We are delighted to announce that Dr. Ellie Barrett will be the opening speaker in the CSEA/SCEA Early Childhood Art Education Dialogue Series.
This dialogue series aims to highlight how artists, researchers, and/or educators involved in early childhood education up to grade 3 have explored, created, taught, and reflected on art through material encounters with young children. Additionally, these speakers will also share ideas, issues, and concepts that drive their work.
We look forward to seeing many of you!
Date: Thursday, October 30th
Time: 11 am (PST) – noon (MT) – 1 pm (CT) – 2 pm (EST) – 3 pm (ATL) = 7 pm (UK)
Zoom link: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/92741170411
Meeting ID: 927 4117 0411
Passcode: 470678
BIO:
Dr. Ellie Barrett is a sculptor, writer, researcher and artist-mother based in Lancaster, UK. Her practice foregrounds the critical meanings emerging from material, exploring the potential of this approach to expand access to art-making. Materials which are affordable, accessible and malleable lie at the core of Ellie’s research. Kitchen paper, bin bags and salt dough have all been put to work in the studio towards producing sculptural forms.
Since becoming a mother in 2021, Ellie’s practice has shifted and a new socially engaged arm has emerged which overlaps with early childhood education studies. From observing her young daughter, Ellie noticed that children experience the material world much more viscerally than adults. They may contribute new knowledge which impacts adult creativity. Ellie’s methodology involves working closely with her daughter, developing a public offer which yields co-produced sculptures. Recent projects have modified the playgroup setting as a site for artistic making. Illuminating overlaps between children’s artworks and existing forms and aesthetics in the sculptural canon are a particular focus of Ellie’s work.
Ellie is an associate lecturer in fine art at Lancaster University and a creative producer at Good Things Collective. Her recent projects include a residency with MOTHRA (Toronto, Canada); All Kinds of Hands, a group exhibition exploring co-produced sculpture (Lancaster, UK); Perceptions of Place, a series of walkshops (Barrow, UK); and In Residence, (Pendle, UK).