Artist In Residence, June 2006
Garth Erasmus worked with 12 Applied Art Lower 6th students in a three day workshop during June 2006. The visit had been arranged through our partner school, Axe Valley Community College who had organised Garth's visit and had arranged placements for him across a range of Devon and Dorset schools as well as an exhibition of his work in the White Space Gallery, Axminster.
Garth was given the theme of 'alienation' to work with by the school and the students responded to his talks about the history of South Africa and apartheid by producing a series of canvases worked on in acrylic paint. All the canvasses were completed in the three day period and are to be displayed as a group in the school hall. [follow the Gallery link above for images of the work]
Garth also spoke to the whole Lower Sixth during a General Studies session on the History of the Politics in South Africa and captivated his audience with his engaging and thought provoking talk. He concluded his session by performing his own composition on an alto sax which filled the main hall with the haunting, melodious sounds that proved to be a wonderful conclusion to a most inspirational artist's visit.
More information about the Crossings project which originally brought Garth in contact with Devon Schools can be found on: www.devon.gov.uk/dcs/crossings
