Paper sculpture promotes a creative style of thinking and seeing. David Swinton is an Artist in Residence who promotes creativity and enhances school environments.
David Swinton is a sculptor who offers his services as an Artist-in-Residence. He works in Primary Schools helping students enjoy the art of Paper Sculpture. David has over thirty years experience of working in schools, museums and galleries.
He also works in a discipline called Environmental Sculpture. This is a creative endeavour that enables schools to enrich their immediate surroundings. Schools commission him to design and excute three-dimensional and bas-relief artworks in hard and softwoods, stone, mild and stainless steel, non-ferrous metals, ceramics, cast concete, plaster of Paris and fibreglass.
David has a personal approach to creative thinking. He matches what is already avaiable in the school so that his work blends into the environment, thus enhancing both the hard and soft landscaping.
His book , "The Magic of Paper Sculpture" provides templates you can make available to your class. It is about encouraging a way of thinking and seeing. When a teacher gives sheets of blank white paper to a class, and asks the students to design sculpture from them, he/she is taking the students to a creative space within which they will need to use the right hemisphere of the brain.
When students are fully utilising this side of the brain they become more creative. The incessant chatter of the mind ceases and instead time passes pleasurably. The feeling of accomplishment that students experience when they have worked in this way is empowering.
Once you have tried working with your class in this way, I am sure you will want to develop the skills, style and medium further.
