© Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
The Roman Merchandise Project has been a wonderful project to be involved in.
The project has been part of a wider programme of events connected with the Roman Empire: Power & People exhibition. It was funded by Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society, promoted ‘Kids In Museums’ Takeover Day and involved Year 10 Art Students at Oasis Academy Brightstowe working with the artist Julie Roberts to design and create a range of merchandise inspired by Kings Weston Roman Villa.
At the start of the project, we took the students to visit Kings Weston Roman Villa and told them about the discovery and history of the Villa.
Quick Reminder!
Kings Weston Roman Villa was discovered during the construction of Lawrence Weston housing estate in 1947. Whilst two buildings were uncovered, only the Eastern Building was fully excavated from 1948 - 1950 by George C. Boon and John Clevedon Brown. Finds from the site are currently on display at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.
During the visit to Kings Weston Roman Villa, the students got the opportunity to handle real Roman objects and study the Roman mosaics discovered at Kings Weston Roman Villa and from Brislington Roman Villa (which no longer
exists).
Over the next two sessions, the students researched the wide variety of products which are sold in museum shops, and most importantly, which products are commercially viable i.e.: sell the best. It was decided that the range would
focus on mugs, coasters, magnets, key rings, hand printed bags and jewellery and that the designs created could be used on a variety of products.
Our group of students really engaged with the idea of the project and under the excellent guidance of Julie Roberts, enjoyed creating their unique and exciting designs for the range of products. The designs were created using paint and teeny tiny sponge squares! The hand printed bags were meticulously printed by hand using fabric paint and small sponges. Over the course of the sessions, I really enjoyed chatting to the students, answering their questions and asking them about the parts of Kings Weston Roman Villa which had inspired their design.
From the start of the project, we had decided that a Launch Party for the new merchandise was an important finale to the project. So on Monday 16th December 2013, in time for Christmas, after a tour of the Orpheus Mosaic and Roman
Empire: Power & People conducted by Archaeology Curator Gail Boyle, the collection was officially unveiled in Bristol Museum & Art Gallery shop.
Guests at the launch included then Museum Director Julie Finch, representatives from Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society and Kids in Museums, the artist Julie Roberts, as well as Parents, Teachers and Students from Oasis Academy Brightstowe.
To sum up the speeches, the student's designs and products looked amazing and they should be very proud of their work. Julie Finch presented the students with their Kids In Museums Takeover Day certificates and thanked the students for their hard work, Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society for funding the project and Julie Roberts for her hard work.
The project has been part of a wider programme of events connected with the Roman Empire: Power & People exhibition. It was funded by Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society, promoted ‘Kids In Museums’ Takeover Day and involved Year 10 Art Students at Oasis Academy Brightstowe working with the artist Julie Roberts to design and create a range of merchandise inspired by Kings Weston Roman Villa.
At the start of the project, we took the students to visit Kings Weston Roman Villa and told them about the discovery and history of the Villa.
Quick Reminder!
Kings Weston Roman Villa was discovered during the construction of Lawrence Weston housing estate in 1947. Whilst two buildings were uncovered, only the Eastern Building was fully excavated from 1948 - 1950 by George C. Boon and John Clevedon Brown. Finds from the site are currently on display at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.
During the visit to Kings Weston Roman Villa, the students got the opportunity to handle real Roman objects and study the Roman mosaics discovered at Kings Weston Roman Villa and from Brislington Roman Villa (which no longer
exists).
Over the next two sessions, the students researched the wide variety of products which are sold in museum shops, and most importantly, which products are commercially viable i.e.: sell the best. It was decided that the range would
focus on mugs, coasters, magnets, key rings, hand printed bags and jewellery and that the designs created could be used on a variety of products.
Our group of students really engaged with the idea of the project and under the excellent guidance of Julie Roberts, enjoyed creating their unique and exciting designs for the range of products. The designs were created using paint and teeny tiny sponge squares! The hand printed bags were meticulously printed by hand using fabric paint and small sponges. Over the course of the sessions, I really enjoyed chatting to the students, answering their questions and asking them about the parts of Kings Weston Roman Villa which had inspired their design.
From the start of the project, we had decided that a Launch Party for the new merchandise was an important finale to the project. So on Monday 16th December 2013, in time for Christmas, after a tour of the Orpheus Mosaic and Roman
Empire: Power & People conducted by Archaeology Curator Gail Boyle, the collection was officially unveiled in Bristol Museum & Art Gallery shop.
Guests at the launch included then Museum Director Julie Finch, representatives from Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society and Kids in Museums, the artist Julie Roberts, as well as Parents, Teachers and Students from Oasis Academy Brightstowe.
To sum up the speeches, the student's designs and products looked amazing and they should be very proud of their work. Julie Finch presented the students with their Kids In Museums Takeover Day certificates and thanked the students for their hard work, Bristol Decorative & Fine Arts Society for funding the project and Julie Roberts for her hard work.
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