Recent Residencies
AND THEN THE WILDLIFE CAME BACK
This is a current art project for children to participate in during lockdown featuring five lessons and a downloadable lesson plan. Children are encouraged to look outside and paint the nature and wildlife that they see and invited to share their work to be displayed on the RIVA website and Instagram page.
Rainforests
A project developed with artist Lily Hawkes at Hanover Primary School.
Queensbridge Coral
6-week residency Queensbridge School, Hackney
Artist in residence Katie Surridge
Garden of Eden and Endangered Animals
February 2019 ongoing, Our Lady and St Joseph primary school, Hackney
A project developed with Artist Lily Hawkes.
Coral and Plastics
April 2019, William Patten School, Hackney
Artist in residence Katie Surridge
Coral Sea
November 2018 - July 2019, Hanover primary school, Islington
A project led by artist in residence Lily Hawkes.
Into the woods
Summer 2018, Hackney New School, London
A project developed from a trip to Highgate woods with Year 9 students.
Owl Wildlife Drawing
Spring 2018, Hackney New School, London
A project with Wildlife Drawing. The year 10 class spent an afternoon at Riva Studios drawing owls.
Other Environmentally-themed Past Residencies
The Bee Museum
Summer 2013, Hanover Primary School, Islington, London
A collaborative art and dance project with year 5 children, looking at the role of the honeybee in our world.
Urban Wildlife
Autumn 2013, Deptford Park Primary School, Deptford, London
Part of Cluster 3, art project exploring bee mythology and the waggle dance. The work was shown at the Cafe Gallery, Southwark Park in February 2014.
Animal Spirits
Summer 2010, William Patten Primary School, Stoke Newington, London
With ‘Animal Spirits’ RIVA looked at the ongoing significance of animals in contemporary life and the change in relationship to them in childhood. The inspiration came from the prevalence of animals in shop signage in Stoke Newington Church.
ANGELS - MESSENGERS
Spring 2014, Hanover Primary School, Islington, London
The year 5 class learned about angels in different religions and about their role as messengers, guardian spirits and protectors. The work was very much influenced by the beautiful space and architectural features of The Old Church, Stoke Newington: every child visited the church and worked there .In addition to visual art, children worked with a choreographer to create a dance, others studied a song by B. Britten with a musician and performed and recorded it. The third group made guardian angel installations to protect endangered species.
The children together with Deborah Law and Sophia Jones made a film of the intimate spaces in the church and the angel like presences.
In May 2014 RIVA organised a small workshop to the same theme with children from St Mary’s Primary School, Stoke Newington.
Paradise Gardens
Summer 2009, Hanover Primary School, Islington, London
In this project RIVA aimed to explore with children the creation of a contemplative space that celebrated a relationship with nature.
THE FOREST IS OUR SUPERMARKET
Summer 2008, William Patten Primary School, Stoke Newington, London
The title is inspired from work done by ‘survival international’ to support indigenous peoples. In keeping with RIVA’s core beliefs, the residency we were offering had an environmental theme. RIVA explored the contrast between an indigenous personʼs experience of the land and our own societyʼs experience of land.
The children looked at art that uses natural forms, symbols and art that encourages contemplation. One of the preparatory workshops took place in Highgate Woods, giving the children an insight into the richness of a woodland’s wildlife for foraging. They also heard stories of indigenous life in a Sami tent.
An important aim was that the children would locate the part in themselves that is unique and can be a source of individual creativity. We hoped the children would gain greater creative independence and also awareness of the natural world they live in.
The project was experienced both individually and collectively.
Selection of Past Residencies
IT IS ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE
Autumn 2014, Deptford Park Primary School, Deptford, London
RIVA worked with year 5 at Deptford primary school .They were taking part in Inspire 10 a group art show of Southwark schools that exhibited at Cafe Gallery, Southwark Park, February 2015. The class led by artist Claire Blundell jones and choreographer Katy Pendlebury. looked at their local environment through the eyes of endangered species.
I (De) Sign my Space
Spring 2013, Nightingale Primary School, Hackney, London
The Year 5 children involved in this project created work around their personal memories and experiences at school.
The Journals of (imagined) Identity
Summer 2012, Southwold Primary School, Hackney, London
The project has been designed for Year 6 children, reflecting them leaving primary school on their path towards secondary school and adult life. The metaphorical and physical ‘journey’ of each student’s identity was explored by simultaneously working in a group dynamic to create a ‘collective identity’.
Art in a Suitcase
Spring 2012, Nightingale Primary School, Hackney, London
During the project the children reflected on journeys they have done themselves through paintings, movement, songs and designing a suitcase of their own: the suitcase was a coming together of travel and self and helped to explore memories, place, connections and time.
Magic Lantern
Autumn 2011, Northwold Primary School, Hackney, London
During the dark November days this project contrasted the storytelling of Victorian Magic Lanterns with contemporary digital animation: personal and nature stories as well as ghostly images came to life.
Inset Day for Teaching Staff
Autumn 2011, Northwold Primary School, Hackney, London
Prior to the project ‘Magic Lantern’ at Northwold Primary School in November 2011, RIVA run an inset day for teaching staff at the same school, titled ‘Structures in Nature’.
Numbers around us
Summer 2011, London Fields Primary School, Hackney, London
The project revealed how numbers are all around us and how they determine our lives: they are to be found in nature, define ratios in visual art and architecture and give structure to choreography and music.
Inset Day for Teaching Staff
Spring 2010, Hanover Primary School, Islington, London
The objective of the inset day was to give teaching staff an insight into a broad range of two- and tree-dimensional techniques which could then be used with the children.
