Artist in Residence

Autumn 2022- Developing line, form, tone and focus within the natural environment of our school grounds.

Every child has a personal sketch book to plan, explore, refine and develop their skills over time.

Jayne Cooper has been Atelierista, or Artist in Residence at Arbourthorne for over fourteen years. During this time she has worked to deliver a range of projects aimed at promoting high quality speaking and listening skills for children and their families, and raising standards in literacy through engagement with the visual arts. She is an expert in her field and shares her knowledge and skills with teachers to secure quality outcomes in the visual arts. Having founded the Family Art Club in 2009, Jayne has continued to work closely with many of our families, building relationships, confidence and engaging routes into home learning. Jayne divides most of her time between our schools and her painting studio in Louth, Lincolnshire, where she enjoys the crossover of ideas and experiences between the two practices.  

Atelierista is an Italian term for a teacher with an Arts background. The Atelierista works from her Atelier (studio); a place where children become experts in their own learning through exposure to a range of ‘intelligent’ materials and hands-on artistic explorations.  Through the Atelierista’s careful guidance and continuous documentation, children reflect and re-trace their discoveries, shaping future learning and placing value on process above outcome.

Family Art in action in FS2

Inspired by a trip to build a bear with their friends, teachers and parents,  our Foundation Stage children worked in family art to make their own teddy bears- learning fixing skills by using split pins to make moveable parts and developing new vocabulary.