This project will give children in Primary Schools across Angus the opportunity to: • learn about the environmental impact of plastics and refuse materials ending up in the marine and coastal environment. • be part of a community, art installation, • explore and create in a range of artistic techniques, such as screenprinting, block printing and kinetic sculpture All those involved will contribute to a conversation about sustainability, how litter finds its way into our waterways, and ways in which we can reduce the amount of litter affecting our coastline and seas. Taking the mobile art of Alexander Calder as an inspiration, the children will learn in schools and public workshops with prominent Scottish artist Hetty Haxworth about the whole process of artistic creation through to exhibition, culminating in a unique opportunity to exhibit their work in gallery spaces in Brechin, Arbroath and Montrose.

What we'll deliver:

• be part of a community, art installation
• create in a range of physical materials and artistic techniques
• learn about the environmental impact of plastics

Why it's a great idea:

To bring the message to the wider community, the Primary children in Angus will work to create an art installation using collected litter. This will draw attention to the fact that littering is not a victimless crime; with statistics showing that there are nearly 2,500 items of rubbish for every kilometre on a beach giving potentially deadly consequences to marine life, it’s clear that desperate action is required.

Steps to get it done:

• Buying materials for the art workshops

I am very keen to reach younger and wider audiences, building on my teaching portfolio alongside my artistic practice. The project will focus on creating mobiles, wire structures and screen prints inspired by those of Calder, working with different materials and techniques to produce highly stimulating and colourful displays in exhibition spaces in towns across Angus. Several of the creative sessions will involve pupils bringing in found objects from local beaches to include in the artworks, developing the themes of our relationships with different materials and their properties. As well as providing opportunities for young people to create their own artworks using materials and techniques not commonly available in schools, the project will raise both public awareness of the work of earlier artists who have inspired this, and the profile of these materials in public understanding. The created works will then be displayed to stimulate discourse.