"Butter Sweet Time - The cogs and wheels that turn Shandon’s Historical Quarter"

A multidisciplinary Art Project designed and coordinated by Artists Leah Murphy and Susan Walsh.

Turn back time with this years ‘Tools of the Trade’ This years school groups 4th Class Pupils from North Presentation Primary School, Gerard Griffith Street and St. Vincent’s Primary School, St Mary's Road re-discovered the traditional craft of butter making at Cork Butter Museum, and have been inspired by the colours of traditional Sweet making over generations at Shandon Sweets, all under the impressive time keeper of Shandon Clock.

Beginning with an introductory workshop, the children were introduced to the tools in everyday use by these places of interest. This was followed by a bespoke behind the scenes virtual tour of the project partners. We then developed a series of creative workshops inspired by the cross-curricular themes that the places presented. In the series of creative response workshops that followed, the children experienced a wide range of materials and artistic techniques including: observational drawing, painting, printing, panoramic photography, mixed media and large interactive collaborative works.

A series of creative response workshops

During he site visits and demonstrations the children were encouraged to draw and take notes in sketch books, Drawing the items at the museum , the process at the sweet making demo and the tower from the gardens below. While on the viewing balcony each child took a photograph resulting in a panorama of the city below. Inspired by the three locations we then developed a series of creative workshops ,with individual artworks and larger collaborative pieces the works were then professionally presented and displayed at City hall Atrium in June 24.

The interactive collaborative “Turning Time” piece captures a panorama with Shandon Clock Tower at the centre surrounded by the smaller cogs, turning our attention to places of interest in the surrounding historic Shandon area. The cogs of Butter Museum and Shandon Sweets.

"A bit a Butter" Inspired by the butter wrapper collection at the museum each pupil designed and printed their own unique butter brand.

Then with "Pure Imagination" they each designed and made the perfect sweet with wonderful flavours and colours.

All works were then returned to the school for display.

Participating project partners

Thank you to our project partners for collaborating with the 'Tools of the Trade' art project in 2024.