From spring 2020, the Big Family Press collaborate with London-based artist and art historian Millie Nice for Bad Drawing Club.
For Bad Drawing Club, the Big Family Press use humour and unconventional methods of mark-making to doodle, copy, scribble and experiment with different approaches to drawing.
Together, the group question what makes a drawing ‘bad’, and who gets to say something is ‘bad’ in the first place.
By role-playing as art critics, the children have the opportunity to humorously reflect on the different values ascribed to art, how something is made, and who makes it. The club frees the group from the pressures of technique, judgement and self-criticism.
In spring 2020, the Big Family Press is: Ben, Daniel, Esther, Ethan, Jemimah, Jennifer, Kameela, Kamil, Leah, Rahmaa, Sadie and Zahraa.
BAD DRAWING CLUB ONLINE
Following the South London Gallery’s temporary closure as a result of Covid-19, the Bad Drawing Club took place on the SLG’s Instagram, @SouthLondonGallery on Thursdays at 3.30pm.
See below for the ten activities created by Millie Nice over the course of the project.
BAD DRAWING CLUB: BAD ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1: Secret Identities
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26 March 2020
ACTIVITY 2: Materials Index
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2 April 2020
ACTIVITY 3: Transform Paper
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9 April 2020
ACTIVITY 4: Drawing In the Dark
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16 April 2020
ACTIVITY 5: No More Stick Men
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23 April 2020
ACTIVITY 6: Bad Tools
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30 April 2020
ACTIVITY 7: Memory Drawing
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May 7 2020
ACTIVITY 8: Drawing with purpose
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May 14 2020
ACTIVITY 9: Drawing Rules
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May 21 2020
ACTIVITY 10: Cheating
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May 28 2020
ABOUT
Millie Nice is an illustrator and art historian. She draws pictures inspired by the past and finds the fun side of fine art with audiences of all ages. Millie divides her time between illustrating and working with galleries and heritage sites to explore what the art of the past can mean to modern audiences. Her previous work includes the zines Artphabet: The Alphabet of Alternative Artists; Art History Health Warnings; and The Drawing Workbook with The Guardian.
The Big Family Press is commissioned through the South London Gallery’s critical heritage programme, Evidence of Us.
Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Southwark Council’s Neighbourhoods Fund. Children & Families programme supported by Mercedes Zobel.