9. You do not have to wait for Christmas!

This is picture is taken from a Waitrose supermarkets advertisement promoting the sale fruit and vegetables around Christmas time!

I think it presents ideas for making a very clever use of common 'materials' and is also an excellent source of inspiration for students to create their own pictures. A possible project for classroom activity is, a) show the picture to students, b) ask them to collect whatever fruits they think they can use to create their own picture, c) depending on their age, supervise the cutting of fruit into slices, d) use a clean white board to assemble the items to create this face or another variation selected by the children and when the work has been photographed and recorded, encourage the children to eat the pieces provided it is safe for them to do so. Concerns for safety could include the need for care relating to hygiene but also ensuring that children do not suffer from any allergies connected to fruits and nuts.
The topics related to the project can vary from ephemeral art to healthy eating connected to properties of fruit and vegetable. If you can think of other options please write in using the email given on the left or leave a comment.

8 One of my favourite pictures!

This is a photograph of a mousepad that I bought in a computer shop a few years ago!
I believe that it is an aboriginal art, created by putting together beads, slices of fruit, patterns and possibly ribbons made of fabric. But I could be wrong!

What do you think?
If you have seen this before or have a better description of the picture and its background, I would be very interested to hear from you. If you do not want to leave a comment but prefer to send me a private reply via email please do so. Please send your comment to kalwant.ajimal@btinternet.com

7. Investing in creative diversity

Ephemeral Arts as an expression of 'creative diversity'

The cultural environment is segmented into three categories to celebrate diversity as a driver for the Ephemeral Arts:

• The collective and civic forms of culture includes heritage, museums, cinema, concerts, performing and visual arts. These activities have implications for collective cultural celebration affecting regeneration and social policy. Ephemeral arts may be used to programme major festivals and attract community initiatives
• The individual cultural activities are defined as artists-led work, practical workshops and use of television, video and multimedia to extend the audiences for ephemeral arts
• Educational activities provide creative expression for the ephemeral arts. these activities are used selectively for learning, teaching, and research. School based Festivals also offer scope for integration into the national curriculum.
• The scope and significance of Ephemeral Arts for audience development. How are the ephemeral arts defined and presented for linking them to annual fairs, events in the cultural calendar and school programmes.
• How the arts differ depending on definitions and their operations
• How audiences can participate.
• How to create new audiences for more challenging work.