Junior artworks to follow
Webpage under construction November 2021
20. Radish from observation in The Monk's Garden
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
1. Pebble painting utilising the golden section
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
The Monk's Garden Exhibition
This online exhibition celebrates the artworks created by pupils of St. Edan's National School, Ferns, during The Monk's Garden visual art, heritage and gardening project facilitated by David Begley as part of his Ancient Connections Artist Residency in Ferns, County Wexford.
The emphasis of the visual art aspect of this project has been to engage children in process led learning. Workshops were carried out with two groups: Juniors 5 - 8 years and Seniors 8 - 12 years. All pupils (34) at St. Edan’s National School participated.
This exhibition presents artworks created by the children (one per child) during the project. In addition to learning drawing and painting skills, Senior children also discovered how to utilise the ‘golden section’ in a painting composition, they erected and wove a bean obelisk with hazel and willow poles, they learned about medieval illuminated manuscripts and created their own bestiary pages inspired by hedgerow and farm animals. Through weekly presentations and discussions they explored the heritage of Ferns and its farming practices. Children were encouraged to speak about their work and share their artistic discoveries.
To see images from the project and read David Begley’s account of The Monk’s Garden project, click here.
From March - June 2021, David Begley facilitated The Monk's Garden, a visual art, heritage and gardening project at St. Edan's National School. David and the children grew fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers and used these as source for drawing and painting. Inspired by the medieval monk, St. Aidan of Ferns, many of the plants chosen for the garden would have grown in medieval monastic gardens.
The garden prompted lessons on soil, erosion, germination, companion planting, the importance of water, wildlife habitats, uses of sheep's wool, composting, archaeological excavation, monastic life, St. Aidan, The Normans, and creativity.
The children wove a wattle fence, made oak gall ink, drew with reed pens and turkey feather quills, gathered water from the River Bann to feed the garden, and learned how to bake and draw with homemade charcoal in order to draw a portrait of the school secretary. As the project developed they came to know the names and uses of plants.
2. Pebble painting utilising the golden section
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
3. Pebble painting utilising the golden section
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
4. Pebble painting utilising the golden section
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
5 Pebble painting utilising the golden section
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
6. Pebbles imagined as meteorites
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
7. Goldfinch (bestiary painting)
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
8. Mouse (bestiary painting)
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
9. Sunflower (bestiary painting)
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
10. Fox (bestiary painting)
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
11. Badger (bestiary painting)
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
13. Fox (bestiary painting)
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
14. Calendula drawn with oak gall ink and turkey feather quill
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
15. Portrait of the school secretary, charcoal on paper
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
16. Portrait of the secretary, charcoal on paper
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
17. Portrait of the secretary, charcoal on paper
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
18. Portrait of the secretary, charcoal on paper
by a senior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
As well as creating these artworks, the Seniors built a bean obelisk, participated in an excavation, made bird nests, painted signs, drew outdoors with quills and canes, sowed, planted and harvested vegetables, wove a wattle fence, made ink, gathered water from the River Bann and built and installed a gate!
Junior Artworks
The Junior room pupils aged 5 - 8 years – Junior infants to second class.
19. Strawberries from observation in The Monk's Garden
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
20. Radish from observation in The Monk's Garden
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
21. Colour ink swatch
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
22. Pumpkin seedling from observation
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
23. Garden painting
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
24. Rhubarb leaf painting
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
25. Seedling from observation in The Monk's Garden
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
26. Potted seedling from observation
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
27. Spring onion from observation
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
28. Plant from observation
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
29. Imagined landscape in charcoal
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
30. Seed potato from observation
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
30. Seed potato in charcoal
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
31. Inkblot
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
32. Heart, inkblot
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
33. Inkblot
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
34. Inkblot
by a junior pupil of St. Edan's National School,
Ferns, County Wexford, 2021
Junior Activities
As well as creating these artworks, the Juniors sowed seeds, planted seedlings, watered the garden, mixed a super spud soil, laid seashell borders, made bird nests, learned how to make compost, protected the Monk's Garden from erosion using sheep's wool, drew and painted outdoors, harvested herbs and vegetables and gathered water from the River Bann!
With thanks to the staff, parents and children of St. Edan's National School, Ferns, County Wexford. Special thanks to caretaker Anthony Earle for his assistance throughout this project and to Imogen Stafford and Hanneke van Ryswyk for their horticultural help and advice.
To see further images and read about this project see David's account here
Photography and design by David Begley.
The Monk's Garden is part of David Begley's Ancient Connections Artist Residency in Ferns, County Wexford, commissioned by Wexford County Council.