OXFORD INSPIRES

Deddington, December 2008

 

Photographer Helen White and I were asked to create a window installation on the theme of ‘winter light’, working with and incorporating the artwork of  local residents. During November, the artists met and worked with seniors at the Windmill Club, and with the Deddington Youth Club.

 

Seniors played an adapted game of Bingo where, instead of numbers, words relating to this time of year (in keeping with the broad theme of ‘winter light’) were used. Bingo winners had their pictures taken, and these could be found within thewindow displays. Another activity provoked reminiscences, and their words and phrases provided the backdrop to the displays.

 

Children at the Youth Club were asked to draw ‘winter light’-related pictures. They voted on the theme of ‘Twilight’, leading to the creation of a three-dimensional depictions of ‘winter light’  in the form of a snow-covered mountain at twilight, with a twinkling star and moon in the sky above.

 

Children were also given the opportunity to create ‘photograms’, again, using the theme of ‘winter light’. Photographic images were made without a camera by placing objects directly onto the surfaces of photosensitive paper, and then exposing them to light. The results are the negative shadows found on either side of the front door, and elsewhere.