Robot Making workshop

The Robot Making workshop was today and was a success. Over 9 different robots were made, named, photographed and admired. Our guestbook idea was put into use in this workshop and a good idea to track email addresses, names of creations and particpants comments. Since it was a busy Saturday in the Merrion market, many people walked passed and curiously asked what we were up to. Hope the word of our workshops will spread and more people will get involved in the future. Here are some photographs from the event today…

Monster Making Workshop

On Saturday 18th November, Dan Walls and I conducted a Monster Making workshop as part of the fortnightly ‘Saturday Art Club @ Fab Cafe’. This was our first workshop and we were pleased by the amount of participation and how many toys were made. We supplied the materials: furry fabrics, bones, parts of old toys, googly eyes, glue and decorating materials.

Some people didn’t quite understand the idea of it, asking ‘how much does it cost?’, and when we replied ‘nothing’ they said ‘what’s the catch?’. I guess some people aren’t used to being offered to do something fun at no cost. When people got over this initial shock of it being free and got into it, I think they enjoyed themselves.

Here’s some of the first monsters that were made: (from left to right) ‘Scabby Crabby’ by Bryony Pritchard, ‘YetiKenny’ (not yet finished) and ‘Knackbot’ both by Dan Walls

Rachel is showing some affection to her new monster creation…

Ogi’s holding his monster together with some glue…

John Martin holding together his monster ‘Bob’

Didn’t manage to get this man’s name – but he created a really cool like monster with pins and screws attached

The next workshop shall be Robot Making. It’ll be in two weeks time on Saturday 2nd December. Everyone is welcome. Dan and I shall be smashing up some old un-functioning stereos and televisions before then to use. But everyone is free to bring their own stuff to use.

We decided that for next time we shall bring a guestbook for names, creations and comments.

Saturday Art Club @ Fab Cafe

First Workshop

I have organised an art making workshop at the Fab Cafe in Leeds. The first session is tomorrow (Saturday 18th November 2006) and the theme is Monsters and if it’s successful, I hope to have a different workshop fortnightly. I thought Fab Cafe would be a good venue with it’s wide selection of sci-fi and cult television memorabilia, including a life-sized darlek and King Kong as well as a number of old school toys in glass cases, which could be great inspiration for making toys. It also provides a sociable space and sells drinks.

I have organised an art making workshop at the Fab Cafe in Leeds. This workshop is a result of a collaboration between the artist Dan Walls and myself. Dan creates small toy sculptures using found materials and things that would otherwise be waste. He shall be showing examples of his creations at the workshop and giving any help and advice to those who need it.

I created these posters to advertise the workshop and have put them up around Leeds. I wouldn’t say I was a graphic artist, but these posters hopefully reflect the D.I.Y. sense of the workshop. I had an idea that for each workshop there would be a different poster with an illustration of the new theme. This time it’s monsters, with one attacking the Merrion Centre building. The next poster shall feature an attack by robots .

As well as putting these posters up around Leeds in various places, I have created a myspace account to spread the word.
www.myspace.com/recycledtoys
Go check out the myspace page for news of the next workshop and to post your comments.

Alternatively email: recycledtoys@hotmail.com