Ealaion Web

Saothar Ealaion is interested in encouraging and promoting art in education and in 2003 devised a dynamic project which to link art to the computer. Having then conducted art workshops with children for nearly ten years in Gaeltacht schools which are often located in isolated rural areas, this project aimed to connect the participating schools through the internet.

Many primary schools have computers in the classroom but rarely get the opportunity to use them to their full potential. This project allowed children to communicate through art via the world wide web and provided both children and teachers with a foundation in art, design, and basic multi-media skills. It also helped the children to develop skills in interpretation, organisation, and communication.

Six schools were chosen for this pilot project, Doibhlinn Riabhach, An Clochan Liath, Fanaid, Glasain, Doire Chonaire and An Choimín Primary Schools. Each school project was of three days duration. The project was planned with Seamus Bonner of Taisce Arainn Teoranta, a website designer from Aranmore Island, who created the layout for the website and was responsible for technical advice.

Saothar Ealaíon devised a different workshop in each of the schools, to include subjects from the school curriculum such as drawing, paint and colour, printing, three dimensional constructions, and fabric and fibre.

During the workshops, elements were introduced such as rhythm, form, scale and atmosphere, which were discussed with the children and teachers. The children were provided with disposable cameras and were asked to write about and respond to the work that had been produced.

When the workshops had been completed, Seamus Bonner and one of the artists revisited each school for half a day to explain the internet, the website, and show the children how to put their work onto the site.

Art workshops in schools hosted by artists have been shown to be of benefit to children. Those which involve the use of new technology such as the internet make the work far more interesting and exciting for children. As the workshops are conducted in Gaeilge, the language is given a sense of modernity for the children and promotes the language and culture on a world wide basis.