Environmental Art: Outdoors Learning at School Grounds

1. outlook • MAY 2007
groundnotes September 2008
Schoolgrounds-UK
Environmental art
Art and the school grounds are natural within one colour band (for example,
partners. The outdoors offers not just the ‘Environmental art is about many the different shades of greens, or the
space to experiment with scale but also – things, including being sensitive different shades of brown)
by drawing on the outdoor environment to the natural cycles of our world. ● different shapes of leaves, flowers,
itself – a wide range of exciting stimuli. It is about using natural materials stonework
This Groundnotes looks at how without causing harm to the
environment; it is about allowing ● different textures of plants and surfaces.
environmental art . . .
natural processes to change the Collect a number of special items and
● uses the environment for inspiration. place them in a prepared set of plastic
art created (to even crumble and
For example, making drawings of pockets (slide carrier sheets, floppy disc
fade over time); it is also about
natural features like trees and flowers sheets or similar). Decide why they have a
expressing a concern for the
● uses the environment as a resource. fragility and robustness of special nature. Do they look like
For example, making artworks nature.’ something else? Do they have a magical
from natural materials such as bug Sonia Percival, artist and feel or power? Is their
sculptures constructed from twigs, landscape manager colour/shape/texture appealing? Projects
bark, leaves etc. could include . . .
discoveries to set pupils thinking about ● building up a story from your found
Getting started – what the outdoors has to offer an artist in objects
investigating your grounds the way of inspiration and resources. The ● drawing round each found object on to
Look at what you have outdoors while results of your environmental ‘audit’ paper and making the object into these
thinking of your outdoor area from an could itself be developed into traditional magical other things. Use soft pastels to
artist’s point of view. Walk around your and non-traditional works of art. capture a more natural look.
grounds and reflect on how art permeates With younger pupils, encourage With older pupils encourage them to
all your outdoor areas. You can do this them to look at: look at:
with your children, and use your ● the different colours, and the variety ● edges, holes and lines – for example,
LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES

2. groundnotes • SEPTEMBER 2008
lines and patterns in bark; cracks,
markings, paths and edges of the hard
playground area
● repeated patterns – ripples in the pond,
stem lines, windswept piles of leaves,
reflections
● focal points – a large tree, area of grass,
play equipment, viewing spots,
entrances, brickwork.
Pupils can develop their observations in
traditional ways such as drawing or
pattern making or use what they have
found to think beyond the obvious and
develop new ideas such as . . .
● using an avenue of trees as a corridor
of space for hanging things
● using earth, soil and stone for creating
pictures, making earth pigments for
painting, sculpting, mud painting.
Planning your project
Decide on numbers Your environmental
art project could involve the whole school,
individual year groups or classes, or small
groups of pupils. Who is involved will
depend on how ambitious your project is school grounds? If your school grounds Magic carpets
and the amount of space you have to work can only offer limited resources, you could Look at some images of woven rugs and
within. Bear in mind that you will need to make a visit to a nearby park or woodland carpets from different countries or perhaps
match the number of tasks and resources to collect inspiration. Or ask your local from a story book. Find a good space to
to the number of pupils involved. ranger service to come into school with create either one large carpet or several.
Choose a theme Consider which themes resources from their country park. Make the outline with sticks and go from
and topics run through your curriculum there using leaves, flower heads, seed
and could benefit from an environmental heads, bark, grass, petals, sticks, stones
art connection. For example, topics such and/or feathers to create patterns.
as mini-beasts, caring about the Autumn leaves give you a wide range
environment and personal identity may of rich golden to red colour and very large
not be part of the art and design pieces of bark can act as a good base. Bear
curriculum but offer potential for in mind that you will need to choose a
cross-curricular links. sheltered spot if it is windy.
Consider the seasons Remember to
factor in seasonal changes when planning
your project as these may affect your
natural resources – for example, autumn Thinking big
leaves, summer flowering grasses, winter The outdoors is unique in offering the
skeletal tree shapes. Each season brings opportunity for large-scale environmental
with it its own colour and textural palette. art projects. Here are some exciting ideas
Which season offers the most in your to help get you started.
Useful art resources with and can be purchased from your local
garden centre.
Natural materials that readily lend Rose petals These are great for
themselves to artistic creations include: providing strong colours, and a sensory
Willow withies These are very flexible experience too. Lots of lines
thin branches which can be used to Leaves For a wide range of shapes The repetition of shape, size and colour in
construct large and small shapes. Willow and colours you could visit your local a long line constructed using the same
can also be worked as a living material to arboretum. material is very appealing to the eye. Find
make growing features such as arches, Clay A bag of clay gives you a natural a long length somewhere in your space
fences, domes and tunnels. medium not just to shape and mould (the edge of the playground, field,
Seed heads These can be collected itself, but also to help hold other materials pathway) and place along it as far as you
from around your grounds or from pupils’ together. The soil in your school grounds can a line of the same natural material.
gardens and hung to dry until needed. may contain enough clay to be used in Use dandelion heads, acorns, beech nuts,
Pebbles and composted bark Each this way. leaves or pine cones. You could wiggle or
give a different colour and texture to work curve your lines.
ENVIRONMENTAL ART

3. Large drawings groundnotes • SEPTEMBER 2008
Thinking laterally about drawing will help
to explore the largest canvas you have in
school – your grounds.
● Use willow or other long branches to
make huge ground drawings. Lines and
shapes can be made with branches.
Colour can be added with grasses,
leaves or petals.
● Create a large hoop of willow then tie
string across the shape in different
directions. Thread found objects into
the centre of the hoop.
● Draw with naturally found objects –
use the objects to create temporary
pictures.
● On a sunny day use shadows for
inspiration – for example, draw the
outlines of tree branches straight
on to paper.
Land art
Many schools have created amphitheatres,
mazes and monoliths – all of which are
small scale land-art forms. This may
require more planning and expertise
depending on the scale of an idea but a
simple floor maze using bricks, pebbles or
shredded bark can be easy to lay out.
Looking for inspiration? Long, simply walked up and down
until he had made a mark in the earth.
Encourage your pupils to look at work by The most famous land art work is
well-known artists. Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty of
● From about the late 1960s the term 1970, an earthwork built out into the
‘environmental art’ was applied Great Salt Lake in the USA. Other land
specifically to art that addressed social artists include Michael Heizer,
and political issues relating to the Dennis Oppenheim and Walter de
natural and urban environment. One of Maria.
the pioneers of this was the German ● Contemporary environmental artists
artist Joseph Beuys. Lothar include Andy Goldsworthy. He uses
Baumgarten is a more recent ice, rock, leaves, branches, wood and
practitioner. stone from the places in which he is
● During the 1960s and 1970s artists also installing the final creation. He may
began working directly in the focus on holes, lines, repetition, shapes
Understanding the landscape – creating what was often and colour. Other important
referred to as ‘land art’, sculpting it into contemporary environmental artists
environment earthworks or making structures with include Chris Drury, Richard Long
Environmental art offers pupils a great rocks or twigs. One artist, Richard and David Nash.
opportunity to explore important
environmental issues in relation to
understanding and caring for the planet,
including:
Space to place
During a project in Surrey, seven schools
● working with nature and its processes.
across different sectors visited places of
For example, choosing materials from
significant heritage value. One such place
sustainable and managed places; not
was Ashtead Common, a national nature
picking plants
reserve and site of a Roman villa. To
● developing a sense of place and an connect with this special place the pupils
understanding of local materials made drawings of one of the key
● recycling materials – both using environmental features to be found there –
existing materials in a new way and 500-year-old pollarded oaks. These
recycling artwork back into the drawings were the first steps in the design
environment. For example, creating a of bigger pieces of artwork for the school
spiral of leaves and seed heads within a grounds, including a mosaic, carved
raised bed and leaving them to benches and metal work sculpture.
decompose over time.
ENVIRONMENTAL ART

4. groundnotes • SEPTEMBER 2008
skills. I love working with groups to create
an artwork that draws people together; a
place of beauty for meeting, talking,
learning and eating.’
Lizzy uses cob, a traditional building
material made from a mixture of earth, clay
and straw: ‘I am completely inspired by our
complex relationship with the earth – from
growing food and making pots to building
Mud, glorious mud! houses. It’s part of our ancient landscape
and a very spiritual medium.’
Partnerships with professional artists can The ingredients for cob can often be
create new opportunities for pupils, and sourced on-site, making each project
extend teachers’ knowledge and unique and self-sufficient. Lizzy has been
experience. Working partnerships might impressed with the enthusiasm that
extend over many weeks, or involve a inner-city children have shown for such a
one-day workshop. Projects like these can low-tech medium:
often access specific funding. ‘I’ve worked on countless art projects
Lizzy Bean, for example, is an with schools and understand the benefits
environmental artist who is passionate of working outdoors but I’ve been
about mud. This summer, Lizzy won Arts particularly moved by how much the
Council funding to research and develop children enjoyed the tactile qualities of
her work building earth sculptures and clay mud, and how they loved heaving loads of
ovens. As a result, she was able to deliver earth around. They became so absorbed
groundbreaking projects with schools that at the end of the day, they had to be
and environmental education centres in dragged off home!’
the region. Lizzy’s other projects for school grounds
‘These projects bring together children from Woodhouse Primary School have included mosaics, murals, playground
everything that’s important to me,’ she came to Bell Heath Study Centre to build a trails and the creation of outdoor
says. ‘Using sustainable materials and beautiful earth oven this May. They had classrooms. For further information, please
building something that’s both functional the opportunity to create something out of visit www.lizzybean.com or contact her
and sculptural. For example, year six the ordinary while learning real hands-on directly at lizzybean88@hotmail.com.
Useful reading Useful websites Further resources
● Nature’s Playground by Fiona Danks and ● For information on key artists and Groundnotes 2005 Pictures Outdoors
Jo Schofield (France Lincoln) movements visit www.tate.org.uk available to download from the Member
ISBN13:97807112 24919. A practical Services pages of our website
● For contact details for your local
guide to exploring the outdoors with www.ltl.org.uk.
authority arts office visit
ideas for environmental arts and crafts.
www.artscouncil.org.uk,
● Environmental Art by Hilary Ansell © This resource was originally
www.scottisharts.org.uk, created as part of the Schoolgrounds-UK
(Folens) ISBN 9781841914695. This www.artswales.org.uk, membership scheme from the
book gives ideas for displays and www.artscouncil-ni.org. national school grounds charity
projects using environmental art.
● For details of artists experienced in Learning through Landscapes
● Silent Spaces by Chris Drury (Thames & working in schools visit the Learning operating in Scotland as
Hudson) ISBN 0500092761. One through Landscapes website Grounds for Learning
(registered charity no. in England and Wales
artist’s view of environmental art www.ltl.org.uk and/or 803270 and in Scotland SCO38890).
practice with inspiring images of the www.artistsinschools.co.uk. To find out more about
artist’s work. membership call 01962 845811
or visit www.ltl.org.uk
ENVIRONMENTAL ART