Eyes light up as Globe Primary kids get hands dirty for Artyface project

Eyes lit up when children got their hands on big, squoshy lumps of clay for their school sculpture project working with professional artists in London’s East End.

The youngsters have just completed their three-dimension sculptures which now decorate Bethnal Green’s Globe Primary School.

They threw clay on a potter’s wheel in the project run by Artyface Community Art. Most had never done it before.

“Their eyes lit up when they got their hands on the clay,” Artyface tutor Alice Mara explained. “Every child managed to produce a pot first time round—it was lovely seeing how they added little extra clay hands and body parts onto the pots afterwards.”

The brief was for each class to use new materials and methods to make a 3D artwork, with ‘the body’ as the theme.

Headteacher Marie Maxwell said: “The work surpassed our expectations and looks great around the school. This project helped develop art, history and literacy in the school.

“The Artyface artists, as usual, did a thorough job fulfilling our brief and doing an excellent work.”

Verdict from one five-year-old taking part: “I loved it—working with artists is one of my favourite things.”

Artyface is offering schools the chance to teach pottery at its mosaic workshops on the River Lea and River Thames, which can be arranged online.