Reception Visit to Morris/Khan Art Studio

St. Andrew’s Montessori Reception class recently had an outing to the art studio of Annie Morris and Idris Khan. Both Morris and Khan are counted among Britain’s most collectable young artists (Morris for her ethereal paintings and sculptures; Khan for his digital collages of photographs) and the children had an exceptional time getting creative in the artists’ personal workshop.

They coloured and painted magnificent bird templates, which were carefully attached to the illustrated frame of a large birdcage. The children also drew their families on blocks of stained wood, creating freestanding sculptures before moving on to a stamping activity; using oil paint and phrases from Khan’s upcoming exhibition to create their own works of art.

It was wonderful to see the St Andrew’s children immersed in their environment as they used their senses to articulate their responses to the materials and tasks enveloping their imaginations.

Expressive Arts and Design is an important part of the Montessori curriculum and includes art, music, dance, role play and imaginative play. The general theme is creativity and the overlap allows children to make connections between one area of learning and another in an effort to extend their understanding, allowing for a holistic learning approach.

On their visit to the studio, the children were challenged with a variety of activities that inspired expression, thought and creativity. We look forward to many more fabulous outings in the forthcoming year!

A HUGE thank you to Annie Morris and Idris Khan for welcoming our children into their studio – a wonderful time was had by all!