Youth Arts Open Fund: Exploring Land, Sea and Sky Through the Seasons in East Lothian

Spring Renewal

Celebrating the first signs of spring in Gullane and North Berwick

As spring breathed new life into East Lothian, our YouthLink project blossomed with vibrant sessions held at the North Berwick Youth Project youth clubs in both North Berwick (Hope Rooms) and Gullane (Recreation Hall). The children and young people (CYP) embraced the season of renewal, drawing inspiration from the colourful landscape and budding flowers that characterise this time of year in our coastal communities.

The spring workshops focused on creating playful, eye-catching collage studies of bright daffodils and pretty spring blossoms. In a nod to sustainability and environmental consciousness, the groups recycled paper from previous autumn, December, and winter workshops, giving new life to materials that might otherwise have been discarded.

The session began with a thoughtful discussion about the importance of avoiding unnecessary waste in art-making. We explored creative ways to reuse materials and paper, emphasising how small actions can contribute to reducing our environmental impact.

Armed with a palette of spring-inspired colours, the groups dove into the collage-making process. They carefully selected and arranged pieces of recycled paper to form the base of their floral compositions. The vibrant yellows of daffodils and soft pinks of cherry blossoms began to emerge from the previously used papers, central to the spring season.

To add depth and detail to their collages, the YPs experimented with various media and techniques. They used watercolours to create soft, translucent washes that mimicked the delicate petals of spring flowers. Gouache paints allowed for bolder, more opaque areas of colour, perfect for capturing the vivid greens of new leaves and grass. Paint sticks proved particularly popular, enabling the young artists to add textural elements and dynamic marks that brought energy and movement to their pieces.

As they worked, the groups engaged in lively discussions about the changing season. They shared observations about the signs of spring they had noticed around Gullane and North Berwick - the first daffodils blooming in gardens. These conversations not only inspired their artwork but also deepened their connection to the natural world around them.

The process of creating these mixed-media collages allowed the YPs to experiment with layering and texture in new ways. They discovered how different materials interacted, creating unexpected, interesting effects. With bold colour choices and mark-making, the YPs created pieces that captured the rejuvenating spirit of spring. The combination of collage and paint allowed for a perfect balance of structure and spontaneity, resulting in artwork that was both cohesive and expressive.

These spring-inspired collages will form a cheerful and optimistic addition to our upcoming exhibition in May 2024, providing a striking contrast to the moodier autumnal and winter pieces created earlier in the project.

The spring workshops were a great opportunity to bring a greater awareness of sustainability in art-making. By transforming materials from previous sessions into new creations, the young artists learned valuable lessons about creativity, resourcefulness, and environmental responsibility.

As we look forward to the final stages of our seasonal art project, we're excited to see how these experiences will influence the CYPs' future artistic endeavours and their relationship with the natural world.

Kat 👩🏼‍🎨