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final thoughts and planning |
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| animation for a poem |
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| there was a good buzz of activity |
Moving Words: Sign Language
is the Key to Young Peoples’ Poetry Project
On 16th January the Falmouth Art Gallery was
buzzing with activity as the first of four groups in Shallal’s ‘Moving Words’ project worked to complete
their creative challenges. The project aims to explore poetry and find links
between spoken, written and sign language through a series of workshops. Working with a diverse and inclusive range of
young people in Cornwall, the project brings together hearing and deaf
communities to enjoy the wide range of ways in which we communicate and to give
British Sign Language an equal footing with other forms of expression.
Today’s participants included a group of young people
educated outside of school and already learning British Sign Language. Shallal facilitators Jo Lumber and Demelza
Rouncefield were joined by film-maker Barbara Santi, enabling the young people
to visualise and animate their ideas and adding an extra flurry of excitement
to the afternoon.
The idea for an innovative project bridging the gap between
spoken and sign language through powerful literature grew out of an enthusiasm for
signing initiated by Demelza Rouncefield; “With sign language words come to
life and become very direct and honest.” she explained.
Maya Peters of Falmouth who has been taking part in the
workshops described the experience as ‘inspirational’, bringing out new talents
in her peer group that she hadn’t seen before.
“Using poetry works really well.” she said. “Everyone seems to be
learning more sign language every week and it gives the words a whole new
dimension.”
Falmouth Art Gallery provided the venue for part of the project as well as ideas for much of the work in the form of its current
exhibition. The project is funded by the
Clore Duffield Foundation.
Thanks to reporter Helen Dale. We were in the Falmouth Packet giving the project and education outside school exposure, and thanks again to Falmouth Art Gallery. We hope to plot new projects with them this year.
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We are looking forward to the next group which will be at Nancalverne School with Debbie O'Nyons and Jessie Webb, the challenges will be different and the signing will be mainly Makaton.
Whilst signing this off I came across Art and Spirituality's quote for this week, which seemed appropriate:
'In Modern life, so fiercely driven with economic pressures, so dominated by materialism and utilitarian values, it is more than ever necessary that art education should be an integral part of school life. And why? Because here we are primarily concerned with the child's creative energies and with the development of those finer sensibilities, those individual and personal potentialities for the praise or appreciation of the non-material, the spiritual things'.
Whilst signing this off I came across Art and Spirituality's quote for this week, which seemed appropriate:
'In Modern life, so fiercely driven with economic pressures, so dominated by materialism and utilitarian values, it is more than ever necessary that art education should be an integral part of school life. And why? Because here we are primarily concerned with the child's creative energies and with the development of those finer sensibilities, those individual and personal potentialities for the praise or appreciation of the non-material, the spiritual things'.
William Johnston in 1941
Art & Spirituality meets Thursday at 6.00pm
Espressini cafe, Killigrew St, Falmouth
Final reminder for ........
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