MURAL PAINTING WORKSHOP
The feedback was brilliant and we’re looking forward to working with Art Hoppers again!Workshop | September 2023
Led by Claire Ward-Thornton
Delivered at and commissioned by
195 Mare Street, Hackney
Mural Painting Workshop
Team building through painting
- Provides a practical lesson in the process of mural design, showing how to scale up from small to large, explore different painting techniques and basic colour theory.
- Skills used: observational drawing, basic maths, critical thinking and team building.
- Promotes the benefits of social engagement and communication through creative practice.
- Brings people together in a safe environment to express themselves freely and enjoy a fun, collaborative, large scale endeavour.
- Advocates the power of art as a tool for confidence building and positive well being.
Art Hoppers ran two community workshops at our venue. The workshops were very carefully planned and structured for the different needs of the groups (including older people and people with mental health conditions). The feedback was brilliant and we’re looking forward to working with Art Hoppers again! Duncan, 195 Mare Street
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Video on left with ref to:
Programmed workshops to support Thiago Mazza’s mural at 195 Mare Street
Community groups were invited to take part in our adult workshops at 195 Mare Street.
Participating organisations included Hackney Circle, Xenia and The Studio Upstairs.
This practical workshop takes participants through the process of mural design and painting. We begin with collage, applying cut shapes to a grid. This design becomes the visual reference for a larger painting. Members learn how to proportionally scale up the design to a larger grid, explore different painting techniques and basic colour theory.
The workshop was aimed at promoting the historical reference to local horticultural experts Loddiges, celebrated through Thiago Mazza’s mural which was being painted on the external wall within the front entrance of the building. The image of the mural (see below) depicts a hydrangea aspera, one of the many species of flower brought to Europe by the Loddiges family, based in Hackney.
The Loddiges lived in Hackney during the 18th – 19th century. Their catalogue ‘The Botanical Cabinet’ described plants from around the world and how to care for them. The site of Loddiges Hothouse in Hackney was nearby the property.
Image Gallery
Thiago Mazza | Plant Power
Art Hoppers support muralist Thiago Mazza
Brazilian painter Thiago Mazza was commissioned by the owners of 195 Mare Street to create a botanical mural inspired by Loddiges Nursery, whose long-since demolished Hackney hothouse was one of the largest in Europe in the early nineteenth century.
Claire assisted in the production of a large scale mural in Hackney. She brought a group of students on board and supported their learning during the project. It was a great pleasure to work with her and the students, she has a deep commitment to arts education, alongside her own excellent art practice. Elizabeth
