On Tuesday, November 24th, Teacher Louise Brooks, proprietor of ALAK Art Gallery, hosted a working tour for the students and teachers of Grade 1 and Grade 2 of the Morris Vanterpool Primary School.
The tour began with an activity for the students, where Grade 1 did printing on potholders – using stencils, sponges and acrylic paint. The Grade 2 students decorated potholders by hand- painting flowers. Each pot holder carried the label of Anguilla. The teachers also took their turn at decorating potholders. All potholders for the project were supplied by the Teacher Louise Brooks.
The second leg of the tour involved viewing the artwork in the gallery. Here, Teacher Louise explained the processes that go into the creation of the different kinds of art and craft on display. The students and their teachers had the opportunity to browse over Teacher Louise’s intricate artwork, as well as some of the other pieces supplied to the gallery. They also learned about some of the equipment and tools used to produce the crafts, such as the Kiln for baking the clay, the potter’s wheel, and the slap table.
Both the students and their teachers showed much interest in the work done at ALAK Art Gallery, and the students expressed their desire to return another time with their parents. They were treated with light snacks following the tour.
Teacher Louise told The Anguillian: “This tour was conducted as a means of motivating students in the field of Visual Arts, and for me to show them how they can make a living from engaging in the arts as a career. Too often children are urged to become involved in other areas of study and art is not seen as an important or valuable thing.”
Teacher Louise Brooks is an Anguillian artist, and art teacher, who owns the ALAK Art Gallery on the Shoal Bay Road. She is actually a retired teacher but is attached to the Morris Vanterpool Primary School as a substitute teacher. Teacher Louise has a Diploma in Visual Arts and a Master’s Degree (M.Ed.) in Advanced Studies in Education – Curriculum with Testing and Evaluation.
– Staff Reporter, James R. Harrigan
