Funny Exchanges

When I work in my community, its hard not to be affected by certain individuals. It’s as if art making and conversations go hand in hand and this opens many doorways for people to share their unique characters. Even if I work in big groups, individualism carves out unique experiences. We may be all doing the same activity with the same materials, but each person somehow adapts the exchange and makes it their own.

Alongside this celebration of creative uniqueness, comes some pretty interesting moments where people say things that are funny. Working with children and the elderly is particularly fruitful in unique exchanges. I use a sketchbook everyday to support my art practice but on occasion I draw moments that I have experienced in my community work. I’m no illustrator but I've shared a few of them below.

A group of reception children were making clay hands in a school project, it began to rain outside, one child made this statement loudly like a little old man who had been caught out but the rain many times before. The teacher an I tried not to giggle as she quietly explained ‘We don’t use that language in school.’

I was at art club in Springfield Care Home and Rita shuffled into the dinning room with her walking aid. She sat down and made this statement as she picked up the scissors. Her nail end’s flew in different directions as she proceeded to cut her nails with child craft scissors.

This child has come to my art club at school for many years. He is now in year 6 and only last term said this, right before leaving after we had spent an hour drawing and painting a dog. After he left I felt a little unsure about my capabilities as an art facilitator.