As part of Kids in Museums Takeover Day 2017 a group of students taking part in Corinium Volunteer Makers and Education Developing Gloucestershire’s Employability (EDGE) project have written blogs about their experiences.
Edge is a pioneering scheme that aims to improve the employability skills of young people by working with learners, employers and education providers whilst focusing on the long-term business and economic needs of Gloucestershire.
Luke sketching stonework from the Corinium Museum reserve collections
Taking Over as a Creative Artist at the Corinium Museum
Hi, my name is Luke, I’m 17 years old and currently doing an EDGE work experience placement at the Corinium Museum in Cirencester. I opted for the Creative Artist role as advertised on the Corinium Volunteer Makers website.
Once per week I come into the Museum for a two hour period to draw the exhibits on show, mainly the gods and goddesses, for later use in leaflets and advertisement. In addition to this I help out with a few other small projects, most notably a collaboration with several other students to produce a screen print to be applied to cushions. These will be used in the children’s corner, an area which I am helping to develop because as of now it lacks connection with the exhibits surrounding it. I am drawing several gods from the surround exhibits to use for the screen print. These would include such gods like the Mercury and the Three Mothers from Roman and Celtic religions.
Originally, I applied for the work experience for the research of visual materials of gods for later use in my own self-created story. This would include aspects of many past historical religions and religious figures, such examples are Micitan from Aztec mythology, Cernunnous the Celtic god of the Forest and the Mars, the Roman god of War. I chose each of these religious characters because as of recent times the only gods you might hear about will be either Ancient Greek, Viking mythology or Ancient Egyptian. It is my goal to try and introduce elements of other religions into my work, not just for the visual prospect, but also to introduce and teach about these otherwise forgotten characters and introduce them into the main stream of modern day culture.
As of now I am going to be continuing my work on the cushions, producing more drawings for the use of the screen print whiles also developing new ideas for the kid’s area. An idea which I have started to develop is the use of a canvas to go over the space, making it feel more enclosed, like another room for the children to use.
I have enjoyed it here at the museum. Taking over is another step towards moving into the working environment whilst also it has been educational in terms of illustrative projects. The staff are clearly dedicated towards the museum and it is reflected in their positive attitude when working.
Daisy appraising her human scull illustration
Taking Over as a Creative Artist at the Corinium Museum
My name is Daisy and I’m a seventeen-year-old Fine Art student, who has recently been taking part in a work experience EDGE placement at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester. My placement title is Creative Artist, which I found on the Corinium Volunteer Makers website. This role has involved me studying various artefacts displayed in the museum and creating art from them using a range of mediums; such as pencil studies of ‘Grave Goods’, which are items an individual would be buried with during the Neolithic period, for example a collard urn, or an antler pick.
Through my placement, I have been given amazing opportunities such as studying a 19th century human skull and creating work from it. This placement has really helped me grow as an artist and explore areas that I haven’t had the chance to whilst completing my Fine Art A-Level. It has also given me more challenging subjects, such as a spearhead and a knife blade, found at Poulton (near Cirencester) which dates from around 1300 – 1100 BC. In taking part in this placement, I feel that I have really had a chance to enhance my skills as an artist and develop direct observational drawing.
In taking over this creative artist role, I will contribute to the museum by providing the work I create for marketing purposes, for example on a poster or leaflet advertising the museum. This would benefit the museum by contributing improvements to marketing, which would help engage a younger audience of people in the work of the museum.
My placement would also assist the museum through sharing skills to help contribute towards gallery improvements. My favourite part of the placement so far was studying skull because it isn’t something people would necessarily get to do in their lifetime, so the opportunity was incredible and the skull itself was fascinating. Overall, I have been given great opportunities in taking part in my work experience placement so far, which has benefited myself in improving myself as an artist, and also benefited the museum by helping contribute to marketing and engaging different audiences.
Niamh helping with Powell’s School during Takeover Day
Taking Over as an Education Assistant at Corinium Museum
Hi, my name is Niamh, I’m 17 years old and currently studying in Cirencester College. I have recently begun to take part in an EDGE work experience placement at the Corinium Museum in Cirencester. I am doing the education assistant role which was advertised in Cirencester College and on the Corinium Volunteer Makers website.
I applied for the work experience role of an education assistant so I can gain knowledge and skills about working in a museum and around children, which will help me in the future with my career of a teacher.
Once a week, for two hours, I come into the museum to help assist in school workshops. In which I help children complete the activities, and set up the workshops for the school. I have also helped during Takeover Day, a day where pupils from a school get a chance to draw and create labels for their chosen object in the museum. During this day I helped groups of pupils and took pictures of them completing this workshop. Soon I am going to be helping create a gallery worksheet for pupils to complete during a workshop in the museum. This is for the new workshop which is being created for KS2 children called Roman Identity.
I am thoroughly enjoying my work experience in the museum, which is helping me gain experience and knowledge of a working environment which I hope will help me in the future. The workshops which I have taken part in so far have been educational and a great experience and insight into the museum. Furthermore, the Takeover Day was a great experience and allowed me to be a part of a different aspect of a museum.
Amber age 17, Taking Over the role of Creative Artist at Corinium Museum
I have taken on one of the creative artist positions at the Corinium Museum as part of an EDGE placement. I have been sketching some of the collection so that my interpretations could be used in their publicity and marketing materials. I also research the items to ensure that my drawings are representative. During the time, I photograph the objects I am studying for future reference to ensure the responses are accurate.
I spend two hours a week sketching and interpreting the collections, and then work further on my drawings in my own time. I have enjoyed using the collection, taking up an interpretation role to sketch the items in my artistic style (my favourite medium is pencil and I favour using lots of detail). I have especially enjoyed the role as I have not had the opportunity to sketch objects from the periods of items displayed. The age of the items has been something I factored in to my drawings. Normally, I prefer my sketches to be defined and detailed but the items I chose had pieces missing which I liked because it gave my drawings a more organic nature.
I feel that this role will benefit me because I now have a sketchbook of work and experience working in a museum which will also benefit my university application – I am interested in becoming a museum or gallery curator. It has also benefitted me in an artistic sense because I have broadened my subject matter and developed my knowledge of history (which I am currently studying at A Level) by researching and recording details about the objects I have chosen to interpret for my sketchbook. In turn, I hope the museum benefits from my work and interpretation of the collection if it is used in future marketing materials.
Rachael drawing Gods and Goddesses in the Corinium Museum galleries
Taking Over as a Creative Artist at the Corinium Museum
My name is Rachael, I am seventeen years old and currently taking my A levels at Cirencester College these include, fine art, photography and history.
I am currently undertaking an EDGE placement at the Corinium museum in Cirencester where, for two hours a week, I volunteer to create drawings and artworks for the museums marketing and furnishing designs. I signed up to Corinium Volunteer Makers and accepted the Creative Artist challenge. My role involves accurately drawing and producing high quality pieces of art within a sketchbook inspired and from direct observation of the collections within the museum.
I have enjoyed completing a watercolour piece in my sketchbook created from wall plaster which displays vivid and beautiful colouration despite its age. I have been able to creatively explore areas of history which I did not know about until learning and studying them while here. Equally, as I am studying history I am naturally inquisitive towards what the past entails and this experience has granted me with easy access to create artwork from the roman era.
My role at the museum is important because the designs and drawings I create can be used for marketing purposes such as leaflets and brochures which create variety within the documentation of knowledge which is presented with the collections. Creating visual material and interpretations of the collections presents new ways of viewing the artefacts which could be more interesting to wider audiences. My take over consists of offering a new approach to the visual elements within the museum as an artist I am constantly looking for line and texture within the artefacts that can be creatively exploited to benefit the museum.
I am constantly inspired by the commitment from the staff and volunteers at the museum which are always open to new ideas and suggestions by me and my peers. They offer a large volume of background knowledge towards the artefacts which helps with my understanding of what I am drawing from. I have been lucky to experience new things such as holding and drawing directly from a human skull which was a wonderful opportunity. The museum offers modern displays for the artefacts which makes the items engaging but I would like to see more artworks around the museum for the public to view.
Tilly finding inspiration for the children’s corner on the 2nd century Hunting Dogs mosaic
Taking Over as an Education and Design Officer at the Corinium Museum
I am Tilly, I am eighteen years of age and am taking my A levels at Cirencester College.
I am currently undertaking an EDGE placement at Cirencester Corinium Museum and signed up to this via Corinium Volunteer Makers. Two hours per week, I volunteer at the museum. My role involves repairs of costume and production of furnishings for the museum, in addition to assisting at education sessions. I am one of 7 work experience students involved at the museum. My current project is to make cushions, I am working with my peers to produce a collaborative screen print, which can be duplicated on several cushions. I have a stable basis in art and design and therefore I have been keen to apply my creativity and skills.
These cushions will become part of the Kid’s corner at the museum which currently lacks relevance to the surrounding collections. I aim to draw upon the neighbouring collections to inspire my furnishings and give a new sense of life to this space. I also need to consider the audience, therefore these furnishings need to be fun and colourful, so that they are attractive to kids. But also durable!
My role is important to the museum because, my creative ideas can be translated into furnishings to decorate the kid’s corner and in turn inspire and enlighten children. Also the repair of costumes is essential to maintain a high standard at the museum. I thoroughly enjoy assisting educational sessions. These have huge significance in engaging children in the heritage of Cirencester, and inspiring them through history. I also enjoy the social interaction with the public. Often people stop to ask me questions when I am drawing around the galleries.
My take over consists of renewing a slightly neglected corner of the museum. Colourful cushions are a great way to start uplifting this space. I believe the collaboration of all artists signifies take over because these cushions will remain in the museum for a long time to come.
I have really enjoyed being involved in taking over this role in the museum because it is essential that the next generation is involved in heritage. Furthermore I think the public admire seeing lots of young faces involved in museum projects. I hope our input is also fresh and helpful.
I admire the dedication of museum staff to create an inclusive place for people to explore history and heritage. Cirencester’s museum is created highly successfully and feels calm. This is a perfect environment to learn. In addition museums offer interactive opportunities which are highly engaging.
At the Corinium I would like to see a more personal touch. Cushions and soft furnishings would be a good way to implement this. I believe this would make the museum more welcoming and therefore engaging for the public.
Interpreting History through Art at the Corinium Museum
Ana drawing in the Corinium Museum galleries
My name is Ana and I am taking part in an Edge placement at the Corinium Museum. I accepted the Creative Artist challenge on Corinium Volunteer Makers website.
The work experience I’m doing at the Corinium Museum involves illustrating the collection and interpreting history through art, offering me the opportunity to take over a marketing role, in which the sketchbook that I am developing during the placement can be used for things like leaflets and posters, in order to engage a larger variety of people to take part in the work of the museum. What I am trying to achieve through my sketchbook is portray the history and the storied behind the objects exhibited, here at the museum, in an exciting and accessible way, which is stimulating to the viewer and provoking of questions.
I am very grateful for this opportunity to take over a key role in the museum, as it helped me open my eyes to the variety of careers that I could be following in the future, as well as giving me the chance to further educate myself on subjects that I find fascinating, just as much as finding out about new topics that I never knew about and learn about a new layer of history. Being part of a team is very exciting as well, because it is another chance to discuss these subjects with people who are professionals in their field, as well as other young people with a passion and fascination for the history.
Taking Over the Museum’s Fossil Collection
Jack documenting the museum’s fossil collection
This entry has been written by Jack S, aged 14, who is volunteering for three months’ time as a documentation assistant at the corinium museum.
My work consists of cataloguing fossil specimens by first photographing and measuring a specimen and then entering some details about it onto a word document.
The reason my work as a volunteer is important is because volunteers can offer valuable time and specialism to the museum. Categorizing fossils can make identifying species and organizing storage much easier for staff.
I have volunteered at Corinium Museum as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. I chose this museum as I have a strong personal interest in the subjects presented as well as a desire to experience a work environment. I hope to pursue career opportunities similar to this work here in the future.
