THE creativity of hundreds of Ennis school children, helped along the way by local artist Evelyn Sorohan and the Ennis Mens’ Shed, is being celebrated in a new exhibition which has been launched at Clare Museum.

“Plastic Nature!” opened last Thursday at the Ennis based museum featuring large scale artworks made by the pupils of Ennis National School. The art installations, which were inspired by the county’s wildlife, have been created using old plastic toys and jewellery which otherwise would have been thrown away.

Local environmental artist Evelyn, is a Creative Associate with Ennis National School as part of the Creative Schools initiative that supports schools to put the arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives.

She described working with the 700 children at Ennis National School on this Creative School programme as a “pleasure” adding their art installations are “brilliant”.

Evelyn is urging the public to come along and see the sustainable art which has been created by the youngsters through the re-use, recycling and recreation of plastic rubbish into art.

One young lad who worked on the project exclaimed, “Look we are mighty, look what we made from rubbish”.

After the exhibition ends its run in the Clare Museum next month it is planned that the children will install their works outside in their school yard.

Through the programme the pupils were provided with opportunities to creatively research their local environment, build their artistic skills, learn to communicate, collaborate, stimulate their imaginations, be inventive, and harness their curiosity.  With their class teachers, they were empowered to plan, experiment and create.

Evelyn recalled that the project began with classes choosing a creature to scientifically study and sketch, which each class voting on which design would eventually be used for their art installations.

The students decided themselves they wanted to make larger than life pieces using old toys and jewellery, however they needed help from craftspeople to bring their ideas to life.

This was where the Ennis Mens’ Shed “came to the rescue” said Evelyn. The pupils gave them their plans enlarged on huge pieces of paper with Pat Griffey of the Mens’ Shed tracing them onto plywood and skilfully cutting out each of the 22 designs at their Shed in Doora.

The plywood bases were brought back to their classes with the pupils deciding on the colours and styles of their creations. Some chose to make realistic depictions of the animals while others decided on more abstract pieces inspired by the likes of Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol.

Teacher Eamon Corry lead the Creative School Programme in the school, supported by six teachers who became part of the team.

“It was amazing to witness how they worked together and supported each other, establishing a creative student council who they encouraged and enabled to practically run the initiative from start to finish,” said Evelyn.

She continued, “It was humbling to watch the sixth class pupils going into the infant classes explaining the project and at times giving practical help when the younger child struggled to cut or glue items.”

She added principal Ray McInerney “was extremely supportive”.

The quality of the work was so high, Evelyn decided to ask the arts office if there was a possibility of showcasing the students’ efforts with an exhibition. Fortunately the Clare Museum was available and last Thursday their artworks were proudly displayed to a delighted audience.

Evelyn explained that through the project she wanted to deepen the students understanding of how plastic is made and the damage single use plastic products are doing to the environment. Alongside the exhibition, she is running participatory STEAM workshops with the school’s three fifth classes.

Working with the students on this project she could see they also learned a lot about the importance of community and how different groups in Ennis have different skills and talents to share.

“They have pride in their work that they co-created with the Mens’ Shed. One girl said she wanted to collaborate with Ennis Tidy Towns too, further spreading their work. Watch this space, you might see these young artist creating work for locations around the town.”

All are welcome to visit this exhibition with Evelyn saying, “You will be stimulated and amazed at these young artists’ work and how they reuse, recycle and recreate.”

The exhibition runs until November 15, 2024. Clare Museum exhibition opening hours are 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.