'Glimpse' @ Wandesford Quay Gallery

My Pupils work from outside the gallery

 I really enjoyed this opportunity within my Hdip year to have pupils work displayed at a commercial gallery for all the public to see at Wandesford Quay Gallery. I had mixed feelings at first with the idea, of  selecting certain pupils work and elevating there work from my other pupils in the classroom. I had my second year group in mind as the group I was going to select but seeing the class profile more I felt it was unfair of me to select some pupils work and not others within this year, a competitive group and quite sheltered I felt I didn't want the task of selecting pupils work and having to deal with the consequences of telling others why there work wasn't picked.

Pupils from my transition year group

 My next class group which I felt was more suiting to this project and more appropriate was my fourth year group. This class are very lively to say the least and would not feel as upset to not being picked to have work displayed in a gallery. I myself as a teacher took a risk and choose the less obvious candidates to have work displayed, I made a conscious  decision to choose pupils who had discipline issues within  the school a pupil who has serious potential but lacked confidence and another pupil who has clearly stated to me that he wasn't considering art as a Leaving Cert subject, but skillfully as a pupil is great.

The pupils work dealt with a subject matter that proved to have a lasting effect with the class which was popular culture and creating paintings for the school corridors known as the 'painting corridor project' an annual project within my school, Pop Art was this years theme and the selected pupils did re-creations of famous pop art paintings and prints. I felt these works were fun,bright, youthful and energetic to propose for the gallery space. The work was boyish and the class as a whole enjoyed the painting process and as a whole this and another project within my class and scheme proved to be the most sucessful.

The opening night proved to be a great success with two of my pupils whose work was on display to show up on the night, one pupil who has severe discipline issues within the school showed up with his parents. I was enlighted to see the ethuasism from his parents and they thanked me very much for considering his work. I personally could see this was a big deal for the parents and there son  and knew there and then it was a good idea to include his work, although disruptive and has been suspended several times through out the year it is clear this pupils has natural ability and meeting his parents they also agreed that Art was a subject for him. Meeting the principal a few days later in my school. He thanked me for including this pupils work and he himself gave the pupil a personal speech on how he can be a great artist and work hard for the next two years. 



Over all this had a great effect on my pupils, the confidence rose and the three pupils had more self belief and I myself on request of the Principal had to give a talk on the transition year night about the Glimpse project. Over all a great idea and one my school was gladly to be part of and possible make a certain pupil think about a more invested career in Art!