Textiles on Tour!

Our creative Textiles teacher, Debbie Ince, has been stepping out into the local community to inspire KS2 pupils with her artistic talents.

Debbie has already completed three Batik Workshops with students from Rupert House in Henley and Hemdean House in Caversham, demonstrating the technique of using wax define the outline of a pattern on fabric and then filling the wax outline with ink to produce a beautiful design. With two more workshops on the horizon the Summer term will continue to see Textiles on tour!

The Batik Workshop themes have so far included an introduction to surrealism and some mark making effects which the pupils have greatly enjoyed. The majority of the Year 5s were discovering new skills and new equipment such as learning to draw with a tjanting tool and controlling the molten wax, as well as the pleasure of learning something for the first time. Debbie was impressed by their engagement and enthusiasm for the project. “It’s lovely seeing them enjoying it so much; they’ve really got a lot out of it!” she smiled. Nicki Poulter, Art Teacher at Rupert House, agreed saying “Their confidence has really grown!”.

Eloise from Rupert House found “drawing all the patterns on the template” to be her favourite activity whereas for classmate Scarlett it was “doing the big eye” as Debbie had the group focussed on the creation of a dragon’s head. “It was fun and amazing” enthused Othello with Georgiabelle concluding “It’s so fun and interesting! Once you know how to do it you want to do it every day!”