First Virtual Talk

Today we had a online meeting (using Adobe Connect Pro) with Jon Lockhart an artist who works with schools around the UK. Jon has a Masters in Fine Art from the University of Reading in 2004 and has been awarded a grant in 2008 from The Arts Council Research and Development.

Jon works in both physical and digital media by making installations for companies and schools. Jon also works along side schools helping them develop there creativity and use of such programmes as Photoshop and Illustrator.

Jon has worked with people/groups like Birmingham Council, I.C.S.S North Warwickshire, Maiden Erlegh Specialist Arts and Business School, Oxford Community School,  St Bernard's Grammar School and The Tate Gallery. (To see more Click Here)

Jon talked about a project that he was involved with where people brought items of worth to them, either an object that has a strong memory or a back story to it. Then they had to draw it, photograph it, write about it, scan it, or even leave it on the 'museum' shelves to be seen by future visitors. This project was called The People's Museum because the people involved where the artists and creators of their work. (To see more about this project go to Here or Here)    

Jon also talked about a interesting project that the BBC are running on a Radio 4 show called "Today's Object", in which the listeners of the show sends in images of objects that is related to a time period. Jon thought that this might be useful to use to see what other people do with historical objects and what they mean to them. (To find out more Click Here)

Jon also showed us some of his photos to do with projects and installations that he has been involved with. (To see there photo Click Here or see below)

After he talked, he opened the floor to any questions, here are some of them.

Question:

How did you first get in to working with schools and educational projects?

Answer:

"It was a lucky mistake, I just got in to one and then they all came flooding in."

Question:

Do you find that your finished work is very different and much more developed than your first idea?

Answer:

"Yes, Because I started with one idea and I think along that line to another, better, more creative one than I started with. There is nothing called a bad idea, just an undeveloped one.  

Question:

Do you find that there are limitations to your work?

Answer:

"No, because if I can't do something then I give it to someone that can, e.g. I wanted a large poster painted but I could not do it, so I sent it to a printers that could."

Question:

How do you come up with ideas?

Answer:

"I take a visit to some thought provoking places, like a museum and see what comes to mind and write every idea down, even if it is bad and off the wall because it might not be good for this project but brilliant for another. I also have a look in art books, old school books or anything that makes me think of ideas. If I have a brief then that also gives me ideas as well."

If you would like to find out more about Jon Lockhart then,  Click Here.

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