The Patrician Academy was very honoured to receive funding from Creative Engagement for a batik project based on Mallow Park and the Blackwater River. The school’s 5th year art students and T.Y. students are involved in the project. The main task is to have four batik  hangings which will be hung in our new school.
The project started in February with a walk in the Mallow Park where students sketched and photographed the trees, river, Mallow Castle etc. The different animals and birds such as the heron, the kingfisher, the white deer and of course the freshwater mussel were all drawn and painted. These drawings were developing ideas into design proposals for the four panels
The Woodwork Department very kindly sorted us out with the frames. Aine Andrews, the batik expert, assisted us with the final design proposals. These designs were transferred to cotton and the first layer of waxing was applied using the traditional Tjantings  (these are Javanese instruments for applying hot wax in batik work, usually consisting of a small, thin copper cut with one or more capillary spouts and a handle of reed or bamboo) and brushes. Last Tuesday the first dyeing of the panels took place. We are looking forward to next week when we will apply two layers of wax and more colours.
Thank you to Aine Andrews, our visiting artist, and art teachers Regina Glynn, Stephen O’Shea, Conor Stokes and Creative Engagement.

What is Creative Engagement? It is an arts-in-education programme, and involves an artist or artists coming into the school to work with the students. A creative engagement happens when a local artist or arts group comes into the school and imparts skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to the students. The Creative Engagement programme is co-funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Education and Skills. Thank you also to the school, the Parents’ Association and the Student Council who assisted in funding the project.