The Shape of My Light
Artist: Jake Ryan
Participants: Year 4 and Year 5 pupils from Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Ellesmere Port
Materials: Aluminium wire, aluminium foil tape, reflective film, coloured lighting filters. Pastel and chalk drawings, audio recordings.
The Shape of My Light is a mobile sculpture co-created by Year 4 and Year 5 pupils from Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School with artist Jake Ryan. Inspired by the many meanings of light, the installation brings together sculpture, drawing and poetry as the children explore stars, sunlight, kindness, hope and the values that guide us.
Through creative exploration, pupils were invited to think about light in its widest sense. Together they explored stars, energy and the natural world before reflecting on the qualities that shape who we are and the choices we make.
The creative process began with discussion and reflection before children responded through abstract drawing. Using chalks and oil pastels, they explored the movement, colour and feeling of their own inner light, considering what it feels like to be themselves. These expressive drawings became the starting point for their sculptures.
Working with aluminium wire, aluminium foil tape, coloured lighting filters and reflective materials, pupils created suspended sculptures that explore line, movement, colour and reflection. Each sculpture is a personal response to the question:
If your inner light had a shape, what would it look like?
Alongside the visual artwork, the children collaborated to create a collective poem exploring their own inner light, the values that guide them and the many ways light can be understood, experienced and shared. Selected readings were recorded and combined with images from the creative process to create a short digital artwork, which can be viewed by scanning the QR code.
The finished installation brings together conversation, drawing, sculpture and poetry, preserving the children’s ideas in the forms, colours and words they created.
The display is currently installed at:
Theatre Porto, Whitby Park, Ellesmere Port
