Art Project course gallery No. 18
Art Project: Nursery Rhymes
This week’s brief centred on nursery rhymes and how artists have provided illustrations from these children’s poems, or been inspired by the characters, scenarios and events in them to create new works.
In 1989, contemporary British artist Paula Rego published a now-seminal portfolio of 25 etchings featuring a host of characters from nursery rhymes in a series of work that captures the sense of fantasy, peril, mystery and mishaps found in the stories and which, according to publisher Thames and Hudson “ the innocence of this art is darkened by the underlying themes of power, domination and rebellion, sexuality and gender, that run through (Rego’s) work.”
Artists could create a piece inspired by a line or two from a nursery rhyme and create a work inspired by those words show a specific character or scene unfolding. They could explore the underlying themes (both light and dark) in the rhyme and consider how colour and tone can also add meaning, adding a sense of joy or sadness, excitement or fear into the piece. Artists could also consider how to incorporate text into the piece – the size and position of the text and how it relates to / interacts with the pictorial elements in the work.
Here’s a selection of artwork and prepatory studies made by some of the Art Project course artists taking part in the project.
Look out for another gallery of work coming soon…
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box. |
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box.
|
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box.- Design for ‘Wrapped’ wrapping paper
|
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box.
|
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box. |
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box.
|
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box. |
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box. |
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box.
|
Sylvie Fenton – HAIKUS 072020 (detail)
Eight artist-written haikus presented in a handmade book. Mixed media including acrylic, chinese ink, felt tip on parchment paper presented in a customised found box.
Lorna Howell – Very Insey-Winsey Spider (A Story of Determination)
Four-part lino cut and watercolour
Lorna Howell – Very Insey-Winsey Spider (A Story of Determination) (detail)
Lino cut and watercolour
Lorna Howell – Very Insey-Winsey Spider (A Story of Determination) (detail)
Lino cut and watercolour
Lorna Howell – Very Insey-Winsey Spider (A Story of Determination) (detail)
Lino cut and watercolour
Lorna Howell – Very Insey-Winsey Spider (A Story of Determination) (detail)
Lino cut and watercolour
|
Lorna Howell – Georgie Porgie – The Girls Fight Back
Collage and acrylic
|
Lorna Howell – 3 Craws Sat Upon a Wa’ (Scottish Rhyme)
Watercolour, wax resist and ink |
Lorna Howell – 3 Craws Sat Upon a Wa’ (Scottish Rhyme) (detail)
Watercolour, wax resist and ink |
Lorna Howell – 3 Craws Sat Upon a Wa’ (Scottish Rhyme) (detail)
Watercolour, wax resist and ink
Lorna Howell – 3 Craws Sat Upon a Wa’ (Scottish Rhyme) (detail)
Watercolour, wax resist and ink
Lorna Howell – 3 Craws Sat Upon a Wa’ (Scottish Rhyme) (detail)
Watercolour, wax resist and ink
|
Maurice – The Downfall of Humpty. 1. The Process (“The artistic process is more important than the product.” – Ray Johnson, pop artist)
Digital collage
|
Maurice – The Downfall of Humpty II (All the King’s Men…)
Photograph (digital print and egg)
|
Maurice – Old Mother Hubbard…
Digital collage with acrylic
|
Maurice – The Wheels on the Bus Go Around and Around
Digital sketch and charcoal
|
Jane Goddard -Over the Hills and Far Away
Acrylic and ink on paper
|
Hilary – The Owl and the Pussycat
Acrylic on paper |
Jill – London’s Burning
Pastel on paper
|
Jill – I Frightened a Little Mouse Under Her Chair
Ink and watercolour on paper |
Christie Archer – Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of St Clement’s
Watercolour and ink on watercolour paper
|
Paula – I’m A Little Teapot (The 1960s Tea Party)
Gouache on paper |
Paula – I’m A Little Teapot (The 1970s Tea Party)
Gouache on paper
|
Dieter – Tom Thumb Approaching the Castle
Lino print on Japanese paper |
Chris – Jack And Jill…
Pastel on paper
|
Chris – Mary Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?
With Man-eating Plants!
Pastel and pencil
|
Lynn Laws – Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day
Pastel on paper
|
Lynn Laws – Rain, Rain, Go Away
Acrylic on paper
|
Lynn Laws – Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Graphite on paper
|
JC – Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Ink and watercolour on paper
|
JC – Little Ms Muffet Sat Beneath Louise Bourgeois’ Spider
Ink on paper
|
JC – Little Miss Muffet (Lady Hale, President of Supreme Court)
Ink and watercolour on paper
|
JC – A Frog ( Duke of Anjou) He Would A-Wooing Go
Ink and watercolour on paper
|
Vanda – Study for Twinkle, Twinkle Little Planet
Acrylic, collage and pastel on paper
|