Year 5 pupils at Lightwoods Primary Academy explored graffiti art with professional artist Matt Johnson, better known as Fuzzy Concept, who led a hands-on workshop during his visit to the school.
Centred around the driving question, ‘Is it Art or Graffiti?’, the session encouraged pupils to explore graffiti as a form of artistic expression and challenge their perceptions of what constitutes art.
The workshop formed part of Lightwoods’ Explore, Excite, Excel (E3L) curriculum, with the ‘Framed’ theme exploring different artistic styles through the work of three influential artists: Banksy, Antoni Gaudí and Antony Gormley. As part of their learning, pupils considered whether graffiti should be viewed as art or vandalism before exploring how art could be used to communicate ideas and represent issues that matter to them.
During the workshop, pupils experimented with graffiti-inspired lettering, learning how to transform ordinary letters into eye-catching designs. They then put their new skills into practice, creating personalised artwork by stylising their own names in their chosen graffiti styles.
Fuzzy Concept brought a wealth of artistic experience to the session. A practising graffiti artist and illustrator, Johnson has spent more than ten years delivering workshops in schools, colleges and youth settings across the country, helping participants of all ages develop their artistic skills, confidence and creativity.
The visit gave pupils the opportunity to learn directly from a practising artist, explore a different approach to visual art and put their classroom learning into practice.
School Associate Principal, John Ashton, commented: “We love seeing children fully immersed in their learning, asking questions, trying new things and discovering what they’re capable of. That’s exactly what experiences like this are about. We want to spark children’s curiosity and give them the freedom to explore ideas, experiment and make their own discoveries.
“Having Matt in school gave our pupils the chance to learn from a professional artist and see that there isn’t always one right way to approach something. Seeing them take ownership of their work and feel proud of what they’ve created is what makes opportunities like this so valuable.”
The workshop provided another opportunity for Lightwoods pupils to experience art beyond the traditional classroom setting, broadening their understanding of artistic expression and encouraging them to approach their own creativity with confidence.
