After calls for artists to submit proposals to run inflatable sculpture workshops with 5 - 16 year olds, an innovative proposal by two artists from London, Lucy Hubbard and Rachel James, was chosen by the young people who were to participate in the project.
In April 02, Lucy and Rachel spent an intensive 2 weeks on the Isle of Lewis, working for 5 days in Uig and 5 days in Bernera with children and young people from scattered coastal villages.
Each group was playfully presented with a trunk containing templates, equipment, materials and instruction manuals for the sculptures. The emphasis was on individual contribution towards a team project. 5 - 7 year olds constructed light pods from paper, paint and wooden plinths, 8 -11 year olds made columns from clear PVC, and vinyl shapes which they abstracted from maps, 12 - 16 year olds cut and sewed a domed tent, customized with their own designs in coloured vinyl. Each type of sculpture was inflated using fans of various sizes. The workshops included looking at, and talking about sculptures from a ‘secret bag’ of photographs.
After a day spent creating an installation from all the different age groups work and making posters, the young people’s work was open to the public. Family, friends and neighbours were delighted to see Uig and Bernera Community Halls transformed into stunning environments of coloured light and shadows. People could weave their way through the glowing pods and columns, until finally entering the domed tent which took on the intimate atmosphere of a camp fire during each one day event.
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