Text in Motion

South Lanarkshire Council’s Arts Network Team have run several art and design projects targeted at senior pupils interested in completing portfolios for art school. The focus of these projects in the past has been on fashion design however this year, informed by evaluation and feedback from previous projects, the project ran with a broader design focus. The main intention of the project was to give senior pupils the opportunity to work alongside professional, practising designers.

Three schools were involved in the project from September 2006 until January 2007.

The schools were Duncanrig High School in East Kilbride, Stonelaw High School in Rutherglen and Holy Cross High School in Hamilton. Each school was offered the choice of a variety of design specialisms and the design areas nominated were Lighting, Jewellery and Textiles. The project ran after school for ten weeks for a maximum of fifteen S4-6 pupils.

Each group worked with a professional designer on the topic of ‘Text in Motion’. The designers involved were Katty Barac (Lighting), Helen McPherson (Jewellery) and Joanie Jack (Textiles). The designers took the pupils through the project focusing on the research and development of creative ideas around the theme ‘Text in Motion’.  The focus of the project was very much about the design process, however an exhibition space was secured at the National Museum of Rural Life to display the work created.

During the project all groups had the opportunity to visit the National Museum of Rural Life to see the exhibition space and to receive a talk from the Curator, Elaine Edwards, about how to display objects. Some pupils also visited the Lighthouse in Glasgow to see a poster design exhibition. The textiles group visited the Centre for Advanced Textiles at the Glasgow School of Art.

'I really enjoyed learning how to use different materials and it was interesting to see how words can influence design.' 'The trip to the Museum of Rural Life was inspiring as it was encouraging to know that our work would be put on display like the many professional artists before us.'  Participating pupils

All pupils were asked to contribute to the display and text panels for the exhibition and a small number of pupils were involved in the installation of the exhibition. The exhibition opened on Wednesday 17 January and ran for one month. A private viewing was held and this was well attended by pupils and their families as well as all staff involved in the project. JR Campbell from the Centre for Advanced Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art officially opened the exhibition.

The Arts Network Team feel this has been a very successful initiative and the evaluations completed support this. The aims and objectives of the project have been met and the pupils who took part have benefited from working with professional designers.

'Continuing to give students the opportunity to interact with working professionals in developing an insight into art and design and its place in society will always be welcomed by schools especially if it continues to be done in such a professional and friendly way.' School staff

'I think the pupils gained a huge sense of fulfillment and self confidence from seeing not only the amount of development work we covered but also from each creating a complete, finished, functioning piece within a timescale they initially though was challenging. Several pupils are considering pursuing further education in the field of art and design and many in the group stated that the project had changed their approach to coursework and confidence in expressing their ideas.' Designer

The South Lanarkshire Council Arts Network Team would to thank the designers, the National Musuems of Scotland and the National Museum of Rural Life, the art departments of each school and the Centre for Advanced Textiles at the Glasgow School of Art for all their support.