were dry she worked back into the prints with a fine-liner to add eyes and some bits of pipe cleaner for beaks.

Drawing and colouring chickens

Turning the drawings into stencils

Printing with the stencils

Detail of chicken wallpaper

This week I worked with a different group member to make a free standing mirror. She began by cutting out lots of pictures of mirrors from magazines which we then went through discussing what it was about each one that she liked. From this discussion we came up with a design and colour ideas and started to make the mirror. We  made a cardboard frame which she painted and decorated with gems and beads, I can't wait to see the finished item!

Painted pieces for the mirror

Embellishing the mirror frame

Really embellishing the mirror frame

This mirror will go in the very glamorous room which already features a fabulous chandelier and will also house some totally unique upholstery. Last week the creator of this room pieced together a fabric collage which we are going to use to cover the furniture maquettes we will be making in the next couple of weeks. Watch this space! (Well, not this space, as this will stay pretty much the same but a shiny new post will be added and that will have amazing furniture maquettes in it.)

Arranging selected fabrics on a base

Final arrangement

Stitched arrangement