The creative process
Ray has acknowledged that Ramsden Hall School has its own particular atmosphere. A narrow curving drive takes the visitor through a mass of shrubs and large mature pine trees on each side. The long driveway effectively absorbs the visitor into the new and separate world of the school in its woodland setting. It seems miles away from the nearby suburbs of Billericay. Ray has found the self-contained aspect of the school particularly inspiring.
Head teacher Stewart Grant suggested that Ray carry out his workshops with the pupils in a soon to be derelict portakabin. There, they could “throw paint around” if they wished. Ray saw this remark as an opportunity to do just that and unrolled several metres of card so that the boys could explore the art of throwing paint. It soon became clear that there was a definite skill in flicking paint to achieve the most satisfying curves and symmetrical splashes. The pupils had a number of techniques to learn and soon became experts. This was the start of an investigation which led to the more elegant splashes and shadows of the work Off the Wall which features a frieze of screen-printed laminate panels that sweep around the curve of the corridor.
Ray also wanted to include an artwork in the grounds of the School. Ray's idea was to incorporate an element of mystery and surprise into the already charged atmosphere of the winding woodland driveway to the School. In Roman mythology the genius loci was the spirit or atmosphere of a particular space. This was depicted as a snake. So it seemed entirely appropriate for Ray to create a serpent high in the branches of a pine tree to add to the unique atmosphere of the school grounds.
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“The great designs produced by the pupils with Ray will be a major enhancement to the building.”
Paul Critchley, Project Manager, Essex County Council
