Workshop 2 at Black Dog studio

Today we had another workshop with 12 more Ocklynge pupils, it went really well and we created lots of new designs which in turn have given me lots of good ideas for the final sculpture.


I will start work on the design for the sculpture next week so keep checking this blog to see more images from the workshops and my ideas for the finished sculpture.

Workshop at the Black Dog Studio

Today we had our first workshop, It went really well with lots of good ideas and designs being produced by the class rep's, I will post some more images and talk more about the ideas next week, these pictures are a taster from today.

Questions from Ocklynge School, answered by Will Nash

Q. What made you think of the idea for the HANDS UP! Project? (4W, 6ST & 6Z)

A. I wanted to find a way to include as many members of the Ocklynge Junior school community in the project, when I saw that the theme for this term was “the body” I thought that I could use an outline of a part of the body, because hands are quite small and easy to draw around I thought that I could use lots of them to make up one big sculpture.

Q. What metal will it be made from and what will happen if it rusts? (3D, 4MO & 5WR)

A. It will be made from mild steel, to stop it from rusting it will be spray coated with zinc then it will be powder coated

Q. Will there be too many hands to fit? (4B)

A. I don’t know yet, it depends on how many hands we get and how big they are. Q. How will the sculpture be made?

A. The collected hand outlines will be arranged together then digitally traced in order to create the pattern for the sculpture. The sculpture parts will then be cut from mild steel using a CNC laser cutter. The parts will be bolted together to make the final shape of the sculpture.

Q. How did you become a sculptor: did you always want to do this and how did you train? (5BD)

A. I wanted to be a sculptor from a very young age, I did also want to be a pilot, maybe I can learn to fly planes when I am old. I trained to be a sculptor at art college in 1994, recently I went back to art college to become a ‘Master of Arts’ that’s when I started doing community projects.

Q. Why do you enjoy working with schools and the wider community? (6Z)

A. A lot of sculptors work on their own making sculptures without involving other people, I have done that but recently I have been working with different types of communities, I enjoy sharing the creative process and like the unpredictable nature of collaborating with hundreds of people to make something new and different.

Q. Is there a way that children can identify their hand in the sculpture?

A. I am going to try and make that possible by making a map that shows the location of each classes hands in the sculpture, I might not be able to say exactly which hand is where but the map will show roughly where each hand is. You will have to put your hand on the sculpture to try and match it!

Q. Ocklynge logo located somewhere? On a sign explaining the project?

A. I think that a sign would be a good idea; it depends on what the school would like.

Q. Sections could be arranged for each section with bigger hands at the bottom.

A. That is a good idea, we will try it out at the studio to see if it works.

Q. Hands could be arranged in cup formation, praying, different angles etc...

A. We can try these ideas out during the school visits to my studio, I have tried a few small arrangements of hands already, once we have a few hundred laid out it will be easier to make decisions.

Q. Will the sculpture be multicoloured or red to represent school colour. Can we choose colours?

A. It could be either, because of the way that it is made we can’t have too many colours, probably six at most. I would like pupils from the school to help me choose the colour or colours. We should include red, as it is the school colour. Maybe it could be six different shades of red.

Q. Could it be a big archway that can be walked through into the school.

A. It could be a big archway, but I don’t think that we can put it in front of the entrance, just in case any large deliveries need to be made, it would be annoying if they could not fit. Keep checking this blog to see what shapes I come up with.

Creating the artwork

The next stage in the development of HANDS UP! was for all pupils to complete their hand outline. With the dedicated help of our Ocklynge teachers each child had the opportunity to explore how hands have been used throughout art history and more specifically symbolic aboriginal art from Australia.

Whilst thinking creatively about themselves, their likes, hobbies and personalities, every pupil personalised their palms with symbols that represented themselves. Each year group used black, white and one other designated colour to create striking pieces that will now go with each class representative to Will's Black Dog art studio in Lewes.

Teachers, support staff, parents and other Ocklynge community members have also contributed their designs. We have received 30 hands from our link school in Egypt and are hoping to get some from India very soon.

Keep watching to see what happens next!

Ocklynge School Council Feedback

The involvement of all Ocklynge School pupils is an important part to the HANDS UP! project. As a way of allowing all children to take part in the project, the existing School Council and Mrs Boulton have been asking classes questions about what they have learnt from Will Nash so far and what they would like to know.

White Hat
1) What information have you leant through the assembly? Collective comments from 3D, 3F, 3R, 4MS, 4W, 4B, 4MO, 5BD, 5WR, 6ST, 6RJ & 6Z.

"Will Nash told us there are different types of art and that sculptures are one aspect. We learnt that sculptures can be made from a variety of materials including polystyrene, plastic, metal and even SPACE HOPPERS, not just bricks. Will is a local artist who likes to include the whole community and in our project he wants all of our hand outlines, as well as some from our link school children abroad, to make a large metal sculpture. This will be cut using lasers and will be placed outside the school entrance."


2) What would you like to know more about?
(Are they any questions you would like to ask the artist?)

• What made you think of the idea for the HANDS UP! project? (4W, 6ST & 6Z)
• What metal will it be made from and what will happen if it rusts? (3D, 4MO & 5WR)
• Will there be too many hands to fit? (4B)
• How will the sculpture be made?
• How did you become a sculptor: did you always want to do this and how did you train? (5BD)
• Why do you enjoy working with schools and the wider community? (6Z)

Yellow Hat
3) What do you think are biggest benefits to being involved in the project and seeing/ hearing a real working artist?

"So you know how a real artist works and learn from him." (3R & 6ST)

"Good for all to work together on a project." (4W)

"Inspiring you to remember our time at Ocklynge with pride." (4B & 6RJ)

"It will make the school look more attractive and interesting." (4MO)

"It is different to what we usually do." (5BD)

"The school will look cool!" (5WR)

"Encouraging art in the school environment, inspiring us." (6Z)

Green Hat
4) What do you imagine the final piece to look like? (could be drawn) &
5) Have you any ideas you would like to suggest to the artist?

• Is there a way that children can identify their hand in the sculpture?
• Ocklynge logo located somewhere? On a sign explaining project?
• Sections could be arranged for each section with bigger hands at the bottom.
• .Hands arranged in cup formation, praying, different angles etc...
• Multicoloured or red to represent school colour. Can we choose colours?
• A big archway that can be walked through into the school.