Another Saturday and another great Art Club. This week I decided that we would look at David Hockney’s A Bigger Splash painting. Maybe I’m dreaming of lying poolside in the LA sun. Wishful thinking. 

We talked for a while about the flatness of the painting, the presence of a person, the use of shapes, rectangles and lines to create the image and discussed a whole bunch more. Everyone in my art groups has an opinion and they love to share. Both groups worked on the same project today. The first group, aged 5 to 8, set the bar high. Group 2 know that I expect more from them. They’ve been artists longer so why wouldn’t I. Today’s more was straighter lines and strong shapes. Details – looking closer at the painting and adding the finer details to make their work stand out more. Our material for this was collage and paint.

Here is what Group 1 created. Remember how little these guys are! I’m impressed.

Never under estimate the joy of a bit of cutting and sticking……that is what collage is whether you are 5 or 55. Check out this little film of group 2. Bare in mind this is the group who arrive filled with giggles and chat as someone pulls out a couple of tubs of slime and invites everyone to take a turn a sticking their fingers in to make the funniest noise. After our beginning activity to get everyone in the right mood to create I don’t tell them to not talk. 

I think it’s safe to say they loved this and immersed themselves into the project.

Here is what they created. I’m dreaming of sunshine and pools even more.

When I planned this class a couple of days ago I didn’t know that Tate Britain are showing a David Hockney retrospective next month. If I can’t get to LA maybe I can at least make it to London for a spot of Hockney gazing. I think we might well look at some more Hockney this term.