After a break during the autumn, we were delighted to welcome back on site on 31st January the Norfolk Contemporary Art Society (n-cas) for their first talk of the new season. We are delighted that the society continues to use the Blake Studio as their hub for their public lectures, which form part of the school’s exciting series of cultural talks delivered here. These are public events and all are welcome to attend.
Working in a collaboration, Norwich School and n-cas were delighted to invite the talented creative artist Bridget Bailey to the Blake Studio. A full audience of n-cas members, parents, staff, pupils from our school and a large contingent from Paston College were beguiled by Bridget’s beautiful 90-slide presentation of her magical artistic world – a place of beauty, creativity and wonder. Bridget’s style brings influences from the natural world into her meticulously crafted and technically challenging small pieces. Describing herself simply as a “maker”, she outlined the techniques she uses to create such intricate and often tiny art works, such as the minute hairs on the legs of a textile construction of a fly, the use of cat’s whiskers and of birds’ down. Using commonplace and seemingly random inspirations such as hosepipes, insects, hedgerows, bus route maps, her vision of the natural world expressed through her individual artistic lens was compelling. Her talk was delivered with humour and great enthusiasm, generously supplemented by an insightful Q&A and reflections over refreshments with the audience afterwards. It was a masterclass for young people thinking of embarking on a career in the creative arts.
For me Bridget is an amazing story teller, not only in her making, which is sublime, thoughtful and compelling, but also in her verbal narrative, be that in her talk, or her observations in conversation. She has the ability to seem to ‘scoop’ together life observations and experiences, and reframe and re-deliver them with a new perspective or insight.
- Andrew Campbell, Teacher of 3D Design
We were fortunate that Bridget returned the next day to Norwich School to run a workshop with pupils from the 3D Design department and staff and students from Paston Sixth Form College. Bridget shared her working practices and ideas in a well crafted and thoroughly engaging, active workshop in which students worked with collage, construction and material manipulation to make a beetle in a day. The outcomes were amazing, but more importantly a chance to share and discuss ideas, working approaches and ideas.
