Street artist gives graffiti master classes in school

The King's School Pontefract hosted a PET Urban Art Masterclass led by Leeds graffiti artist Elliot Wigzell.

Street artist Elliot Wigzell, of Leeds, showed children from across the area the arty ropes at The King’s School in Pontefract last month.

The Pontefract Education Trust (PET) initiative took the form of two workshops. Pupils from The King’s School, Carleton High School, St Joseph’s Pontefract, Holy Family and St Michael’s, Halfpenny Lane, Larkshill, DeLacy, Cobblers, Carleton Park, The Rookeries and Orchard Head worked together on the graffiti project to produce some inspirational design ideas for a potential mural in the Valley Gardens, Pontefract.

During the autumn of 2015, PET was approached by the Friends of the Friarwood Valley Gardens (FFVG) to produce some graffiti artwork on a rusty, old, metal lockup in the Valley Gardens.

Some of the children during the graffiti master class.

This idea evolved from a requirement based around an aesthetic improvement to the area into a project which engaged children from the community and an opportunity to work with a professional artist.

PET’s Louise Limbert from the PET said: ”In modern society graffiti art, or urban art is now more widely accepted and breathing life and colour into rundown areas has become par for the course.

Soweto in South Africa has the most amazing example of cooling tower art and if nothing else, it demonstrates how art can transform a derelict space into something useful and beautiful.”

The Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens are working hard to progress this community-led project with the PET schools. They hope to welcome Elliot and the children to complete the final mural painting over the next few months.

Colin White from FFVG said, “It is important for everyone to take ownership of community spaces and involvement from local schoolchildren will only help to ensure the enhancement of the gardens and the preservation of its heritage.”