All teachers and pupils know how much benefit can be gained from a visiting artist delivering a fresh and dynamic workshop session. Our workshops are fully adaptable to blend into the current curriculum and totally suit your needs; from a single KS1 lesson in Islamic Patterns through to a comprehensive two day programme for High Schools in Cultural and Personal Identity using elements within a vast range of Sacred and Religious Art and Design.
Download full details here for printing (PDF)
Cultural Routes Menu (Leeds / Wakefield)
A wealth of sacred arts and spiritual traditions in the world, with their universal principles, have something profoundly important to teach us about the nature of Self.
________________________________
New: Three FREE hours of Creativity Coaching for new private students. Contact me for a chat anytime.
Schools in the Leeds area please contact Clare Price at Artforms
For NAEA / YSP enquiries please contact Ted Kennedy
At the core of my work is the appreciation of sacred and natural art forms which are undeniably beautiful. Appreciation of beauty is fundamental to the human condition. A workshop typically begins with activating this appreciation, through vivid visual presentation, alongside my own experiences as a socially engaged, visual artist working with these universal, sacred forms and their inherent principles . As a trained storyteller and mediator with lots of enthusiasm, I bring a lively and engaging atmosphere to any classroom.
At High School level and above, through various exploratory exercises including creative writing, dialogue, meditation and of course a piece of art work, I allow the individuals within the group to confidently bring forth and share personal aspects of their own identities. I help facilitate the integration of these personality aspects into the wholeness of the group which is now a complete micro-community of creative people.
Self-evaluation takes place around the exhibition context.
These more advanced studies are suitable for prospective Art & Design, History, Citizenship, Graphic Design, Religious Studies or Geography A level students. Teachers inset days are also available.
Sacred Patterns Workshop
Islamic Arts & Culture
I have particularly found Islamic art to be very clear in demonstrating deep universal principles, with its emphasis on harmony of form borrowed from nature and the artistic implementation of mathematics and various sciences. Like human nature, it is organic and at the same time precise. My research into sacred art continues.
“In general, we live within a culture that does not believe very much in the soul anymore – or if it does, won’t admit to it publicly for fear of being thought old fashioned, out of step with “modern imperatives” or “anti-scientific.” The empirical view of the world, which measures it and tests it, has become the only view to believe. A purely mechanistic approach to problems has somehow assumed a position of great authority and this has encouraged the widespread secularisation of society that we see today.
Our striving in the industrialized world is certainly not fired by a love of wisdom. It is far more focussed on the desire for the greatest possible financial profit.
This ignores the spiritual teachings of traditions like Islam, which recognize that it is not our animal needs that are absolute; it is our spiritual essence, an essence made for the infinite. “
- HRH Prince of Wales speaking in Oxford 2010 – full speech here
Storytelling
A bit more fun in your classroom might involve some stories from The Thousand and One Nights or other folk tales and teaching stories and I’ll even be dressed in a traditional Uzbek cloak, turban and curly slippers if required!
Please email me for a sample lesson plan and any questions you may have about my pedagogical approach.
I am currently undertaking study for for Philosophy for Children levels at DECSY
I am represented by Artforms Leeds as part of their flagship ‘Cultural Routes’ programme for schools.
Fully Insured & Enhanced CRB Holder
Sheffield area – contact direct via this website.
Leeds & North Yorkshire area – contact via Artforms Leeds
Hand Painted
