The concept of community art is to facilitate art activities for the local community. Part of my Public Art course was to explore my skills and to carry out art workshop specifically aimed at Autistic children.
My studies and research was located in a very successfully run community center, originally formed by local artist. Over the years it developed to originally designed community building with a medical center, church and various art workshops. The medical clinic referred most of the clients to the community center. Some had severe physical and mental disabilities and were in need of art therapy to enhance their development. It was also open to the local community who had excess to various workshops from ICT room to woodwork and art workshops. It also operated an excellent café, which catered for the visitors and clients.
The public art course was part of placement to explore the various workshops operating in the community center. My task was to work and research within this structure and to formulate an art workshop aimed for people with Autism.
The initial period was a placement in the Community care room, which catered for adults with severe disability. My tasks were to work and research methods and ways best suited for special need clients. Which lead to my association with local community run by parents of Autistic children.
Our task was to find a local community hall and run a pottery workshop once a week for duration of 7 weeks.
Below are selected examples of proposal and plans for the pottery workshop.
Sensory integration dysfunction
· Hyper-or hypo sensitivity of the various senses
· Peculiar clothing and food preferences
· Self-stimulating mannerism
· Fine or gross motor discoordination
Sensory system
There is a great diversity in the skill and behaviour of autistic people. Physicians often arrive at different conclusion. Much of this is due to the sensory system of autistics, which is quite different from the sensory system of other people. Since certain stimulations can affect an autistic person differently than a non-autistic and the degree to which the sensory system is affected varies wildly from one autistic person to another.
They exhibit inability in dealing with normal sensory input. Indicators of this disorder include over sensitivity or under reactivity.
· Touch
· Movement
· Sights
· Sounds
· Physical clumsiness
· Poor body awareness
· Easily distracted
· Impulsive physical and verbal behaviour
· An activity level unusually high or low
· Not unwinding or calming oneself
· Difficulty learning new movement
· Difficulty in making transition from one situation to another
· Social and emotional problems
· Delay in speech
· Language or motor skill
· Specific learning difficulties
· Delay in academic achievement
Repetitive behaviour
They have unusual repetitive motions, known as self-stimulation or stimming. As children, they might spend hours lining up their toy cars & train in a certain way and will get upset if some one disrupts this process.
They often need and demand absolute consistency in their environment. A slight change in any routine can be extremely disturbing.
People with autism sometimes have a persistent, intense preoccupation. For example, the child might be obsessed with learning all about vacuum cleaners, train schedules or lighthouses. Often they show great interest in different languages, numbers, symbols or science topics.
Repetitive behaviours can also extend into the spoken words as well.
Preservation of a single word or phrase, even for a specific number of times can also become a part of child’s daily routine.
Education
Autistic children have trouble understanding what their teacher may be telling them. They do not understand that facial expression and vocal variations hold meanings and may misinterpret what emotion their instructor is displaying. This inability to fully decipher the world around them makes education stressful.
Teachers need to be aware of a student disorder so that they are able to help the student get the best out of the lesson being taught.
The above information is a general description of the spectrum of Autism from the present data. My research and objective was to look at various aspects of art therapy and concept of sensory system and motor skills in relation to autism, as a theoretical template.
Source
(The Handbook of Autism, Autism ‘preparing for adulthood’ and www.wikipidia.org)
Brief outline of pottery workshop
The whole idea of this project is to expose Autistic children to the art of clay.
It was based on intense research and experience in working and living with Autism. Exploring certain aspects of physiotherapy, strength, motor control, stretching and endurance. I also studied the concept of child art, from the basic scribbling, Pre-symbolism, symbolism and realism. Since this basic process, is in essence therapeutic.
Art therapy can be effective way for children to develop and connect with their emotions. Some children with autism have found that drawing can help them to express feeling that they have difficulty expressing otherwise.
Art can help children come to term with their emotions.
Since one of the common factor in Autistic spectrum is the lack of motor and live skills. In term of their sensory and feeling clay is an excellent medium. Since it requires greater motor skill. The whole idea is to find their way and develop their three dimensional skills.
The seven students took an instant liking to clay and were encouraged to construct shapes and forms. In each session, they were shown the basic methods and with supervision they were able to produce work independently. There is a common practice at the present time, where the support work carries out the bulk of the work while the autistic student becomes a spectator and detached from the process.
I made sure such action will not be productive nor will help their development.
So for six weeks they were encouraged to produce their own ideas and to become confident and comfortable with the art of clay.
The results, over eighty ceramic works were produced.
For me this is the way forward to develop their skills and expression.
Background
I have being practicing pottery for the last eight years. Due to my daughter’s Autism and my associations with members of FLAIN, including my wife.
The concept of running a pottery workshop was discussed on many occasions. Due to lack of workshop space and funding the initial idea was suspended.
At present I am a part time student at Bromley by Bow Health centre. My current task deals with Art and disability assignment. Exploring creative work in the community.
My association with Ann Fischer and our recent meeting has made this project possible.
Aims of the Workshop
1) Carry out a pottery workshop based on activities process.
2) Help their motor skills and develop their sensory feeling.
3) Enhance their visual language.
4) Develop their confidence and give them sense of ownership in the work they will be able to produce
5) Encourage their individual abilities and skills
6) Enhance their artistic skills in three dimensional concepts
7) Create an environment of interaction and artistic expression
8) To encourage and develop their individual input.
9) To enjoy the process of artistic expression this is not based on rigid structure but rather an activity workshop.
Workshop
Since we have to construct a pottery workshop from the space in the Salvation Army Hall. I have arranged to meet up with Nick Hanavor to go over finer details on 15th February. Explore the health and safety aspect; look at the main entrance and to make sure it is well lighten at the start of the session.
From our first visit to the Hall on 23 January. I notice an efficient space with plenty of chairs, tables and mobile display stands, which can be effectively utilized to create an activity space.
The following plan is just an idea, which need to be finalized with Ann Fischer and Nick Hanavor.
Main activities
Week one: Introduction to the students and familiarization with their workshop environment. Using Visual aid and sample of pottery for them to view and touch. Then basic method of pinch pots.
Week two: Applying under glaze design on their pinch pots from available templates or based on their own design ideas. Introduction to clay modeling and setting a collective project for producing clay mobiles.
Week three: Working on mobile project based on a theme and ideas from previous week.
Week four: putting final touch to the mobile project and starting on tile design idea for a final collective project. Using slab methods.
Week five: Finishing the tiles design and introducing them to mould making methods to produce plates and bowls.
Week six: concluding the previous week project and reflecting on their progress and the work they managed to produce.
Visual Aid
This is based on my idea as best way of interacting with the students by creating a visual aid presentation to introducing them to basic idea of pottery.
Examples images of Fire, water and Earth as the main source of ceramic.
Images of various pottery methods.
Photos of various pottery works.
All images displayed on the mobile display stands.
Samples of ceramic work.
Pictograph symbols, to help their communication.
Pottery materials
1) White earthenware clay: excellent low firing clay safe to use and very flexible.
2) Velvet under glaze colors: safe to use and vibrant and consistent glaze. Similar to poster paints.
1) Paper clay slip: Safe and excellent in repairing cracked clay. To erase disappointment to the students who will be able to retrieve their broken objects.
2) Clay wax: for design and stopping glazes in dripping during firing process.
3) Wooden pottery tools: safe to use and very good for joining and clay building.
4) Manufactured white tiles: for the students who may not like the feel of clay. It gives them the chance to explore other ceramic methods.
5) Ceramic enamels: To apply on glazed tiles for the above process.
6) Sponges: for clay modeling and keeping the clay wet.
7) Cling film: For drying and anti wrapping and to keep the clay moist for next session.
8) Buckets: to retain clay waste for future reprocessing.
9) Rolling pins: for slab work.
Art Materials
1) Drawing Pads: for each student to explore their ideas and design for set project
2) Poster paints: for painting and design ideas and for the ones who may not like touching clay.
3) Paint brushes: for poster paints and applying under glazes.
4) Children scissors: For design purposes.
5) Pencils: for drawing.
Other Materials
1) Tissues and small towels
2) Soaps
3) Newspapers
4) Jars
5) White tack
6) Drawing pins
7) Safe knives for clay cutting
8) Bowls
9) Cloth materials
Health and Safety
Legislation
Health & Safety at work Act 1992-European legislation.
Community Care Act
Environment
· Clear floors
· Wipe up spillages immediately
· No hard or dangerous implements/edges
· No toxic materials
· Ensure we know who is present at all times
· Fire hazards eliminated
· Regular fire drills
· Qualified First Aider on hand
Materials
· Non toxic
First Aid
· All volunteers to train on emergency techniques
· Qualified first aider on hand
· Numbers of emergency services on hand
Staff welfare
· Ensure staff whereabouts at all times
· Ensure they know the evacuation routine and are clear where emergency exist are
View of center
View of CC Room
