This was a project to create a mud kitchen area in the garden for St Werburgh’s Park Nursery School and Children’s Centre in central Bristol. This was an extended learning project lasting several weeks.

The children we fully involved in designing and making the mud kitchen. As part of the project they developed their woodworking skills and explored metal as a material,  and explored making sculptures.

This installation at Horfield was a collaboration with Dutch artist Remco Kingsman. Doctors were keen that the Health Centre look more welcoming and brighten up the neighbourhood.  The figures on the from wall originate form Pete’s human series – and form a flock of figures in abstracted poses appearing to float suggesting being supported.

The pharmacy wall has four striking mitochondria – energy producing elements of cells – these relate to existing works in the building and provide an uplifting and energetic element of colour and movement.

The project also involved giving the health centre a less institutional feel by replacing existing signage with a new sign with contemporary font style.

Encouraging creativity in early years education

12 June 2014 , 5 pm

Please register for this event.

5pm – 7pm, room 4.10, 35 Berkeley Square, BS8 1JA.

Download a copy of the poster.

Abstract

In this session we will gain a deeper understanding of creativity and explore what is important in early years development and how the ability to think creatively has a significant impact on learning throughout education. The workshop will explore the many aspects which contribute to making a rich creative learning environment. These will include: looking at the role of the teacher, co-learning and reflective teaching practices, our view and perceptions of children, the impact of the environment and access to intelligent resources, the importance of involving of parents and the wider community. We will  look at the endless possibilities in which young children can express their creative ideas and explore the world. There will be examples of open ended creative exploration and creative project work to provide ideas and inspiration for practitioners working in Early Years education. In the session we will  look at the example of the world renowned pre-schools of Reggio Emilia which place emphasis on developing creative and critical thinking.

Lecturer

Pete Moorhouse (Artist in residence, St. Werburgh’s Park Nursery School).

Biography

Pete Moorhouse is a professional sculptor with a large portfolio of private and public commissions.  He exhibits widely and has work in several collections both in the UK and abroad. He has   been working in educational settings for over 20 years. He now specialises in encouraging creativity in Early Years Education undertaking numerous Artist Residencies and providing CPD training sessions for staff. Pete has had several articles published in Early Years publications and is the author of “Encouraging woodwork in Early Years Education”. Pete’s teaching practice is very much influenced by the philosophy underlying the Reggio Emilia approach to early education. Pete currently works at St. Werburgh’s Park Nursery School and Children’s Centre part of the National Teaching School consortium.

Universities Week

This event is being run in connection with Universities Week, which aims to make university research relevant to the public in inspiring and accessible ways. It also aims to open up a conversation about the relevance of university-based research and its everyday impact on our lives.

More information: encouraging-creativity

The sculpture for Fox Park in Easton, Bristol was installed. This sculpture was commissioned by the friends of the park. The work was designed s a gateway sculpture identifying the park and it celebrates aspects of the local history.

This new sculpture was unveiled at the North Bristol Arts Trail. The sculpture is created from Cor-ten steel which seals itself as it rusts – producing a rich orange oxide coating and protecting the steel to ensure durability in the long term. The sculptural form references the neuron and pays attention to negative space and the properties of steel.

Hello and welcome to the 2013 North Bristol Art Trail. This is very special time of year when a huge number of local artists, from first-time exhibitors to gallery-pros, show their work and invite everyone to come and see. As well as being an established artistic event, it’s also an important part of the north Bristol social calendar. As always you can expect to be thrilled by the range, quality and volume of creative output. From small jewellery and textile items to huge outdoor sculpture, there really is something here for everyone.  This year I will be at the St Barts Church beside St Andrews Park – Join us on the Friday evening for a glass of wine.

Paul Bullivant, Mary Collett, Shelley Davies, Chuck Elliott, Pete Moorhouse and Fran Wardell North Bristol Artists, Fri 22 to Sun 24 November 2013You are cordially invited to the opening night at St Bart’s Church on Friday 22nd November, from 7 to 9pm (Venue No 36)

Collected Consciousness is installed in the old bowling green at Brandon Hill Park, Bristol. The sculpture was commissioned by the Friends of Brandon Hill Park for a newly landscaped space which was previously a bowling green. The spherical form of the sculpture is informed by the design of a bowling ball with linear sections that mirror the concentric circles engraved on the surface of a bowling ball which are used by the bowler to give the ball bias.

The park was one of the first public designated pubic spaces in the country. (Some argue it was the actual first “park”) This was highly innovative at the time and demanded a change in thinking of what is public space.  There were even instructions as to how the space should be used! It was a brave and original idea – in part this sculpture celebrates this innovative thought.

 The park throughout a large part of history was used as a political meeting point – as a speaker’s corner and a gathering place.  Over the years many groups met for discussions on the hill. This sculpture celebrates this aspect with all the thoughts of these gatherings, especially in the context of political meetings for political change and reform.

At the top of the hill there used to be an anchorage – a hermitage – where there would have been mediation and prayer – again thought patterns.

In terms of Brandon Hill, with Cabot tower – build to celebrate the discovery of the Americas. This voyage was highly innovative in term of exploration. The thoughts that contributed to this endeavour are also celebrated. This exploration, desire for knowledge – research and exploration also happens in other direction within Bristol – two of our most innovative areas of research and practice are in neurology and ophthalmology (the layered neurons also being to appear as an iris). This sculpture celebrates the thought patterns associated with innovation and discovery.

The form as globe also reflects navigation – with longitude and latitude lines – could be seen to reflect circumnavigation. Responding to the exploration by the Mathew

The dendrite structures of the neuron in the sculpture could be seen respond to the nature of the park as they mirror the dendritic patterns of tree roots and other organic forms. In terms of the physical space the circular forms also reflect the landscaping in terms of the circular path.

The neuron – the birth of a thought – layer of thinking- shifting thought patterns – encompasses many of the above concepts. The layers of neurons also is strong visually, giving a sense of shifting depth and movement.

The neurons are within the “negative” space of the bowling ball – a memory – a trace of the history of the park.

For more information see the Bristol City Council Public Art website

http://aprb.co.uk/projects/all-projects/2013/collected-consciousness

A slide show of images can be seen here

Concluding a two year project, after working closely with a number of local schools and colleges and stakeholders, five large scale sculptures were installed on the busway route. Made from stainless steel the sculpture depict important aspects of the contemporary local history and surroundings.

The busway is due to open to the public on September 29th.

To conclude an Artist residency programme working at St Werburgh’s Park Nursery School and Children’s Centre Pete worked with children to create this artwork for the front entrance to the school. Pete had previous led workshops where the children investigated intelligent materials and natural arrangements and then developed their woodworking skills.

As Artist in Residence at St Werburghs’s Park Nursery School I helped set up an exhibition to showcase the children’s learning focussing on their work with natural materials and woodwork. The children made two sculptures for the exhibition and I provided workshops during the day.

Sculptor Pete Moorhouse leads creative workshops at the Graduate School of Education Centenary celebrations. Pete Moorhouse with Omar Ahmed (4), Sonny Meadows (5) and Lena Bahab (4) with their workshop creations.

Youngsters from St Werburgh’s Nursery School and Children’s Centre worked with sculptor Pete Moorhouse during the workshop at the school in Clifton. The session was followed by an exhibition of the children’s work to celebrate GSoE’s links with schools and artists.

Dr Frances Giampapa, from GSoE, who has been working with the school during the last three years, said: “This partnership rests on our mutual understanding that diversity matters and that building an inclusive educational community is about drawing from the rich resources that children and their families possess when they enter our schools and classrooms.”