Vision for Painting in the Park
Painting in the park
Waymakers Kids delivered a 2 day painting event at Thames Barrier Park in September 2022.
Despite the forecast rain, the sun came out in force as we delivered t-shirt design, mixed media collage and mark making process art workshops.
Waymakers Kids wanted to create an opportunity for families in the local community to come and experience art in the open space. Process Art is about enjoying creating and exploring art materials without thinking of a specific intented outcome. There is much research supporting the improvement of well being and stress relief when engaging the right brain in creative activities such as drawing and painting or playing musical instruments.
Over lock-down, the dream of Waymakers Kids being a space for mums and children to come and be part of a creative community was born. A space where you didn't have to worry about the mess or feeling guilty because you don't have the capacity to create art experiences for your child. We create an environment where children and adults can explore, spend quality time together and do so amongst like-minded people.
Painting in the Park was the answer to the question, "How can we engage the local community in process art?"
Together with local artists and programmers, we curated a 2 day painting in the park event with a number of art workshops and with the invitation to create something that represent themselves being part of the Royal Docks. This painting event then led to the work being celebrated in a 3 day art exhibition at Art in the Docks in Royal Albert Wharf.
T shirt design
Working with local artist CJ Pidlaoan, children created personalised t-shirts with their names using laser cut letters and spray paint.
Children were then invited to display their work in a fashion show at the park to showcase their handywork.
Mixed media collage
Our families engaged in a colour theory workshop with local artists and designer, Dorothy Mendoza, who invited our artists to create a mixed media collage piece celebrating the Royal Docks.
Our participants were invited to play with contrasting colours and charcoal and then choose imagery or wrds that made them think of the Royal Docks and how it feels to live or work in E16.
900 pieces of work later, we had developed a language and expressive visual of the colours of our local community.
Mark making process art
Cheryl Noutch, the Waymakers Kids Director, created an immersive mark making experience where the community was invited to mark make and paint on different surfaces.
Parents, toddlers and school children enjoyed our cling film walls, Thames Barrier sticker sculpture and mark making canvases to name a few.
The area also invited the local community to sing, dance and enjoy a story based on the theme of "making your mark!"
Below are images and videos showcasing our projects carried out at Thames Barrier Park and Art in the Docks. With thanks to "People who film" and Dorothy Mendoza.
