Workshops

3rd July 2013

'Indian inspired Recycled Jewellery workshop', English Martyrs, Leicester. Teaching 2 groups of 18 Year 8 students

I was really impressed with how focused the students were on the workshop and it was really lovley to see them getting inspired from the Indian jewellery and pattern pictures I provided. All got fully involved with getting as creative as possible transforming their rubbish of paper, food packaging, catalogues, cartons, plastic bags, bottles, odd bits of costume jewellery & beads and so on into beautiful objects to be worn, from pendants, cuffs, necklaces, ear, hand & head pieces and hats. The aim of the day was to be as experimental as possible really playing with the materials they had, exploring craft skills to create exciting new jewellery.

The following images are of the amazing work that they produced in just 2 hours!

(A few more photos to come)

"Thanks for the workshop, it was a unique & different activity. I really enjoyed it & hope you can come again."

"Thanks for coming in I really enjoyed the workshop. Hopefully we can do it again."

"This workshop has been great! I've had fun experiencing jewellery making & I love creativity! I'm letting you keep my work so hopefully others can be inspired from it too!" Siena

"I really enjoyed trying out new things, as I'm not really into making things, but I loved it." Kalise

"I had an amazing 2 lessons, they were exceptionaly prepared. I had a great time." Tulsi

"I really liked making my own jewellery. I never actually liked handwork etc but now when I learned how to do it properly I really loved it." Natalie

"I really enjoyed the workahop today. The range of resources & inspiration available made the task easier & completable. It was a great experience & will make me think about what I can do with something before I throw it away. I also thought it was good how the workshop could be adapted to the theme of the day! Thank you." Ciara

"I have really enjoyed being creative when designing Indian jewellery. You have really inspired me. Thank you for all your help." Amy

"I thought the jewellery making was fun. At first I didnt think it would be good, but it was really fun & I enjoyed experimenting & using my mind to create & work out different ways to make my jewellery. The best thing about this is that it's all up to you what you can do & enjoying it while you work." Grace

"Very good, creative & helped explore Indian patterns. Overall excellent workshop, loved it."

"I enjoyed everything! I loved creating jewellery. I loved using different materials, thank you."

"Thank you for the new experience. Enjoyed making jewellery & may even think of doing jewellery making as a career :-) Thank you :-)" Reshma

"I had fun today & I loved how we got to do what we wanted, to create our own piece of work & to be able tp express ourself through jewellery. Thank you." Margaret

" I have learnt how to use different materials to make a new kind of jewellery. The workshop was fun & if I had a chance I would do it again." Syd

"I think it was a good idea because I like art & doing creative things." Michal

"I really enjoyed it today. I loved using different materials. It was fun experimenting with the different materials. Thank you."

"Thank you Ruth for the Indian jewellery workshop. I liked it very much & had fun. I would like to do it again." Gabriella

"I had a fantastic time, it was a great chance to bring out your creative & imaginative self. I would love to do it again. Thank you." Eleanor

"Thank you Ruth Wood for your amazing work."

"I loved it in the workshop today, it was fun & enjoyble. I hope to do the same next year now." Jade

"I think it is a wonderful experience & I would definitely like to do it again. The best thing today was to be creative & to enjoy myself. I would like to do it again." Thaua

"I really enjoyed the workshop today. I loved using all the different recycled materials to make a jewellery piece based on the Indian culture. I learned lots of new techniques & was able to develop my ideas to make my final piece. I would love to do a workshop like this again! Thank you for an amazing workshop!" Olivia

"I really enjoyed doing Indian jewllery art. I loved making my elephant necklace & looking at different pictures gave alot of inspiration." Virginia

"I really enjoyed the Indian jewellery workshop as it gave you the opportunity to show your creative side. I really hope to do it again sometime." Sara

"I really enjoyed doing this workshop. I loved making all these different types of jewellery." Rebecca

‘Ring in a day’ workshop, Pedestrian Arts, LCB Depot, Leicester. Teaching novice adult jewellers.

"Totally fab day, really proud of what I've achieved!" Hazel

"I am amazed at what I have made in only a day. Great course and I would love to come back and do it again." Mel

"Ruth an enjoyable day worth every penny, great fun + great company, thank you." Angie

"An excellent day, thank you Ruth. Please can you do a 2 day course?! Thank you." Emma

"Learned lots - thank you Ruth - really pleased with my ring!" Barbara

"Brilliant day and met a lot of new friends." Mo

"Making my own ring to my own design has been a long held wish - it came true today with Ruth, excellent teaching." Annie

‘Ring in a day’ workshop, LCB Depot, Leicester. Teaching novice adult jewellers.

"It was a fantastic opportunity to learn a new set of skills, put them into practice and come out with a beautiful new ring - all in one day!" Ffion

'3D Recycled Wearable Objects' workshop, Judgemeadow Community College, Leicester. Teaching 25 Year 9 students

All the students got fully involved with getting as creative as possible transforming their rubbish of paper, food packaging, catalogues, wall paper, cartons, plastic bags, bottles and so on into beautiful objects to be worn, from brooches, cuffs, bangles, rings, necklaces, belts, head pieces and hats. The aim of the day was to be as experimental as possible really playing with the materials they had, exploring craft skills to create exciting new jewellery.

You will be able to see some of the selected pieces of wearable objects the students created that day, at an exhibition at the gallery Pedestrian Arts in the heart of Leicester's Cultural Quarter at the LCB Depot on Rutland Street. The exhibition will be showcasing the 2D and 3D art work of Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students from Judgemeadow Community College. The private view will take place on Tuesday 20th March 2012. www.pedestrian.info

 (more photos to come...)

"I think the workshop with Miss Wood was a great experience and I would definitely do it again. I enjoyed designing my own wearable objects and creating them according to me. I like the fact that we weren't making things from metal or any precious materials but we made it out of rubbish." Corrine

"It was very fun and it taught me alot about using rubbish to create art. It was good to have your own freedom to create whatever you liked. I made my objects out of paper, bottle tops, tissue paper and cereal boxes. I made 2 things: a neckpiece that could be used in Alice In Wonderland and a hat that was more crazy and wacky." Matthew

"Today, I feel that the workshop has really inspired me and I have really thought about what occupation I would like to do in the future. I think it has been a great experience and I have really enjoyed it. I hope that there will be another workshop like this." Felicia

"It was an amazing, creative experience that let my imagination run wild. I enjoyed creating different things from basic materials. I made a necklace using magazine, string, wire and pipe cleaner. I also made a ring out of foil, coloured wire, card, greaseproof paper and I made a cuff out of card and paint." Humayraa

"I thought it was a really enjoyable experience we should get to do this often. Miss Wood was an excellent teacher. She's great at making jewellery. I hope I get to do this again. We made objects out of recycled objects. I made a belt from grease proof paper. I'm proud of my work :-)" Dhara

"I really liked making wearable objects out of waste materials because it is a way to help the environment and I think I have improved my art and design skills." Adam

"I really enjoyed the art workshop because it was extremely fun and I gained new extraodinary skills I had never learnt before. The best part of the workshop was when Miss Wood showed us her collection. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the art workshop, using materials which was known as rubbish and learning new skills, thank you." Shazeen

"I thought today was good because it was quite fun, as the jewellery making was creative and interesting. I would love to do it again, it is also good for the environment as we recycled things, it was enjoyable and Miss Wood is a big inspiration to designing. I made a crazy orange hat, something Lady GaGa would wear!!!" Gemma

"I really enjoyed creating art from unwanted household objects. I enjoyed weaving the most and had fun being creative and imaginative with bottles, cardboard, string and other unwanted objects." Brad

"I think that the day long workshop with Ruth Wood was a great experience for everyone involved. It helped me understand contemporary art and jewellery much better and had given me a new way to loook at jewellery and also how I can recycle my waste! The workshop was great fun and the favourite part for me was using the string because it gave me freedom when creating art." Joshua

"I thought the workshop at my school with Miss Wood was very good! I was able to learn new skills and look at making jewellery made out of used objects/ rubbish from a different aspect. I really enjoyed showing my creativity and making my 3D wearable objects to my satisfaction. I would definitely do this again." Jasmine

"I thought the workshop with Miss Wood was really fun, different and a good way of changing rubbish into cool accessories."

"I thought the workshop was a wonderful opportunity and I would definitely do it again, it was a great experience!" Humaira

"I thought today was very interesting, I personally had fun and would like to do it again, thanks Miss Wood. I made a weaving card brooch/ necklace."

"I didn't know that you could make all of these pieces out of simple everyday things. I made a bracelet and a necklace/ sash. It was awesome, I had so much fun in the workshop. It was fun to have art and design for the whole day." Priyanka

"I learnt some new exciting skills like pleating and weaving. I also learnt that you can make money creating things by recycling junk. I really enjoyed todays lesson, thank you." Zarina

"It was literally 'over the top' (in a good way) it was really fun and enjoyable experience. We created jewellery/ wearable objects out of unwanted and used objects such as magazines, newspapers, cereal boxes, drink cartons etc. The teacher (Ruth Wood) was really nice and kind and for the first time it feels like you are not wasting anything." Abul

"I believe that the workshop has helped me understand Modern Art. Also I really enjoyed playing with string." Morgan

"The workshop was fun and enjoyable. I learnt that you can make alot out of recycled materials, I particulary like making jewellery from the wires and newspapers." Manpreet

"I thought today was really fun as I like doing art and making. Miss Wood is really nice aswell and it was good to get to know about her. It was a good experience. I made a hat that Lady GaGa would most probably wear and a brooch and necklace." Dion

"During this interesting workshop I have had a lot of fun designing and creating wearable objects, from what was once rubbish. I have also learnt various skills, such as using and clipping copper wires to create all sorts of different shapes for my new unique style of jewellery. I was really fascinated at the prospect of designing my own jewellery from recycled objects because it is not something that you do everyday. Ruth Wood also showed us some of her own work, which I found exemplary ( I would purchase her jewellery anyday) thank you." Sara

"I thought that this workshop was great! I really enjoyed myself. Before I came I was researching on the internet origami recycled flowers and I found out how to make an origami flower using recycled magazines which I made into a necklace. I also made a massive flower bracelet.  A massive thank you to Miss Wood who has helped us a lot with all her inspiring things she made and her creativity.  I am very happy and honoured to do this workshop, I hope I get selected to do this again and also in my spare time I am going to get creative like I did today." Amani

'Ring in a day' workshop, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield. Teaching 8 novice jewellers. www.ysp.co.uk

Bangle afternoon workshop with children from year 5 and 6 at St Edmunds RC Primary School, Bungay,

"Thank you ever so much for coming in to our school to make copper bangles. I really, really enjoyed it being a jeweller for a while like you. I would love to do it again." Amelia

"I had great fun using the pendant motor it made my bracelet really shiny. I also used the mallet and nail to make a secret message inside." Amy

"I had lots of fun when I was polishing and bending and hammering and scratching." Xavier

"I really liked it especially polishing the copper, I had a really good time." Teale

"Thank you so much for bringing things in for us to use. I had a brilliant time making jewellery." Bethany

"The best bit for me was decorating the copper, I really enjoyed it!" Alexander

"Thank you very much for helping us make bangles out of copper. I especially enjoyed forming the metal and making it shiny." Joseph

"I think you should definately do the bangle making workshop again as it was a great success at our school!" Isobel

"Thank you very much for coming such a long way from Leicestershire and letting us use all the different tools to make the copper bangles." Patrick

Jewellery making afternoon workshop with children at Peppard Primary School, South Oxfordshire.

Gallery demonstration of jewellery making and sketchbook work. Bonhoga Gallery, Shetland. www.shetlandarts.org/venues/bonhoga-gallery

‘Ring in a day’ workshop, Bishopsland. Teaching 8 novice adult jewellers. www.bishopsland.org.uk