A Team Field Trip

Last year saw Alison Dace pilot a new scheme to encourage creativity across our network and launched the A Team!

I was in my first year as an Art Team member and Alison gave me every opportunity to get involved and really get stuck in! The experience taught me so much and the 2008 A Team shoot was fantastic, a real inspiration and a job well done by all.

So when Alison asked me to be involved again this year, my eyes lit up with excitement and the smile on my face was a definite yes! The A team for me is a truly amazing journey, where not only do the Team get to know each other, but get to know themselves a little better too.

Alison took their first meeting with a fantastically fun filled day, as I would be taking the second meeting I had a tough act to follow. Last year saw us on a field trip around London Galleries and museums, the feedback of this day and the inspirational gain was so great we decided to run it again. This time I would be taking the group alone and my previous experience had well prepared me for such a task. We all met at the London Academies, I gave a breakdown of the day and we set off in our casual clothes and foot wear as a lot of walking was going to be done!

With no time to waste we headed straight to the underground and were on our way to the first stop, the Tate Britain. I felt very much like the School teacher looking after the kids (in the adult sense of course lol) as I watched and waited for everyone to roll through the underground barriers. I had researched the exhibitions and found some great works, from Turners "Colour & Line" experiment, to Gothic Romance of Henry Wallis and Richard Wetall, who’s paintings depicted war sparked by love. I have always been fascinated with history and how great cities had fallen all because of love and betrayal. The Team paired up and it gave them a wonderful opportunity to bond with one another and also gave me a chance to speak to them on a more individual basis. Pens and pencils were scribbling away with ideas, sketches and notes. I was in awe of the amazing development I could see before my very eyes. After 2 hours of studying art works past and present we took a well deserved break and stopped for lunch. We began to discuss our findings, what inspired us, moved us, upset us. As the emotional debate unfolded it was clear to see they were truly individuals yet as a team they were agreeing to disagree. I felt a strong bond developing and with no time to lose, lunch was over and we headed to the next venue. We covered the Tate Britain, the Royal Academy of Arts and the National Gallery in one day. These are excellent venues to visit as admission is free and the art work displayed is timeless. This day is designed to get the A Team working together, to question everything, challenge their emotions and get inspired. The day ended on an exhausted high and we finished off at the Academy so I could hand out their homework!

Once we had finished the team and I stopped at a local bar to embrace the day with a well deserved drink before parting ways......ready for the next A Team meeting.

The discussions and creative ideas that were produced on the day, showed me we are in for another exciting year. Well done Team, and thanks. You were a pleasure to have and I enjoyed the day immensely.

Mario ;-)