The Four Panels
At the end of the summer term, the pupils worked hard on producing bright and bold designs suitable for large-scale mosaic work. They decided on an animal theme, which would not only be cheerful and fun, but would reflect the pupil's recent work as part of the Ecoschools prgramme: a recognition that all creatures on earth should be valued and protected. I then set to work sourcing some interesting frost-proof materials for the making of the mosaic - everything from cracked mugs and empty wine bottles to marbles and cast off junk jewellery! The week before the making of the mosaic, I transferred the pupils' designs onto suitable boards and cut them to size and shape. I also edged the boards in glass tiles, both to give the work finish and to make it more weather-resistant.
Work in Progress
All the pupils worked on the mosaic, taking turns to work a morning or afternoon and making two visits each to the temporary mosaic studio created in one of the classrooms. As the week progressed and the individual animals within the design were completed, the excitement amongst the pupils was a joy to witness. Even when the process had reached the messy grouting stage and I had to work on my own, I had regular visits from everyone, usually by way of heads popping up through the windows that open on to the playground: they just had to see what was happening next!
Later that week, the local joiners performed the delicate operation of mounting the panels on the school walls within the playground. On my return visit the following week, I was really pleased to see the powerful impact of the mosaics 'in situ': they retained all the joy of the children's original drawings but now sparkled with the added texture and interest created by the use of such an eclectic range of mosaic materials.
Well done to everyone in Kinlochberive Primary School (including Mrs Bruce, all the adult helpers and the stray High School pupils who gave an hour or two of their time) - the results are stunning!
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