Since Bradford Pick and Mix was bursting we inspiration, we asked some of the exhibiting artists to present student sessions and to give introductory workshops for members of the public. A day of workshops was held on Saturday 7th February, and thanks to generous funding of the exhibition by the Arts Council, these were heavily subsidised, opening up new options of creativity for those who attended.
Hannah Lamb discussed realising her work displayed in the exhibition, before guiding beginners to create their own stunning cyanotype images. Glenys Phillips showed how to create textures in silver to make silver jewellery. Helen Parrott took participants around the exhibition, examining how the exhibitors' work has responded to the archive in direct and indirect ways, before they developed their own ideas and responses to the work and archive items shown by using paper, paint, collage and stitch. Mick Manning & Brita Granström talked about their collaborative award-winning illustrated books and also their solo work; Mick a printmaker and Brita a painter. Their presentation included live drawing and singing! Helen Farrar showed knitters how to knit a pair of shoes as featured in her ‘Footsteps’ installation in wool, to felt in the washing machine.
New skills were learnt and friendships made. We received such positive feedback from the workshop day that we hope to stage similar events in the future.
