That's a Bit of Us!
Watts Gallery’s community art project in
Park Barn and Westborough 2008-2009
The premise of this project is quite simple,
it is inspired by G.F. Watts’s philosophy of Art for All.
The workshops in Park Barn and Westborough mirror the ethos behind the building of the Watts Chapel in Compton, Surrey. The creation of the Watts Chapel involved Mary Seton Watts working with the local community and teaching them new skills and using their craft to create an outstanding Grade 1 listed building.
In That’s a Bit of Us!, people have used their hands and skills to piece together a sculpture. Each creator produces a ‘pebble’ out of terracotta clay; a material used by Mary Seton Watts in the building of the chapel and at the Compton Pottery.
Each meaning etched onto clay is of significance to each person, based on the theme of the past, present or future and is shared with the wider community as it becomes a small piece in a larger sculpture. The final piece will create a focal point in the area in which each pebble can be seen.
How the project started
Watts Gallery took part in the “Clear Up” event in Park Barn in August 2008, providing a grass sculpture workshop and drawing activities. A community meeting followed this event and “That’s a Bit of Us!” was formed, with Watts Gallery offering to host a year long community project in Park Barn and Westborough.
A steering group was formed by various community members and they supported Watts Gallery’s Artist in Residence, Nathalie Roset in designing a community art project that would be accessible to all members of the community, regardless of age and art
experience.
A workshop programme was set up comprising “open workshops” which anyone in Park Barn and Westborough could attend, as well as workshops for groups in the area that were interested in taking part, such as schools and pensioner groups.
Open Workshops at the Community Centre and St Francis Church
Many of the open workshops were at the weekend, allowing all generations to attend, especially young families. Parents could bring their young children to a morning of activities that wouldn’t ordinarily be available.
One Mum admitted it gave her the excuse to play with clay, whilst being able to spend time with her son, “on a Saturday morning he is usually watching TV or playing video games.”
One of the children said it was really fun because he could get messy, and his friends could come to the next workshop to make pebbles again. This is exactly what the project is about - learning and having fun through a simple community activity.
Older generations came to workshops with memories of the area, to share with the younger groups. This provided a unique, personal insight into how Park Barn and Westborough used to be.
Meeting Point, St Clare’s Church
Meeting Point is an opportunity for older residents of Park Barn and Westborough to socialize. Many used their memories and personal experience of the area to inspire their pebble creation.
One pebble that has particular significance is Eileen’s ‘three hearts’. They represent the tattoo of her late husband and the date of their marriage. To many, the story behind her pebble made it even more moving, but to the very young her use of strong colours inspired them to do the same.
When Eileen was told that her pebble had been so popular, it added poignance as it had been enjoyed by others.
Frances, had also attended the Open Workshop at St Francis Church. Frances chose to paint a red poppy onto her pebble to represent the Poppy Appeal being a large part of her life. She also used the pebble to promote the cause and make younger generations aware of the charity.
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Guildford Grove Primary School and Kings College
To engage younger residents, workshops were held at schools in the area. At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary and Guildford Grove Primary Schools, more emphasis was put on using the pebbles to show something about themselves and to leave a lot of scope for their own interpretation. Whereas students at Kings College were asked to design their pebbles using ideas and research to develop their chosen theme.
The workshops provided children with an unusual but fun activity, whilst learning terms such as ‘underglaze’ and ‘firing’ and the history behind Watts Gallery. Younger groups squeezed on as much as possible on to their pebble, whereas older children were more abstract in their interpretation.
Ruth Stevens, a teacher at Guildford Grove Primary School, saw the project as beneficial for the children, not only now but in the future. “This is an opportunity for them to make an impact on the community. Although they are a bit young to understand how momentous this is, when they visit their pebble I think they’ll feel very proud.”
It’s accessible - anyone can make a clay pebble!
Over the past year, That’s a Bit of Us! has reached over 400 people. That’s a Bit of Us! offers an insight into the diversity of the area and of those involved, a metaphorical representation of themselves, the community of Park Barn and Westborough in the 21st Century.
The longer serving members of the community viewed the project as not only a means of increasing community involvement, but as an opportunity to restore pride in Park Barn and Westborough’s local history and community togetherness. The pebbles, although an individual reflection of each person’s life, are collaborative and become an integral part of the final product, just like the members of the community.
The completion of the first stage of this project highlights the significance of the community involvement. When the final piece, a sculpture in the area, is in place it will have meaning for all those living in the locality.
That’s a Bit of Us! has been made possible by the support of so many members of the community in Park Barn and Westborough, who have freely given their time and advice in so may different ways.
Nathalie Roset, Watts Gallery Artist in Residence, 2008-2009
Jennifer McConnell, That’s a Bit of Us! Writer in Residence
Myra McDonnell, Watts Gallery
Helen Hienkens-Lewis, Head of Learning, Watts Gallery
Steering Group
Councillor Marilyn Merryweather
Ellie Messham, Barn Youth Project Manager
Gary Rogers, King’s College
Kerstin Lang, Community Development Worker
Patrick Oliver
Richard Musgrove, Community Safety Warden
Tracy James, Community Safety Warden
Su Kelland, Guildford Borough Council
Helpers
Elise Docker
Gez Evans
Gordon Patterson
James Peacock
Jane Sleap
Lis Butcher
Martina Spence
Sarah Garner
Groups
Barn Youth Project
Meeting Point
Space to Be
StreetCLASH
Venues
Park Barn Centre
Park Barn Community Centre
Kings College
Guildford Grove Primary School
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
University of Surrey
St Clare’s Church
St Francis Church
