KS2 (ENG), KS2 (NI), CfE L2 (SCO), PS3 (WAL), KS3 (ENG), KS3 (NI), CfE L3 (SCO), KS3 (WAL), SEND (ENG), SEND (NI), ASN (SCO), SEND (WAL)
Animals, domestic, Animals, wild, Countryside, Ruins, Wild places
A student explores Lorna Graves' 'Box of Stones'
What is precious enough to you to inspire a work of art?
This resource focuses on the sculpture of Cumbrian artist Lorna Graves (1947–2006) with a suggested activity which aims to:
These lesson plan ideas are inspired by an event that took place at a SEND / ASN school with a variety of ages. The relief activity would work well for KS2 / CfE Level 2 to KS3 / CfE Level 3.
Art and design
- Produce creative work
- Become proficient in sculpture and design techniques
- Evaluate and analyse creative works
- Know about great artists and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms
- Actively engage in the creative process of art, craft and designs
- Develop and refine ideas and proposals
- Develop an awareness of the purposes, intentions and functions of art, craft and design
Art and design
- Talk about artists' work
- Use a range of processes
- Developing students' own personal and creative responses
- Developing creative thinking skills through designing and making
- Investigate and respond to works of art that relate to their lives and experiences
Art and design
- I have the opportunity to choose and explore an extended range of media and technologies to create images and objects, comparing and combining them for specific tasks (EXA 2-02a)
- I can create and present work that shows developing skill in using the visual elements and concepts (EXA 2-03a)
- Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through activities within art and design (EXA 2-05a)
- I can respond to the work of artists and designers by discussing my thoughts and feelings. I can give and accept constructive comment on my own and others' work (EXA 2-07a)
- I have experimented with a range of media and technologies to create images and objects, using my understanding of their properties (EXA 3-02a)
- I can respond to the work of artists and designers by discussing my thoughts and feelings. I can give and accept constructive comment on my own and others' work (EXA 3-07a)
Art and design
- Be stimulated and inspired by other artists
- Design and make three-dimensional objects for a variety of purposes
- Students use a variety of processes
- Apply the elements of the visual, tactile and sensory language of art
- Students use their knowledge about the work of other artists to enrich and inform their work through analysis and evaluation
Lorna Graves (1947–2006) was a prolific artist who worked across drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture during her lifetime. She made a number of animal sculptures in clay inspired by ancient cultures and the landscape of Cumbria where she lived for most of her life. While modern in style, they are reminiscent of ancient art that could have been unearthed from a burial mound.
In this film, students from James Rennie School in Carlisle visit Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery where many of Graves' sculptures are held.
Watch the film with your students and discuss:
Finally, discuss the things that are precious to your students, which they could capture in an artwork. Is it a pet, a family member, a hobby, a special object or something different?
Box of Stones is a series of 12 simple shapes made from clay. They have been fired using the Japanese Raku technique. This involves placing the clay – while it is still very hot – in leaves, twigs and wood shavings that catch fire, producing smoke and ash which embeds itself on the surface of the sculpture. The 12 small sculptures are presented in a black box, like a time capsule of relics from the past.
Explore all 25 images of Box of Stones on Art UK with your students and discuss what they think each of the sculptures depicts.
In this activity, students will create a simple sculpture that depicts something that is precious to them. This is inspired by a workshop that took place at James Rennie School, led by artist Shona Kinloch.
Shona Kinloch explores ancient artworks in class
As well as exploring examples of Graves' sculpture, you may wish to look at examples of ancient drawings and sculpture, and their simple use of line and shape. During her workshop, Shona Kinloch showed the students ancient artworks, including Greek sculpture and Egyptian hieroglyphics, which have inspired some of her own work. As well as exploring ancient art in the links in our 'Find out more' section, you could also explore these examples of older sculptures in relief on Art UK:
A student's charcoal drawing of their precious pet
Ask your students to draw something or someone precious to them on a piece of paper or card. If available, use charcoal instead of pencil so their mark-making is thicker and clearer. Students could also examine and experiment with the effects they can get with charcoal, compared to pencil, such as line thickness, smudging and rubbings.
Artist Shona Kinloch demonstrates the relief technique
Once students are happy with their drawing, it is time to recreate the shape and line in relief. Cut a lump of around 1.5 kgs of clay per pupil and get them to roll it and warm it in their hands.
From 2D drawing to sculptural relief
Students should flatten the clay out on a board until it is around 1 cm in thickness across. They can then begin to create a relief based on their drawing by first marking out their drawings using a pointed modelling tool on the clay.
Working in relief
By adding and removing clay using the other modelling tools, slowly but surely, they will create their own artwork akin to one of the small sculptures that form part of Graves' Box of Stones. If working with air-drying clay, allow each sculpture to dry for a couple of weeks before putting the work on display. If you have worked with firing clay, you should fire the works according to the temperature guidance on the clay packaging.
