PROFILE

I am essentially a practical person who enjoys the process of making, and the challenge of facilitating the requirements of his clients.

During my career I have taught Technology in all phases of education, and have designed and delivered Inset courses during a four year secondment as Advisory Teacher for Primary Technology and Science.

I began to see the value of art as an opportunity for learning and self expression when I taught special needs pupils, and took the opportunity to return to learning, graduating with a Fine Art degree from Sheffield Hallam University in 2003.


My Work in Education
I now work as a facilitator of creativity workshops and as artist/technologist in residence in schools and the community.

In this role, I consult with my clients to develop and facilitate-
-Workshops to develop art/science /technology skills
-Inset to raise the skill and confidence level of school staff.
-Development of personal skills and the joy of making, through cross curricular creative practical activities.

When I work or deliver workshops, I value the process (the experiential learning that takes place) that is worked through in activity sessions by the participants to achieve an end result.
I aim to achieve sustainability through the use of easily obtainable or recycled materials and by introducing skills and techniques that can be confidently developed by the teacher.

My Artwork
My interest in art is broad and conceptual and current work encompasses my interests in the material world of technology, science and history along with
a growing interest in how our environment and life experiences affect our “self” and our interaction with others.

In my own artwork, I work in the field of Contemporary Art and will select the subject matter, the medium and the presentation of the artwork in order to encourage the viewer to participate.

At present, I am involved in research into the dens or refuges that many of us would have made as children resulting in an exhibition and workshops at the 20-21 Visual Arts Centre in Scunthorpe in February 2006.

Much of my work is made using accessible and low technology skills such as Drawing, Pinhole Photography and model making.

Digital technology is used to provide instant feedback, to keep a record of the process involved in the work, and this will often feature in the finished work.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you feel that I could be of use to deliver workshops or INSET or act as Artist/technologist in residence.

john@art-tek.co.uk

CURRICULUM VITAE

Qualifications

FREELANCE WORK

Jan 2006—ongoing---Primary technology development within the Ridgewood School Doncaster cluster of primary schools working with pupils and the community to promote the idea of an Engineering Passport.

Sept 2005—Artist in Residence at The Cupola Gallery Sheffield.
As part of the “Silver Paper” selected photography exhibition at the gallery, I converted a small room within the gallery into a camera obscurra in order that visitors may see the outside world projected into the building. To permanently fix the projected image, I mounted pieces of photographic paper onto the wall and during an exposure time of 35minutes made an 8ft x2ft black and white image which was displayed as part of the exhibition.
5 days

April 2004-ongoing --- Technologist in residence at Ridgewood School Doncaster working on a project focussing on Doncaster`s railway history. Approx 1 day per week.
Ridgewood School has specialist Engineering status and my work has been to develop and deliver creative activities focusing on engineering and railways for pupils.
The role also involves liaison and delivery of the project to feeder primary schools. For this project I have been involved with designing creative activities for pupils from year3 through to year 10.
The work will result in curating an exhibition to mark the opening of the new Ridgewood Engineering building.
Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.

Feb 2004-Sept 2005 ---- Resident Studio Artist at Brinsworth Comprehensive School, Rotherham. 2-4 days per week.
Working primarily with year 8 pupils and the Art Dept. The aim of the project is to develop opportunities for pupils to have a high degree of input into their learning leading through creative activities, and to develop “autonomous” learning characteristics in pupils.
A pupil committee “Team Spirit,” formed for the project is heavily involved in developing and organizing creative activities and projects.
These have included
- Art based creative activities linked to the curriculum involving painting, printing drawing and sculpture, planned to develop personal skills from the Citizenship curriculum.
-Curating an exhibition of pupils work at Rotherham Art Gallery.
-Planning and delivering science activities to year 2 pupils from a feeder school.
-Selection and organization of a project to assist in providing water filtration boxes (Aquabox) and essential items for disaster areas around the world. This involved inviting in speakers from charities and organizations in order that the pupils may select their own choice.
Funded by Creative Partnerships

2004-July 2005—Staff Development at Moorthorpe Primary School Wakefield. Working with all staff in the school and pupil mentors to develop creative activities for “Technology Week”.
The aim was to raise the level of skills and confidence of the staff and to develop a range of simple sustainable activities that would develop the personal process skills of the pupils.
My input was concerned with the planning and evaluation of the project. The Technology Week was delivered by the staff, thus ensuring ownership and sustainability. 5 days (funded from school capitation)

July 2005---Engineering Summer School Ridgewood School Doncaster-to ease the transition of year6 pupils from the feeder schools.
The theme of the activity is flight and aerodynamics. Pupils were involved in simple creative activities to learn how an aeroplane flies.
All pupils designed, made and tested a model glider. 3days

Feb 2005 --Hothouse Festival- Doncaster-Planning and delivery of pinhole photography course and exhibition of images of the festival in Doncaster Minster in collaboration with The Arthouse. All participants made their own pinhole camera and experimented with making photographs. This was a community family group. --3 days

Jan-March 2005 –Project with Sheffield Hallam University and Brinsworth Comprehensive School to develop with inputs and collaborative activities with Design Technology teacher training students.
I planned and delivered inputs at Hallam Uni. With the student teachers and facilitated the delivery at Brinsworth Comprehensive School.
Funded by Creative Partnerships BDR. –5days

June 2004 -- Appointed as visual artist (drawing, painting &printing) to work alongside and in collaboration with creatives from music, drama and dance at Rotherham Gifted and Talented Summer School at Bretton Hall. The project resulted in a performance and exhibition at The Montgomery Theatre in Sheffield. (5 days)

June 2004—Project with Rotherham Churches Initiative
I was asked to plan a project which would result in the production of two large banners featuring local history at Treeton Church Rotherham.
Initial ideas were made by year 3 pupils at Treeton Primary School which were then developed by year 8 pupils at Brinsworth Comprehensive. The banners were then made as a collaborative activity involving pupils from both schools and members of the community.
Funded by Lottery and Creative Partnerships) 5days

May 2004--- Visiting Speaker at Barnsley Doncaster Rotherham Creative Partnerships Conference at The Earth Centre. Doncaster.
An illustrated talk about the use of creative activities to develop autonomous learning skills in pupils.

Sept 2003- Delivery of Pinhole Photography workshop to form a part of my solo exhibition “Photo Story” at The Point. Doncaster. (1 day)