Griselda Goldsbrough, Freelance Community Artist for York Museums Trust, follows up on the new York Castle Museum project  working with families from York Children’s Centres and Beehive – a local Pre-School. 

Remember Me is a visual arts project that introduces families to museum collections, in particular the 1914: When the World Changed Forever exhibition at the Castle Museum – looking at the way objects can be used to tell important stories.

This week I have worked with children from Beehive Pre-school in an arts workshop inspired by the World War One artist Bruce Bainsfather. It was Richard Stansfield’s wonderful video on the artists work in the exhibition that inspired me.

I was familiar with the artist as we always had a plate in our kitchen at home with the wording inscribed “Here with a loaf of bread, beneath the row. A muttered curse, but ne’er a whine, and thou – beside me, singing in the wilderness. The wilderness is paradise, enow.” After Captain BRUCE BAIRNSFATHER, 1st Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (1888-1959).

I thought painting on plates would be an easy medium for the younger children to handle and we started by looking at various positions and poses that soldiers may use.

I also led a session with the children where we talked about the large variety of animals that were used in the first World War – from cats to monkeys, from pigeons to elephants!

We considered how soldiers may have looked after their animals. We also were able to draw around some beautiful leaves that one of the families had brought in from the Garden of Remembrance in London from the November 11th service this year – an amazing addition to the project.

We were then able to create a trial plate with all the children. Lots of enthusiasm, chatter and creativity occurred – both the adults and children!

Allison Williams, York Ceramic artist, came into the next session and we were able to work with all 24 children and 10 adults in painting plates for their families.

We had lots of ideas for the plates from animals, leaves and memories – there was also lots of bright colours used.

Elly Ross, photographer, also came in to capture the session on film and took some great photos which will be used in a photobook for the group and also hopefully in the Community exhibition space next year.

The plates are yet to be collected – I can’t wait to see them fired and ready.

Next time I will share further stories from the project from a further two Children’s Centres we are working with – their projects have already begun and there are lots of ideas and enthusiasm.

Do go and look at the exhibition and see if you can spot the Bruce Bairnsfather plates in the exhibition – they really are worth a look.

Here is one of the Bairnsfather plates from the exhibition and here is one of the participants with his finished plate.