As an artist I pursue both collaborative and solo work as part of my practice. Obviously my work with P2 and Miss White at Ballydown Primary School falls into the former category.

I have been working collaboratively for 20 years and am convinced that the most meaningful process can take place when the concept or investigation is genuinely of real value to all those taking part. In this case that includes P2, as 5 and 6 year old students, Miss White in her role as teacher, and me in my role as artist.

Miss White and I are fortunate in having established a strong work relationship over the past 9 years. We have great respect for each other as individuals working within two different professions, recognizing that our aims overlap in very many areas and yet differ in others.

I had chosen an approach to the subject matter of “communication” which by enlarge was abstract. I’m now realizing that the total amount of project contact time ( ten half days and a half day equals to 2hrs of contact time with P2) will not be enough to really get to grips with the concept for either P2 or myself.

To change the focus two weeks in on a ten week project is for me as the artist a huge thing – a resetting of the sights. It involves firstly of course discussion and agreement with both my teacher, Miss White, and the managing arts body, Kids’ Own. It then requires extra commitment in terms of my own time and energy.

Whilst an “easier” option might have been to continue in the same vein I cannot undertake an investigation of “communication” at some superficial level. As a result we would all miss the point. One of my central aims is to provide opportunity to engage in thought provoking questioning and inquiry with P2 and Miss White – thought provoking for them and for me.

So, with our project time scale of 10 days in total ( divided in half between contact and planning/processing time) I now realize the need to work with P2 and Miss White upon an idea which is absolutely central to my practice as an artist; an idea which is already being turned over in an investigatory sense.

I have recently been thinking about “seeing” as one the elements of communication and instantly was excited, knowing that this could work perfectly, for the above reasons, as the central focus for our collaboration.