2011 Winner - Alison Berrett

For 2012 Award, winner Alison Berrett, worked with writer Kate Clanchy on a book of work with Art Room pupils aged between 11 and 13 from Oxford Spires School.

Throughout the project words were linked with the visual language of colour, shape and mark to explore the many ways it is possible to communicate ideas, feelings and atmosphere. A recurring theme was the concept of 'value'.

This was expressed in the final paintings on canvas which incorporated words in them, most of which have been concealed so as to leave the viewer to interpret the work for themselves.

Using art as a starting point, it was hoped to encourage those children who are often challenged and challenging when it comes to writing and literacy. The project ended with pupils writing their own poems to accompany their pictures. The final result was published as a book with the help of Walker Books in London with Alison's final commission featured on the front cover.

The ARMA workshops have been a great success from my viewpoint and have given me an opportunity to expand my own creativity as well as passing on skills and knowledge. My own practice has been enriched through the process of working with these amazing students and I hope they will take some of this richness and creative freedom into their own lives too.
Alison Berrett