These special workshops are for families – children of ages 5 and up, plus adults of all ages!

Using methodologies and materials inspired by our current season of exhibitions, children and their families are invited to work together to create different landscapes.

We will explore shadow-outlining inspired by Deirdre O’Mahony’s paintings, birds-eye views inspired by Carol Rhodes’ constructed landscapes, and pirate egalitarianism inspired by Dominique White’s sculptural installation, to imagine and make drawings collaboratively.

During the tour and workshops, students will practice…

• Looking together: An introduction to the current exhibitions with a collective exploration of observations and ideas.
• Hands-on making: Everyone will be invited to imagine yourselves as pirates, an inspiring mode of collectiveness where everyone’s voice is heard and everyone makes their mark. Working collaboratively as equals in small groups, imagine new landscapes will be imagined. Each group will be given a unique set of materials (e.g. sticks and crayons, stones and string, graphite and pencil) for image-making. Each group will be invited to begin to shape their landscapes by tracing shadows of stones and shadows of their limbs on large scale paper. These shapes will stimulate ideas for the material, physical and architectural composition of their landscapes.
• Sharing: Each group will come up with a name for their landscape and a brief description of how it was formed and what life it supports and what stories it holds. They will present their work to each other and we will reflect together on the processes used and stories generated.

The workshops will be led by artist Mary Jo Gilligan. Children should wear messy-friendly clothes!

Spaces are limited - Please note that each child must have a valid ticket which must be booked in advance. Each child ticket includes one adult ticket only.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets can be purchased online, in person or over the phone at Box Office. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Wheelchair users and any group over 8 persons should book tickets directly through Box Office. Further Terms and Conditions can be found at visualcarlow.ie/visit/booking-information.