Following the success of their first printmaking workshop, our Year 10 GCSE Art students, alongside a small group of Year 9 students who will be beginning their GCSE Art studies in September, recently attended the second workshop in the University of Lancashire's exciting three-part creative programme.
Hosted within ArtLab and led by experienced university staff, this workshop focused on the important themes of sustainability, creativity and innovation through textiles. Students explored how artists and designers can help reduce waste by reusing and repurposing materials, whilst learning valuable practical skills that support more sustainable approaches to fashion and design.
The session introduced students to the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle, encouraging them to think critically about the lifespan of clothing and the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Throughout the day, students experimented with two traditional textile techniques: Sashiko, a decorative Japanese stitching method traditionally used to repair and strengthen fabric, and appliqué, where pieces of fabric are sewn onto another surface to create decorative designs and patterns.
Using unwanted garments and recycled textiles, students were challenged to transform existing clothing into new accessories or creatively reimagined fashion pieces. The workshop provided an excellent opportunity for students to develop their textile skills while exploring how sustainable design can be both practical and visually engaging.
As with the previous university visit, students worked in a professional creative environment and benefited from the expertise and guidance of university staff. The outcomes produced during the workshop will provide valuable primary source material and practical experimentation that can be incorporated into their GCSE Art portfolio coursework.
To celebrate their achievements, the day concluded with a professional-style photoshoot, allowing students to showcase their finished pieces and experience an important aspect of presenting creative work within the fashion and design industries.
Lead Teacher of Art, Mrs Shaw, said, “The students demonstrated fantastic enthusiasm, creativity and willingness to experiment throughout the day. It was another highly successful workshop that not only developed their artistic skills but also provided an inspiring insight into studying creative subjects at university level. We look forward to the final workshop in the series and sharing more of our students’ creative achievements”
