Year 11 Graphics trip to Walthemstow

On Friday 30 September, the Year 11 Graphics class visited the William Morris Gallery and Gods Own Junkyard.

William Morris combined his passion for decorative arts with a belief in the need for social change. During their workshop, students explored campaign methods adopted by Morris and compare these to contemporary campaigns. They were allowed access to original wood block prints by Walter Crane and had the opportunity to design their own campaign placards. Later in the gallery, they explored a range of Morris’s designs; it was particularly interesting to see his preliminary sketches and the range of media he worked in. Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and really brought to life the impact that Morris had within design and in society. The insight gained by students is invaluable to their personal investigations.

Later in the day, the group travelled on to Gods Own Junkyard which houses an extensive collection of neon signage. The Braceys are very well known for creating iconic art pieces for customers worldwide and often for the film industry. Neon art can be made from found objects, retrieved, and renewed waste and lights. The logos, slogans, imagery, and typography are all highly inspiring for Graphics. The students spent the afternoon sketching and responding to the artworks in visual form. They came away with many new ideas and exciting pages for their portfolios.