Category Archives: recycling

A multitude of miniature organs

Mini-organs by Telferscot Primary

All through this term I have been working on a marvellous project celebrating the wonder that is the Royal Festival Hall organ. In my last post I talked about a visit to the workshop where the organ was made and restored – and to complement that here are some brand new organs, all invented and hand-built from cereal packets by year 5 at Telferscot Primary School in Balham.

I set the class the challenge of creating an activity that families visiting the RFH could do at home, inspired by the organ – and they all immediately started to fizz with ideas and brilliantly creative solutions. These mini-organs feature all the elements of the real thing – a console and keyboard, many many pipes, pedals, a soundboard, blowers – and of course seats for the audience and in some cases a luxury box for VIP visitors! One of them even comes in its own carrying case – the perfect portable organ.

I’m going to be compiling all the children’s ideas into a takeaway activity sheet full of tips on how to make your own organ, ready for the Pull Out All the Stops organ festival in March 2014.

A nest of birds

nest1

The children in my Friday art group at Singlegate Primary School have been making their papier mache birds – here’s a nestful, and there are many more. They are inventing names and personalities and stories for the birds, and will be making books about them for the school library. One is a sumo bird, and another wears tiny glasses.

Recycling project

Tolworth Girls’ School wanted to create an artwork using recycled materials and involving everyone in Year 9. I took inspiration from artist El Anatsui and devised this wall hanging made from recycled juice cartons. Each girl made a segment of 25 tiny squares linked with wire, and they also etched their own designs into the silver and gold packaging material. The result is a flexible hanging that can be hung in folds to catch the light. Sue Edkins also worked on this project.