It’s rare for individuals attending our craft clubs to tackle a project in the same way. People’s approaches vary – from always working at full throttle to careful deliberation at every stage. Everyone finishes in the end, just at different speeds.
Full speed ahead
Steady and deliberate
At the other end of the scale are the people who are worried that they’ll mess up before they even start. Sometimes that’s because they just want time to think about what to do, but often it’s a lack of confidence that’s holding them back and they’ll explain it’s because they aren’t creative, or have always been ’hopeless at art’. These individuals need time to ponder and plan, but the knack for us is knowing when and how to get them to begin. Someone in the early stages of dementia, for example, works in a very different timeframe to someone who just lacks confidence.
Mixed media mosaics
One of our craft clubs (funded by the Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s Constance Travis Endowment Fund) is in a retirement complex. The site has 45 flats, a resident manager and lovely gardens but only a small residents’ lounge, so it can be difficult for people to get to know each other.
Because of the restricted space we plan our craft sessions carefully, and as there are only so many things people want to make for themselves or as gifts, we’ve encouraged the group to work on things for their community spaces as well. The first project they did was to paint flowerpots for a courtyard garden, and when we suggested doing a wall display of mixed media mosaic tiles they liked the idea, having enjoyed making these mosaic coasters for themselves just a few months before.
Bits and pieces
For safety reasons we were restricted in the mixed-media materials we could use – no sharp edges, for example. So, in addition to shaped mosaic pieces, we collected together random beads, buttons, and other small items such as house keys and fridge magnets that could either be glued onto the MDF panels directly, or stuck to areas of grout afterwards.
To make things fair, we put all the items on a tray and asked everyone to draw a number. Then, one by one, they took it in turns to choose a piece from the tray as it circulated. It wasn’t long before everyone had what they wanted and they actually enjoyed seeing what other people were choosing. In fact, the process triggered some great conversations and exchanges of ideas. The tray was, of course, available to look at again if anyone needed more items later.
Planning for the whole
In that first session, we were surprised to realise no-one cared much about how the tiles would look hanging side-by-side in the final display. Instead, they wanted their tiles to say something about themselves or the retirement complex. It didn’t matter to us either way, because we knew they’d look great however different each one was.
Our biggest challenge was to get each person to plan their design. We needed everyone to carefully work out – in advance – where items would be placed, so we’d know where the grout had to go. It took a while to get everyone to understand why this was necessary but we got there in the end.
Even then, everyone took a different approach. Some drew their design directly on the MDF panel, others made a meticulous plan on graph paper, and some placed items directly on graph paper before moving pieces across to the MDF to be glued. It wasn’t until later in the project they appreciated the planning had been worthwhile.
Final thoughts
We always knew these mixed media mosaic tiles would take several sessions, and so it proved. People set their own pace. But from the start everyone was engaged and interested in everyone else’s designs, which brought a lot of positivity to the sessions. Now the mosaics are displayed together in a group and they brighten up a rather neglected space near the residents’ lounge. The pride felt by our craft club is tangible.