Lillian Gray art students make art good enough to eat

For a group of tweens at Lillian Gray’s Fine Art School, their mission was clear, to have their personal style and personality take precedence as they created realistic food sculptures.

Read more: Fun with clay at Lillian Gray Art School

So, as they delved deep to find their inner Peter Anton, Claes Oldenburg, or Stephanie H Shih, they chose from a wide range of yummy options to use as inspiration for their food project. “We wanted to inspire them with diverse ideas, from sweet treats like donuts and cookies, to savoury favourites like burgers and pizza,” said art teacher Jemma Coulson. She explained the goal was for each artist to create a unique and different food sculpture, showcasing their individual creativity and artistic skills.

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The art school understands how children, these days, are drawn to the world of anime and cartoons, as they’ve noticed how there is a tendency in their students to naturally gravitate towards a more ‘cartoonified’ style in their sculptures. So, as challenging as it was, it was also fun, as they encouraged them to create something more realistic. “We used it as an opportunity to help them develop their observational skills, and really study the details of their chosen food items.” Because the goal wasn’t to create a perfect replica, it allowed the young artists to interpret the project in their own individual way.”

This project did more than require them to use bold colours; it also gave them the opportunity to develop key skills both artistically and practically. “They learned how to plan and execute a sculpture from a block of clay, understanding the importance of breaking down complex forms into basic shapes.” The process of making their art pieces enhanced not only their observational skills and spatial awareness but also required them to problem solve and be adaptable, all while navigating the challenges of working in a three-dimensional medium. “Ultimately, they discovered that, even when striving for realism, there is room for individual expression and creative interpretation,” said the art teacher.

Coulson described the process as being surprisingly straight forward, “Which is great for young artists.” They began with a wedged block of air-dry clay and a handy bowl of slip – Clay mixed with water to create a ‘glue’ for joining pieces. The love these creatives have for clay couldn’t even be expressed on canvas. They are said to love the tactile experience of working with their hands, the freedom to shape and mould, and the satisfaction of building something from scratch. The addition of the final details is a special moment, but the pièce de résistance is the final spray of gloss which brings the whole sculpture to life.

“It’s like watching their creations awaken, and the pride in their eyes is just priceless,” she said.

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