Group work training

I ran an art journalling session for group workers that I belong to. The members attended my initial session which introduced art journalling for self care back in May.

I started the session with a selection of journals that I have worked on collaboratively with friends from Instagram and FB. After talking to the group work facilitator she and I felt that collaborative work would be a key part of our art work with clients.

I introduced the idea of collaboration by getting the group to work on an A4 sheet of circular stickers – it got them looking at all the different materials and was a safe way of collaborating by not working on top of other people’s art making if they chose not to

I showed the group how to make a couple of journals using different folding techniques – a Zine format and a concertina fold. The concertina fold proved problematic for some. So I might not use it in a class where I didn’t know the clients very well. We noticed that the folding and handling the paper was relaxing in its self. Below are a couple examples of the two different folds that I demonstrated

http://www.rookiemag.com/2012/05/how-to-make-a-zine/

The concertina uses a series of preliminary origami shapes glued together with the folds all going in the same direction

We decided that we wouldn’t work further with the concertina folding because it was quite problematic learning the folds ( I do a lot of origami….)

I asked the group to work in pairs and come up with ways that they could use the Zine journals in a group work

Situation.

We chose to look at making a sample journal that the participants could use as a teaching tool . We initially decided to explore how colour could be interpreted.

I provided a range of materials and equipment

Magazines

Pastels

Colouring pencils

Paint / brushes

Glue sticks

PVA

Scissors

Washi tape

Paper sample bag – printed matter/Photos/ coloured paper/

As we worked the group decided that they wanted to keep working on this aspect during the rest of the time allocated. We discussed the work in progress in pairs and as a whole group

I am new group work so to I tried to let the group work in a self directed way as much possible. I am not sure how successful I was. I tried to make my comments related to art techniques and encouraging members to stick to the task we had agreed upon …….

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