‘Forget Me Knots’ help children process feelings about pandemic

Monday 08 June 2020

A local art therapist and teacher has designed a large-scale community project to help children and young people process any feelings of anxiety brought on by covid-19 through creativity.

Jacque Rutter’s ‘Skipton Forget Me Knots’ project will culminate in an installation made up of thousands of flowers later this year.

Launched by ArtHouse Jersey, the project will be facilitated by local artists who will guide the children in creating paper flowers to explore their experiences and the emotions these might have evoked since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Video: Artist Eliza Reine explains how to create one of the flowers.

Jacque Rutter, who is a both Hautlieu School's Head of Art and an art therapist, designed the project after thinking about her own students and how they would cope with the strain of the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown.

“It was quite hard because people had no control over it, it was like watching it from a distance,” she explained. “The fear was quite awful for some people.”

Interested in how creativity supports our mental health, Jacque did lots of research ahead of children coming back to school to come up with a project that would encompass creativity, communications and community.

Pictured: ‘Forget Me Nots’ were used during medieval times in Denmark to make poultices for people with respiratory problems.

She then remembered the Tower of London poppy installation, which aimed to mark 100 years since the end of World War one. 

After researching other flowers and their meaning, Jacque discovered that ‘Forget Me Nots’ were used during medieval times in Denmark to make poultices for people with respiratory problems.

“I thought it was very fitting and a really beautiful symbol,” Jacque said. 

‘Skipton Forget Me Knots’ was developed in partnership with the Department of Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) and third sector organisations including ​Youthful Minds, MIND, Mencap a​nd​ Jersey Youth Service. 

Pictured: The flowers will be brought together in an public installation.

Jacque has designed two different courses, one for primary school pupils and one for secondary school, in a bit to help pupils process and talk about happened.

“We really have got to talk to students,” Jacque said. “You should not pretend that it did not happen.”

“I think in Jersey we are acutely aware that all of our experiences of the lock down have been different: for some it has been a time to rest, recuperate and spend time with family, for others it might have been a time of pain, illness, worry and loneliness,” Tom Dingle, Director of ArtHouse Jersey said. 

“This project will help young people open up about what their experiences might have been helping teachers and peers to support those who might need it most.”

Video: Glen Fox explains how to create a chain of 'Forget Me Knots'.

Around 3,200 young people will be taking part, creating paper flowers and talking to each other as they do so.

All of the flowers will then be brought together to create a spectacular, large-scale sculptural piece of public art that will be exhibited in a prominent location.  

The piece will tell the unheard story of Jersey children’s experience of the pandemic, while also acting as a symbol of the island’s unity as a community.

Pictured: Around 3,200 young people will be taking part in the project.

​“We all need a symbol of unity and positivity at the moment and we are proud to be delivering this project along with ArtHouse Jersey,” Aaron Walden, Commercial Manager, Skipton International, said. 

“Creativity has been such an important outlet during this pandemic for adults and children alike, allowing us to break from the challenges of our day and to reconnect with our emotions and mental wellbeing. 

“Through our partnership with ArtHouse we hope to encourage more people to celebrate local art, either by practicing a form of art or by visiting what is bound to be a very impactful final sculpture as part of this project.”