Approaches to Creative Learning
Andy's lead-in to projects involves listening carefully to each school’s area of creative enquiry and learning and informing what aspect of his practice would be most beneficial as a starting point or a framework for a project.
Although Andy's emphasis is mainly on visual arts, he works with as open an approach as possible to allow the direction of a project to be informed by the teachers' and pupils' own interests. Inevitably this encourages Andy, as well as the school, to stretch into new areas of practice, which he finds beneficial to keeping any project fresh and alive. Making this successful involves a careful balance of research, action and reflection, both with the participants and behind the scenes.
Andy's project approach tends to be an ongoing process of enquiry, with and alongside the pupils. The quality of learning is based on the quality of dialogue developing between the students (and himself), along with a sustained sense of curiosity and possibility maintained from the start through to the finish of any project.
Creative Professional Biography
Andy practises with a broad portfolio, working across the fields of architectural design, landscape, visual arts and performance. He initially studied architecture at Manchester and then Canterbury, which led to 10 years in the profession, developing project experience that engaged both the design and the visual arts in conjunction.
He worked with the multi-disciplinary organisation Freeform Arts Trust for four years, applying a diversity of creative approaches in order to work closely with communities on urban regeneration projects.
Alongside art and design themes, Andy has trained as an aerialist for eight years, performing and teaching through Expressive Feat Productions, in both Kent and London.
His current practice involves individual and collaborative projects, working regularly in the role of creative facilitator/educator with schools and the general public.
His Creative Partnerships projects in schools have spanned through Infant and Nursery years, Primary and Secondary mainstream education, Special Needs, and Pupil Referral Units.