Daventry pupils get creative as part of a public art project

All 420 children at Ashby Fields Primary School created colourful stained glass-effect windows together with maps of the local area with routes marked by glow-in-the-dark dots for the Middlemore estate project.

Some classes also created footprints along rolls of black paper to represent a journey, while the end-of-term assembly saw staff and pupils create glowing neon chains which linked around the room, symbolising togetherness.

The activities explore themes and techniques which may be realised in the final artwork and were devised and led by artist Wendy Briggs, who is leading the £45,000 public art project for Middlemore on behalf of Daventry District Council.

Wendy said: “The artwork created was fabulous and the children were delightful and enthusiastic. I am very grateful to the school for taking part and hope they enjoyed the workshops as much as I did.”

Further public workshops are planned in February and will look at glass fusing, working with neon light strings and phosphorescent paint, plus creating plant forms with wire and transparent film.

Wendy hopes that by March she will have a minimum of three different designs completed ready for public viewing, discussion and decision making. She is working with Middlemore Residents’ Association in order to try to involve as many members of the community as possible in the project.

Councillor Alan Hills, community, culture and leisure portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, said: “The funding for this project is coming from three of the housing developers who built the estate as part of their planning obligations, and can only be spent on a piece of public art.

“However there are a range of possibilities as to what form that art takes and both the Council and Wendy really want to involve the community in this as much as possible. The artwork created by the children looks wonderful and I would like to thank the whole school for the enthusiasm they have shown for the project – well done to all involved.”