A study area offers space and materials for children to draw, using the content of the exhibition as their inspiration.

The exhibition has been developed by artist/designer Alison Milner from her book ‘Inspirational Objects – a visual dictionary of simple elegant forms’, published in 2005.

About the exhibition

Inspirational objects – nature as designer.

"This exhibition looks at simple, elegant objects made by nature or by simple means, objects which are my inspiration as a designer.

We live in a world created by nature but designed by man. Everyday we interact with hundreds of objects, the majority of which we take for granted. Some are inventive and ingenious, some are full of poetry and memories and some seem indispensable but can ultimately be destructive.

Space travel is possibly one of our most unnatural activities, and yet it uses engineering inspired by plants. When the Rover explorer arrived on Mars in 2003 it used hydraulic systems to control its landing: drifting down to the surface with the slow descent of a dandelion seed, bouncing to a safe halt like a tumbleweed and then opening like a flower bud and spreading its metal petals.

Flowers are the sex organs of plants they have evolved their subtle colours and welcoming forms for their primary function of insect pollination, but they also attract humans, inspiring them to fill the world with more flowers in the form of wallpaper, gothic cathedrals, poetry and shirts. On a more functional level it is possible to suggest that the form of the wheel was inspired by the radial symmetry of flowers.

We take the ultra light and hygienic plastic skin of bottles for granted. They have evolved from early water containers which were simply animal skin bags. It seems ironic that now countless billions of bottles are produced and filled with creams and potions to enable us all to maintain our perfect skin.

My hope is that this exhibition will help you to see the objects that surround you a little differently and think about why you like something, where it comes from, how is it made, what is it made from, what it is for and whether we really need it at all. Human choices are never simple".

Alison Milner 2006

Steve Speller, Rocket Science

Two-day event at the Booth Museum for children ages 8 and over

Macro Photo

Work with professional photographer Lindsey Smith to take macro (close-up) images of objects that inspire you. Please bring along an object you find inspiring. A camera is not a necessity, but if you have a digital camera bring it along.
Saturday 21 October 2006 12.30–4.30pm and Sunday 22 October 2006 2–4.50pm
£15 for both days
To book telephone the Booth Museum 01273 292777

Information for schools

Inspirational Objects perfectly compliments several parts of the Art and Design curriculum for Key Stage 1. The exhibition’s exploration of natural forms allows children the opportunity to study the line, shape and texture of objects as is required by QCA unit 2A (Mother Nature Designer), while the artist's use of photographs allows for the study of composition using a viewfinder as is essential in unit 2A (Picture This). This exhibition will enrich these units of work for the children.

Inspirational Objects: Nature as Designer is sponsored by Spectrum Photographic and Arts Council England