Art & Design students collaborate on community mural

Many, many groups as well as countless individuals have worked together with our muralist Chris Rutterford to progress painting the mural for the Alloway Railway Tunnel Project.  We are indebted to everyone who has taken part in the workshops which have been held at Burns Cottage, The Cutty Sark, various Primary and Secondary Schools, Ayrshire College and a wide variety of other locations throughout the local community.

One group made a major contribution to painting the section of the mural which depicts the Ayr Town Market Scene.  Fifteen students from Ayrshire College HNC/D Art & Design course worked collaboratively with Chris on this section.  Chris joined the students on Fridays during their studio time and provided 1-1 tutoring on the skills of mural art painting. Not only did the students have a lot of fun, but they also fulfilled the work experience requirements of their course and benefitted from working together on a very significant project.

Lesley, who is studying HNC Administration & ICT, also gained work experience by interviewing and gathering valuable feedback from the Art & Design students about their experience of working on this large-scale Project.

Community involvement is at the heart of the Alloway Railway Tunnel Project.  This example of cooperation between the artist and college students amply illustrates how the project is intent on producing an art installation which is truly ‘owned’ by the community in which it is placed.

All students were very enthusiastic about seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work alongside a professional artist, as Jadie said “It is a rare opportunity which I felt I could not miss out on”.

For many of the students, this was their first experience of painting on such a huge canvas, and they learned some very practical lessons.  Abe found “it was really messy; you get literally covered in paint!” and Christie was surprised that “It takes so much more paint than expected!”

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Much of the students’ prior experience of artwork was as individuals, however group working was an integral part of this initiative.  Many lessons about communication and cooperation were learned.

It was important that students felt they had input into the process of painting the mural and took ownership of the work they carried out.  Chris ensured that this happened.  He had an overall view of how the final product would look but encouraged individuals to input their ideas and to work collaboratively with him and among themselves. This approach worked well and was immensely beneficial, as Christie said   “Having the freedom to put forward our own ideas, talking it over with Chris and having our ideas approved, then projecting those ideas up onto the canvas was such a confidence builder”; and Nathan McL “enjoyed the freedom that we were given to input our ideas and carry them forward confidently”.

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Undoubtedly, the students thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working on the mural.  They highlighted the value of experiencing something so different from their usual artwork, especially working on a large-scale canvas and working hand-in-hand with such a talented professional artist.

Many referred to the new skills and techniques they had learned. Nathan D “I learned new concepts and ideas, for example, using a projector and projecting an image straight onto the board to gain a composition was such a valuable skill to learn”.

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Many students hoped to progress to university after completion of their college qualifications and they were aware of the benefits of this experience for their future study aspirations.  Abe is “ hoping this work experience will help towards getting into University” .  Many students mentioned that they had added their participation in the project to their UCAS Personal Statement.

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Overall, student feedback was extremely positive and the opportunity to work with a professional artist on a major project was greatly appreciated.  The experience had a major impact on their learning, their confidence and their aspirations for the future.  Undoubtedly, Chris himself was an inspiration, as Jadie said “Chris is a really cool artist and a really cool guy, I learned a lot from him”.

While it was obvious that the students derived considerable benefit from the experience, they were not alone in acknowledging this.  Johnnie O’Byrne, Curriculum Quality Manager for the Art, Design and Media Department was fulsome in his praise:

“The Art and Design students involved in the project had a great experience. Working with a practicing artist on a live brief in real world project is something that solidly underpins their learning and allows them to see how far they’ve come, while gaining inside knowledge of what it is like to be an artist for a living.

“Their involvement in community projects like this allows them to see how their work can support, uplift and inspire communities. It lets them see how they can potentially have an impact in the future through their own practice. It’s invaluable.”

In turn, Chris enjoyed the experience and greatly appreciated the assistance of these HNC/D students on this section of the mural. He summed it up:

“It was a real joy to work with Ayrshire College students. I think it was a big learning curve for them, they were extremely surprised at how empowered they were within the mural.

“The market scene I produced in collaboration with my core team ended up being extremely idiosyncratic, full of interest and fun.

“The mural factory we set up in the corridor of the college really sent waves of productivity out throughout the department … I think the whole art department at Ayrshire College was really shocked at just how big it was!  Most of the students had never worked that large before, it really broadened their horizons.

“A big thank you to all the students who took part and followed the project through to the end.”

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