Transformers Youth Arts Group

Transformers Youth Arts Group meets on Thursday evenings at St Peter's Church, Burnham, and have been together since 2010.

The group of young people aged 8 to 15 years work with professional artists as part of the MONA LISA Arts & Media's outreach in the community, in partnership with the church. The group is given the opportunity to create artworks for exhibitions and events that have a particular theme or subject. In the last three years they've had their artworks included in exhibitions for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad, the Diamond Jubilee, Blessed are the Peacemakers and WW1 commemorations. This year they are making artworks that will be part of the exhibition at the Royal Holloway University, for the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the Seal of the Magna Carta.

The Transformers Youth Arts Group visited the Magna Carta and JFK Memorials at Runnymede. Walking through the water meadows we decided to sit down in the shade of trees to make mini-beasts. Then we went to see the Ankerwycke Yew to do some tree dressing and write wishes to place inside the tree. These are very old customs dating back to the time of the Druids.

Set Design for Lighthouse July 2015

Transformers Youth Arts Group were invited to create the set design for this year's Summer School Lighthouse which is attended by 1000 children and young people. The theme was the real Christmas Story.

Free to Create: Art the voice of freedom

By Rhonda Fenwick

As part of the Passion for Freedom event held in the Mall Galleries London artist Rhonda Fenwick was invited to facilitate an art workshop for children on Saturday 26th September. The Transformers Youth Arts Group and children from St Peter’s C of E School Burnham with some parents and teachers joined Rhonda for the day.

Artists, by their free expressions, encourage others to be free. This is the quality that makes works of art enduring.
Marty Rubin
There is no must in art because art is free.
Wassily Kandinsky
When there is no freedom, there is no creativity.
Soud Qbeilat
Art is to be creative without any rules or limitations, it is somewhere where freedom can be found.
Salwa Zahid
Here's to freedom, cheers to art. Here's to having an excellent adventure and may the stopping never start.
Jason Mraz

Exploring three questions regarding freedom, in collaboration with the 7th Passion for Freedom London Art Festival 2015:- What is freedom? How easy is it to lose it? How hard is it to get it back?

Participants had the opportunity to create artworks in response to the theme through drawing, body maps, graffiti, collage and origami. Giving them a voice to express their ideas, thoughts, views and opinions concerning freedom through the language of art.

  • Body Maps – on a large roll of Fabriano Accademia paper placed on gallery floor participants to draw outlines of each other’s bodies, write, draw, colour inside body shape outlines their responses to the three questions posed as above.
  • Graffitti Wall – on sheets of A1 drawing paper participants write and draw what they think or feel when certain situations arise. Using their self-expression in the form of graffiti.
  • Collages – using various coloured paper, card, buttons, sequins, feathers, old magazines and newspapers, scissors, pritt sticks, creating freedom collages. Butterflies made from white paper, small ones to be placed on a large white paper butterfly by participants as a collaborative piece.
  • Origami – creating flowers and birds symbolising freedom. Using coloured A4 sheets of paper to create flowers and birds something for the participants to take away.

Exhibition – Art for Peace in Syria:Reflections and Visions, 12th – 15th May 2017

Transformers Youth Arts Group Shoes Arts Project for Syria

This work is in response to the current situation in Syria working in collaboration with MASS (Medical Aid and Support for Syria). The exhibition will be held in St Peter’s Church Burnham. The aim is to raise funds to help set up a medical centre in Milula.

Why Shoes? Shoes tell our stories.

Shoes fascinate us.

When you lose loved ones, what do you do with their shoes? Exploring issues of memory, loss and the totemic power that people can give to everyday objects like shoes.

Make a shoe for a child that died from violence.

Why Shoes?

  • At times of disaster around the world, shoes appear to be the most poignant symbols or reminders of lost human life.
  • Imagining oneself in shoes different from one’s own is a powerful tool for empathy and learning.
  • Shoes are what we all leave behind.
  • The soul of soles.
  • Shoes tell a story.
  • Some are born with shoes on their feet, some sew their own shoes themselves, and others find other people’s shoes thrust upon them.
  • Shoes bear witness to the roads we have walked down in our life.
  • Don’t judge someone until you have walked in their shoes.
  • Shoes not only protect the foot but also communicate information about individuals: from geographic area to physical stature, economic status and personal style.
  • We leave footprints in the sand.
  • We lay our troubles at the feet of others.
  • What do we do with the shoes of those that are gone?