Last year Kirsty was one of 16 artists who took part in
WORKING pARTS: a course run by the Black Country Arts & Disability Network
Kirsty and dance artist Priya Chohan worked with pupils from Penn Hall School in Wolverhampton. Focusing on sensory skills, drama and storytelling the students made their own sensory snakes. Crinkly packets of crisps, scrunchy metallic pan scourers, lumpy tumble dryer balls, bags of rice scented with aromatherapy oils, mini pom-poms and pasta were some of the diverse materials used in this session.
Watch the video of Kirsty's Sensory Snake session here.
In March 2010 Kirsty returned to Penn Hall School work with students to to make tactile wall hangings to enhance the foyer and waiting room at The Matlings Mobility Centre in Wolverhampton.
This was very exciting for the students as it is another opportunity for them to show what they ARE able to do rather than focus on what their disabilities stop them from doing.
We started by imagining flying on a magic flying carpet. We also talked about roller coasters and the looping patters of their tracks. For inspiration we used aerial photographs of the M6 Spagetti Junction and a roller coaster at Alton Towers theme park.Then we made pieces of felt with flight path patterns inspired by these photographs. We also made magic felted balls to represent either a magic carpet or a roller coaster pod.