Recent activities        

Here are just a small selection of some of the activities I have provided so far this year as well as in the past.

December 09		I had a fantastic time last weekend making christmas decorations with families in Ringwood its amazing how manythings you can make using materials from arround the home as well as bits salvaged and recycled from freinds and family
Big Draw October		I had lots of fun with members of Winchester's Mencap Group  exploring lots of different ways to draw and make a mark
Current long term projects		Working on a freelance basis as a community arts outreach project worker for Southampton Scrapstore Community Builders Project, to develop two new community based projects in the Test Valley. For more details about the CB projects visit http://www.cbproject.blogspot.com/
		Over the spring and summer term providing short taster activities for children and staff attending after school clubs in Eastleigh . These include making dream catchers, fabric weaving, junk mail painting, printing, insect badges,, decorating picture frames, crowns and tiaras  and making poi.
Recent work		Doodle over and over  and over Big Draw day at the D@rt Centre in Hedge End Eastleigh As part of the event the centre has build a giant cassette worked with local families and students to construct two of its sides. In the morning I produced a large woven panel using recycled plastic and netting and asked participants to weave in their own section In the afternoon I worked on a cartooning activity with a difference ,together we worked added our faces to a large see through screen, participants also produced their own picture to take away.
September		Mencap (Winchester) invited me to provide a rug weaving workshop at there information day event at Winchester Discovery Centre
Summer holiday activities for children and families		I  was contacted by the New Forest extended schools coordinator and asked to provide an activity at their fun day and several workshops over the summer holidays Ringwood Family fun day 24th July 10-3, open to families in the area where I will be providing mask making activities all day In addition to this I also provided a Family Cane structure workshop a Insect wing making workshop and a Wizard activity day Portchester Keepsake Children's Centre National Play Day Animal mask making activitys . Wizard activity day 28th August, 10 -3 for children aged 6 -12 years at Ringwood Junior School
		Wildern Performing Arts School in Hedge End . I was contacted by the school to ask if I would like to take part in their international week , when  students from Spain, France and Germany  would be joining the school, as part of the theme for the week was linked to Shakespeare they asked me to provide a workshop making masks from the period which I was happy to agree to . During the day I worked with  125 students aged 13 -14. and was invited to the school dance in the evening where many of the students wore period costume along with their masks.
June 09		Insect and fairy wings at Eastleigh Under Fives Fun days providing an open access activity for families and children living near the Hub in Bishopstoke and Hatch Grange in West End,
		Workshop with the title of create your own artwork and ideas for using recycled and natural materials,  at Chandlers Ford Library
April 2009		Wildlife adventure day  for children aged : 4~12 year olds.During the Easter half term I provided a  adventure day for children at Wildern School D@rt Centre in Hedge End. The activities included exploring ideas linked to being stranded on a island and  making mask sand hats  ,designing shields and totems and making dens.
March 09		Providing a Textile  mini banner painting workshop  at  Crestwood Community College, Eastleigh.  Community cultural open day event.
New year 09		Providing Christmas themed activities for children at five different after school clubs in and around Eastleigh.
In the may of 2008 my partner Glenn and I set of on our adventure travelling around central  Europe for six months in our motor home Babe we returned to the country at the end of last year. Up until that time I worked part time as a community worker and childcare development advisor in Easteigh as well as running my JaxsArts and Designs. When I returned to the country  I  decided to resume my arts practise running Jaxs Arts and also started a  new part time positions as a community worker based in Winchester.
Past Experience
2008 April		Making Giant Carnival Masks a whole day workshop with 15, year 9 children at King Richard School, the young people made some amazing 2d, 3d and full head masks
		Making Dream Catchers at Shirley Infant School with year1 ( 3 classes of children) and parent helpers
		Cane sculptures with parents and children at Fairisle Infant School . The head teacher at the school wanted to explore the idea of providing a arts workshop where parents and children could learn new skills and create a piece of work together. The children who had taken part in the activities  took their creations to the school assembly and explained to the other children how they had made them. A new experience for the school a fantastic experience and everyone had lots of fun Making tribal masks with yr r insect and bird wings with yr 1 and designing and making robots with yr2 at Hollybrook Infant School , we had lovely sharing assembly at the end of each day the children were so pleased with their creations they couldn't wait to take them home Rag rug making workshop & Basketry skills workshop with the Asian Elders group in Eastleigh Face painting workshops at Pilands Wood Community Centre on behalf of the Southampton Scrapstore Community Builders project . Making Animal Masks cats, hamsters and rabbits with yr r and mythological themed wings with yr 1 at Fairisle Infant School. always great fun Poi making workshop with children aged 8- 10 in Southampton ( private booking) Creating some amazing cane sculptures with year 8s at King Richard School in Portsmouth. The young people created a variety of items these including  giant  walk in masks, pumpkins, snakes, flowers and suns and moons
October 2007		Wizarding activity day I spent a great day providing a wizarding activity day at Itchen Valley Country Park great fun was had by all especially when we all took part in a wizarding tournament in the park at lunchtime , we made some wicked creatures to take home.
		Boscombe Community Festival at Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth I had a fantastic time joining in with the children's team making Fairy wings, Dream catchers and Carnival costumes .Great fun was had by all
		Hampshire Open Artist weekends Open Studios August2007 Ropewalk Garden, Southampton http://www.ropewalkgarden.btik.com/calendar/1561120504.ikml http://www3.hants.gov.uk/events/searcheventslisting/eventsdetail.htm?id=3767 I spent several busy days making a mini willow maze and peacock sculpture as well as exhibiting several pieces at the garden On the 1st September I provides introduction to willow basketry taster sessions with many of the local families from St Marys at the Ropewalk Gardens Community Fun Day 1-4pm
		Endorset In Dorset Music Festival  http://www.lgofestivals.com/whats_on_kids.php August 2007 Along with my team of willing volunteers we provided  wing and dream catcher workshops for families and young people . It was great fun being part of the children's area we made lots of new friends and met a few old ones. http://www.lgofestivals.com/information.php
Unfortunately the pictures were not of a good enough quality to use on the website		Fairy Day for adults with my friend Jani at the Friends Meeting House in Southampton We provided a workshops which focussed on wing and costume making  . great fun was had by all
		Workshops with Southampton Scrapstore team Coordinating the arts workshops and running several of the activities at the Eastleigh Music Festival 2007 Carnival workshop series for Southampton Scrapstore the group made a variety of costumes, when the workshops were finished we held a St Nicholas parade and lots of people joined in (December 07) St Mary's Festival, Southampton  (July 07)  junk modelling activities Printing workshop as part of at Fareham Henry Cort Sculpture Park, West Street  family fun weekends ( July07) Making bird and butterfly feeders at 2 of Southampton Libraries The  Big Wild Read theme Summer workshops linked to the  BBC's "Breathing Places" campaign Thornhill Children's activities week (Southampton) (2006) an afternoons workshop providing a mask making workshop for primary aged children. This activity focused on encouraging the children to think about using a variety of recycled materials in various different ways. This was quite a new activity and a challenge for many of the children ,who were used to having  activities laid out in kit form
Unfortunately there are no pictures available		Faerie Wings making activities at Itchen Valley Country Park (Eastleigh) I am often asked about drop in activities for families with young children so I decided to book the community room at put on 2 sessions in July. Great fun was had by all.. children from the age of 3came with their families and the odd passing young person also took advantage of this event . well worth doing
		Blissfields (B6) Music Festival (2006)(Bradley near Arlesford) I provided a wandering activity at the festival based around face painting  and making Chinese ribbons, Both  children and adults joined in with this activity.
Unfortunately there are no pictures available		Crestwood College for Business and Enterprise (Eastleigh) years 7 and 8 . Healthy living activity week, I was asked to provide  an activity which explored the theme of the healthy food pyramid and the five healthy food groups. Working alongside a teaching assistant we provided a variety of basic materials including chicken wire , paper, tissue , paint , card and playdough.and  explored the idea of making representative sculptures of the food relating to the topic. The resulting sculptures were positioned within a wooden frame representing the overarching pyramid.
		The D@rt Centre, Wildern Community School (2006)(Hedge End) invited me to exhibit at the opening of their sculpture park and new art stage. The theme for the day was linked to water so I decided to make a mermaid out of willow cane and ribbon , it  was great to hear the different interpretations of what it could mean, many of the children thought that she was a dancer whilst most of the adults decided that she was either a water spirit or a mermaid. A most rewarding activity, the organizer, asked me if she could stay with them for a while longer at least until after the next open day where I had been asked to provide a den building activity ( see below)
		Den Building and tree dressing at Wildern Community School  Sculpt Art Activity Open Day  (2006) A most inspiring day .. many dens were build and adapted and decorated throughout the day until with the end result being  one huge community village. Children aged from 5-13 and their parents/carers came along to the open event. A family hive of activities throughout the day,several parents told me that they were going to help their children build a den in there gardens. A mum and son said that they had so much fun that they said that they were now going to plan a den building event in the woods for  the sons 13th birthday party. What more I can ask for a fantastic day.
		Dream Catcher workshop at Romsey Community School (2006) Half term activities

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