The six public Primary Schools in Anguilla staged a four-day arts and crafts exhibition at the Teachers’ Resource Centre this week. The exhibition has resumed after having been discontinued for some time now.
In giving the welcome address, Mrs Vanessa John-Hobson, speaking on behalf of the Education Department, said arts and crafts provided a forum for self-expression, communication, imagination and creativity. “Students are required to think critically and differently, make decisions and use their hands to create something that ultimately turns out to be appealing and attractive to the eye,” she stated.
Mrs John-Hobson said that the Education Department would continue its efforts to improve its arts and crafts curriculum and delivery. “We think that it is imperative that we awaken the innate and, in some cases, the dormant creative skills of our students and start a process of development,” she continued. “The teaching of arts and crafts is one of the many components of the well-rounded experience that we must provide to ensure that we are contributing to the production of loyal, knowledgeable and skilled citizens empowered to function effectively in a rapid changing technological society.”
She applauded the visual arts teachers for their work in the schools. The teachers are Iris Gumbs, Kathyra Smith and Charla Hobson. “The name of the exhibition is ‘Creating for Change’”, Mrs Hobson explained. “It was a concept we came up with because we feel that art is an avenue that can create social change in our society. We want to get children at a young age in the schools to gain appreciation for art because we feel that they can be the agents for change.”
She said the exhibits included paintings, jewellery made from re-cycled materials, bags and other items relating to Anguilla, fashion designs and many other creative items. She explained that the exhibits were not for sale as they were regarded as the personal possession of the young artistes, but that their further work would be sold at another exhibition.
