13th April – Sunday tried out an alternative idea for displaying the participants work but went back to my original idea, deciding it would be best to take in the drilled wooden blocks and green garden sticks so that each person could tailor the frame to fit their creation. Just in case they were likely to whizz through that activity I put together a Tetra Pak low tech printing activity based around real or imagined archaeological finds from the Rockingham Forest area.
14th April – Monday, final session. Several members of the group had appointments which meant they couldn’t attend but I did have all the work, so some people worked together to help get them onto the frames. The Eloquent Fold kindly allowed me to put the completed work into their display cabinet. I collected some more feedback, and the general consensus was that although things had seemed strange at the start they had all enjoyed the various processes that had been employed.
“I’m quite surprised, I really enjoyed that!”.
I needn’t have worried about having a second activity as by the time we had finished the Kimono Tree Spirits, taken photos, and put them in the cabinet it was time to pack away. For many it was the opportunity to engage in social interactions in a relaxed atmosphere that had made the sessions special, and I am sure gateways to new or continued friendships have been forged.
What did I learn, or rather remember, that when working in group settings it is hard, if not impossible to remain detached, I really care about people having a high quality experience and that takes planning and thought. Whilst planning and thinking about the needs of others it is hard to stay completely focussed on the bigger picture. I now need to take some time to process the outcomes from these sessions, but I feel confident that the group will be keen to see the final outcomes at the end of the project.
