Equilibrium

During Learning Disability Week in June 2017, three Aspire CBS Fulfilling Lives centres, who have created some wonderful work, over the last two years, showcased work in Leeds Central Library. Sadly the Aspire Potternewton group, who were set to perform, were unable to get to the 1st Floor exhibition due to an untimely lift breakdown.

However, this was just a minor setback, as Aspire Potternewton opened it’s doors to the public a month later, and the Pyramid of Arts group performed their fantastic creation – ‘Equilibrium’.

Equilibrium

Billowing clouds blew across the earth on a cold and stormy day. Father Earth felt sad as whispers on the wind told him of the unsettled argument between water and fire.

It had been building for some time but now the whispers confirmed, “head-to-head they are fighting over Father Earth.”

“The earth is out of balance when we don’t work together.”

The Water Nymph swims in; “We want the land to be full, with rivers and lakes. We want the earth to be full with the sea!”

Then the Fire Spirits soar in; “We want to create energy for mother earth, we want to provide light!”

The earth feels very sad and calls for help from the Birds of Peace. The birds of peace are asleep! We will have to wake them up! And when they wake, they dance upon the air.

“The earth is out of balance when fire and water are fighting! We need to create peace and find a way in which Water and Fire can be together, I cannot do this alone, I will find my flock and we will create calm!”

“If we work together the earth can be balanced and we can live happy!”

BEYOND at the City Museum 24th June

Where? Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 8BH

Cost? Entry to the museum and this event is free

Booking Now: Foundation Training

The Foundation training is arts-based and interactive, giving participants a chance to experiment with new techniques in a supportive environment. The training equips people with a greater understanding of some of the challenges facing people with learning disabilities and enables them to provide appropriate support.
Specifically the training covers:

– An introduction to collaborative arts work
– An introduction to communication skills
– Disability equality and learning disability awareness
– Basic facilitation and health and safety
– Useful policies and procedures (using Pyramid as an example)

The Foundation Training comprises of three stand-alone training sessions:

The Pyramid Way: Gives people a basis of knowledge and understanding from which to develop positive relationships with a range of people, including those with disabilities (visible or hidden) (Wednesday 1st November 2017, evening)

Practicalities: An introduction to safe working in your arts group (facilitation, health and safety, policies and procedures) (Wednesday 8th November 2017, evening)

Working Together: A practical introduction to collaborative working and communication in arts projects (Sunday 12th November 2017, full-day)

Our research experiments show that the low doses of the drug (0.1–0.3 mg / kg or 10 mg per day) were used at the final stages of treatment, while the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug (the half-life of the main metabolite-an average of 30 hours) allowed it to be used both daily and on an intermittent scheme, i.e. every other day. As our own experience shows, the use of Accutane immediately from low doses is possible in a number of conditions, including acne of varying severity, provided the psychological mood of patients for treatment with systemic retinoids.

The full cost of the course is £160. Concessionary rate available for small organisations / individuals on a low income. Please ask for details.

Contact us to book a place.

Next Step Pyramid – 3rd June

‘Looking at literature through an artist’s eyes’
(Northern Short Story/Bookend Festival)

Next Step Pyramid worked with the Leeds Big Bookend literature festival exploring stories.  They created illustrated books about their lives, interests and dreams.  They also looked at films, drama, illustrators and authors, and got creative by making their own paper.  All the work produced will be displayed at the Next Step Pyramid book stall:

When? 11.00am – 5.00pm, Saturday 3rd June

Where? Carriageworks, The Electric Press, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 3AD

Aspire CBS Exhibition 19-25 June

An installation of art and sound from our sessions at Aspire CBS Fulfilling Lives centres.

Includes a free sensory movement session from 10am – 12pm on Tuesday 20th June, led by Movement Artist, Jess Smith.  Everyone welcome.

When? 19th – 25th June (Leeds Learning Disability Week)

Where? Room 700, Leeds Central Library Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 3AB

Please check the Leeds Central Library website for opening times.

Kirkstall Festival – 8th July

Come hang out with some famous faces of TV past and have your photo taken, courtesy of our Legends Group.

Food and much more at this popular annual event.

When? 11.00am – 5.00pm, Saturday 8th July

Where? Kirkstall Abbey, Abbey Road, Leeds LS5 3EH

These books are ALIVE!! Steal away your senses

High Rise Movement

In Spring 2017, the High Rise Movement group visited the Tetley to see ‘These books were alive; they spoke to me!’, an exhibition of printed matter and performance works by artist Dora García. During the visit one of the group members was keen to respond literally to a book entitled ‘Steal This Book’, and did indeed steal the book. They took inspiration away with them and created a sensory performance which was showcased at The Tetley in their City Workshop.

They used the idea of travel and set the scene. First they broke through into the bookstore with their swag bag. Boarded a flight to various locations, where they would steal the books. They visited Spain, with its Toros, Catholic widows, and Flamencos. The seaside, with water mist, sand, and sunglasses. And finally a beautiful flower garden. Stealing books in their swag bag on the way.

Flying through the sky

The book store

Setting the scene

Visiting Spain

The Seaside

The Flower Garden

Artists: Adam Hussain, Andrea Clisby, Anna Ward, Anna-Marie Garbutt, Annie Park, Bev Remmington, Brenda Bagshaw, Caz Stiff, Craig Trigwell, David Wragg, Dominique Ghatoara, Gillian McDonnell, Jade Murphy, Jan Tynan, Jessica Smith, Jill Stoves, Johnny Tabor, Julie Shackleton, Karanveer Singh, Karlene Morren, Kelly Shine, Kim Otter, Lynne Hemingway, Patsy Wolliter, Patricia Ndhlovu, Shane Fowler, Sian Hulley, Sophie Sheerin, Stephen Coates, Stephen Farrell

Step Into Spring

High Rise Music

During Spring Term 2017, the two High Rise Groups worked with Leeds Lieder to produce their own musical performance.
Their musical, Step into Spring, riffs on the seasonal theme from one of the Lieder songs, ‘It was a Lover and His Lass’ (from the Shakespeare play, ‘As You Like It’), which resonated with the group, and was the basis of the first song. The musical features the sounds of spring, with dancing animals and singing trees, in a joyous retort to the musical fancy of Shakespeare’s love tale.

Step into Spring is an original musical performed by the High Rise Music Group, baritone Philip Smith and pianist Jonathan Fisher as part of the Leeds Lieder Festival.

Click for the Step Into Spring  programme – complete with lyrics!

Big Hand Day – 19th July 2017

An end-of-term celebratory get together for Pyramid members and friends.  Get involved in restoring and reviving the Hand of Time sculpture with new plants and decorations.

A free lunch will be provided.

When?  11am – 4pm, Wednesday 19th July

Where? Pyramid of Arts, Barkston House, Croydon Street, Leeds LS11 9RT
(the Hand of Time is outside, to the left of Barkston House)

The Hand of Time at Thwaite Mills, 2012. (Photo credit: Oliver Pritchard.)

The Pyramid View on ‘Refinding’ – 19th July

As part of The Tetley’s regular Wednesday Lates, join Pyramid of Arts’ Eden Group for a guided tour and reflection on Jessie Flood-Paddock’s ‘Refinding’, followed by an invitation to view work the Eden Group have produced in response to this exhibition.

The Eden Group is a collective of 16 artists with and without learning disabilities, who work together to produce collaborative pieces of work and joint exhibitions.  Between April and July, the group will be led by artists Annie Nelson and Karen Hood in an exploration of Jessie Flood-Paddock’s work, and by extension the work of Kenneth Armitage.  During visits to The Tetley, the group will discuss and reflect specifically on ‘Refinding’ before returning to Pyramid of Arts to produce their own work in response, which will be exhibited at The Tetley from 19th July.

When? 6pm – 8pm, Wednesday 19th July

Where? The Tetley, Hunslet Road, Leeds LS10 1JQ

Cost / tickets? FREE, just turn up

Winter Stories

During Autumn Term 2016, the High Rise groups used the theme of Winter Stories to create their own performances, visual arts and sensory experiences.

The culmination of this work was shown at the Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills on Saturday 21st January, 2017.  

Artists: Adam Hopkins, Adam Hussain, Alistair Morgan, Andrea Clisby, Anna Ward, Anna-Marie Garbutt, Annie Park, Anthony Jima, Ben Brook, Bev Remmington, Brenda Bagshaw, Cassy Oliphant, Caz Stiff, Chris Walden, Craig Trigwell, Daisy Wray, David Wragg, Debra Hughes, Dominique Ghatoara, Edward Mortimer, Fiona Harrison, Jade Murphy, Jan Tynan, Jessica Smith, Jill Stoves, Johnny Tabor, Julie Shackleton, Karanveer Singh, Karlene Morren, Kelly Shine, Kim Otter, Louise Leary, Lynne Hemingway, Molly Bradshaw, Pam Broadbent, Patsy Wolliter, Patricia Ndhlovu, Pippa Cohen, Rebecca Bowes, Roy Morton, Sammy Holden, Sean Howe, Seb Munday, Shane Fowler, Sian Hulley, Sophie Deakin, Sophie Sheerin, Stephen Coates, Stephen Farrell, Susan Johnson, Toni Beardsall

Wire Sculptures

Ribblehead Group

The group were inspired by a wire angel made by one of our freelancers, Edward Mortimer. They experimented with garden wire to see what 3D objects could be made. The group made lots of wire models and chose to focus on three flying sculptures, a Superman, a dragon and a flying speaker.

Everyone worked really hard to make the final sculptures, which were exhibited for the group’s final session at the Seven Arts Centre in December 2016.

Minnie the Moocher

Artists on this project were: Bloodcurdling Ben Brook, Long John Densley, James HeselDeepDarkWood, James HouseOnTheHill, Jean Paul GirardEerie, Ghoulie Shackleston, Kreepy Kelly Shine, Lisa Cackling Cromack, Liz BrighTrappedInAWell-Peters, Macabre Margaret Groves.

Skelton Grange

During the summer term, the Visual Arts group visited Skelton Grange Conservation Volunteers. Inspired by the outdoors, the group created fired clay mobiles to hang as a permanent feature in the grounds.

With thanks to Jack Rabbits Pottery for hosting us during our decorating, glazing and firing session.

Artists: Alex Douro, Ben Brook, Cassy Oliphant, Debra Hughes, Edward Mortimer, Fiona Harrison, Janice Hatherly, Natalie Kyrkos, Phillip Bennett, Pippa Cohen, Sophie Deakin, Susan Johnson

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Kirkstall Art Trail

High Rise Movement

The group visited Kirkstall Abbey as part of a theme exploring the 200th Year anniversary of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

The groups sessions were documented and displayed at the Abbey during the Kirkstall Art Trail in July 2016, where High Rise artists also ran a very busy public workshop.

Artists: Andrea Clisby, Anna-Marie Garbutt, Annie Park, Bev Remmington, Brenda Bagshaw, Caz Stiff, David Cunningham, David Wragg, Janice Hatherly, Jill Stoves, Johnny Tabor, Julie Shackleton, Kelly Shine, Kimberley Otter, Mindy Goose, Patricia Ndholvu, Patsy Wolliter, Sophie Sheerin, Stephen Coates, Stephen Francis

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BEYOND Festival

Pyramid of Arts led on the development and delivery of BEYOND – Learning Disability and the Arts in Leeds, a brand new festival celebrating the work of artists with learning disabilities in the city, and the fabulous range of organisations that support.

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The Festival lasted for two weeks and included around 26 events across the city, in all artforms, and featuring the work of, amongst others:

Artlink West Yorkshire

The Bridge Health for All

Buzz Creative Arts

Creativities

East Street Arts

Interplay

LEEP1

Mind The Gap

People in Action

Practically Theatre

Purple Patch Arts

Pyramid of Arts

Northern Ballet

Specialist Autism Services

YAMSEN

Yorkshire Dance Raised

For more information see http://www.beyondarts.org

Red Blue Yellow

D4AT are artists Andrew Towse and Anna-Marie Atkinson.

It’s colour. Sausages, paper, a ball, feather, zig zags, art stuff

Get the stuff, picture, camera (snap)

Move on light, light box

Bright colours, they’re nice.

Favourite colour is orange.

– Andrew

Red, blue and yellow are colours we are taught are ‘primary’ when we first start painting or drawing. This means they are the foundation of all other colours. D4 have taken this as a starting point through which to explore our interests, including art-making and sausage sandwiches! The collection is vibrant and varied, united through colour.

– Anne-Marie

Red Blue Yellow was created for the BEYOND Festival 2016 and was exhibited at the Newlyn Gallery, West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Bringing The Outside In

An exhibition exploring the stretch of Holbeck and Hunslet which connects Barkston House (where Pyramid are based) and the Tetley.  Our members visited Slunglow theatre, Artemis, and the spaces between the two. They produced a visual art and sound exhibition responding to the earth, the air and the water, the ground, the sky and the buildings that they experienced as they explored.  They picked up souvenirs and stories along the way and brought them in from the outside to share with the audience.

 Made In Leeds TV reported on the exhibition:

Artists: Adam Bainbridge, Alison Andrews, Andrew Speakman, Andrew Wonnacott, Brian Richardson, Caroline Gilbert, Dominique Ghataora, Donna Lematy, Elliot Wigzell, Jonathan Lindh, Kelly Shine, Linda Korenika, Matthew Bellwood, Maureen Duffy, Melanie Madison, Naomi Hughes, Parveen Ayub, Robin Lumb, Scott Anderson, Simon Bradley, Sophie Dumont, Stephen Harvey.

This project formed part of the BEYOND Festival 2016, and was supported by Arts Council England and Leeds Inspired.

What’s In A Label?

Next Step & Alice Clayden

Next Step worked with Alice Clayden to contribute individual textile panles to a huge installation at Left Bank for the BEYOND Festival.

Alice also worked with groups from Toegther Women, LEEP1, People In Action, Courtyard Cafe, Cafe Leep and a Sue Ryder craft group to produce the work.

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The Pyramid artists involved in this project were: Adam Bates, Alice Clayden, Alicia Rywczuk, Colleen Ward, Dawn Carey-Jones, Ella Schofield, Halema Khatun, Hannah Nelson, Jody Fitzgerald, Judith Kennedy, Kate Woodfield, Megan Connell, Nicola Lines, Pete Hudspith and William Stapleton.

Wizard of Oz

High Rise Movement

The movement group took the theme of musicals in the Spring term of 2016, and the group picked the Wizard of Oz and decided to do their own abridged version.

Artists: Andrea Clisby, Anna-Marie Garbutt, Annie Park, Bev Remmington, Brenda Bagshaw, Caz Stiff, David Cunningham, David Wragg, Jill Stoves, Kelly Shine, Kimberley Otter, Patricia Ndholvu, Patsy Wolliter, Sophie Sheerin

The High Rise Movement artists

Winter Weather

Our Elders Group used visual arts methods to prompt conversations and reminisence about Winter and cold weather. The work they produced was not about playing outside in the snow, but instead it created a warm indoors environment, with snowflakes and icicles visible outside, and a chair and comfortable cushions next to a warm fire.

Artists on this project were: Anthony Cox, Barrie Nelson, Christopher Taylor, Claire Rookes, Daniella Bastow, Ian Wilson, John Bilham, John Densley , Margaret Groves, Oyidya Ndukwe, Penny Lewis, Verity Wong.