Last autumn, as part of our Poplar Schools Consortium, 16 children at Lansbury Lawrence Primary School worked with artist educator Jenny Pengilly on a six-day project to create a peaceful, sensory ‘Creative Corner’ in their school.
The finished ‘Creative Corner’ is fun, calming and secluded; hidden away by a transparent underwater themed curtain where light refracts and dances through a colourful window collage.
Inside the corner students can choose to relax on cosy beanbags, plush rugs or decorated cushions while exploring creative activities with resources from the art trolley. They can play board games, complete puzzles, or get lost in a storybook during lunch or break times.
The project was inspired by Jenny’s participatory exhibition ‘Popcorn!’ at the Whitechapel Gallery, which the school’s Arts Council visited earlier in the year.
Jenny encouraged the children to follow and embrace their imaginations, playfulness and creativity. The students were emboldened to take ownership of their ideas and were involved in all stages of the project – from research to making and installation – including deciding the name!
The practical process began in the space – a ground floor hallway area in the school – where students mapped their ideas with masking tape and thread, questioning how to transform and use this new environment.
Several children-led themes emerged including nature, the jungle, the ocean, animals and even dragons! The students then amalgamated their ideas and created imaginative drawings together. Some of these designs informed the colourful shapes, creatures and characters which now decorate the surrounding windows and curtains.
The group employed threading, as well as hand and machine sewing, to produce fabulous textile work, using calming nature-inspired pastel blue and green tones.
Students from across the school submitted their name suggestions in a ballot box. Some of the inspirational contenders in the running included, ‘Super Arty Cave’, ‘Colourful Fun Land’ and ‘Peaceful Place’. After much deliberation and discussion, the school’s Arts Council eventually settled on ‘Creative Corner’.