Monsters in Our Heads
Otani Workshop inspired works by children
Over the course of several weeks, multiple classes of students age 6 to 12 at the Arts Umbrella Audain School of Visual Art and Design on Granville Island completed sculptural heads and busts inspired by Otani Workshop’s exhibition ‘Monsters in My Head’ at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Students responded to Shigeru Otani’s use of texture, form and surface design, bringing to life fantastical creatures, as well as creating drawings and paintings illustrating the worlds in which they lived.
These classes challenged students to grow their world building and character design skills while engaging playfully with clay and tools to discover new ways to sculpt and paint. Students created their own texture-making tools, and experimented with using natural materials like rocks, sticks and shells, drawing inspiration from Otani’s own connection to Vancouver’s environment and natural landscape.
