Creative Sparks

Creative Sparks is a growing collection of hands-on art and storytelling prompts inspired by real objects, places, and people from our local heritage.

Each spark begins with and object, like a building, a roof tile, a garment, a photo or someome elses art, and invites you to look closer, ask questions, and create something original. Designed for teens, adults, teachers, and curious minds, with Creative Sparks let's turn everyday things into a starting points for art, writing, performance, and reflection. It’s about connecting with the people and places of our past, exploring identity, and using creativity to express how we see the world.

“Art gives us a different way to hold history... it lets us feel it, shape it, respond to it. A history book can tell you what happened, but art helps you ask why it matters and where you fit in the story." - Roselyn Fauth

At first glance, it might seem like just a roof tile. Or a weathered building. Or an old information sign. But when we look closer, we start to see layers of meaning... marks of time, signs of craftsmanship, and traces of the people who came before us.

Objects like these are more than materials. They are keepers of memory. A roof tile might have sheltered generations. A building might have witnessed change, celebration, or struggle. A faded sign might once have welcomed visitors, told a story, or stood up to the wind.

When we slow down and pay attention, everyday objects become powerful prompts for creativity and connection. They invite us to ask questions, imagine stories, and make something new.

So if it’s not just a building, a roof tile, or just a window... then what else could it be? Visit the Aigantighe to be inspired.

No matter your age, skill, or style... your creativity matters.

  • Your art doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
  • Every idea starts small, just begin.
  • What you make is your voice, and your voice is worth sharing.
  • You don’t need to draw to be an artist. You can build, write, move, record, shape, or imagine.
  • Mistakes are part of the magic. Let them lead you somewhere new.
  • You already have what you need. Use what’s around you — paper, sound, nature, found objects.
  • Your story is yours alone. No one else can tell it the way you can.
  • Being creative isn’t about being the best... it’s about being brave.
  • Someone, somewhere, might be inspired because you shared.

Look closer. Make something. Share your spark. You are the artist now.

 

Sometimes, an everyday object is all it takes to unlock new ideas. Something simple can hold stories, spark memories, or invite curiosity. Art helps us slow down and see differently. It asks us to notice the details, to wonder, and to express what we find. That’s where imagination begins.

Look closely. What materials, colours, textures, or marks do you see? Has it been shaped by time or touch? Who might have used it? What might it have witnessed? What does it remind you of? What story might it tell if it could speak? The more you notice, the more possibilities appear.

Sketch it, sculpt it, write a poem, tell a story, record a soundscape, invent a legend, choreograph a movement. Use digital tools or natural materials. 

If you need a extra spark, ask yourself: What if this could fly? What secret might it hold? What might it say to a tree? What could it become? A good question can carry you further than a finished answer.

Guichard Carvin and Cie Marseille St Andre Roof Tile from The Aigantighe Art Gallery 2025

Then What Else Could It Be?

It might look like just a roof tile, weathered, and no longer useful. But when you take a closer look, could it become something more?

This roof tile once sheltered a home. It sat high above the ground for over a century, protecting walls filled with stories, art, and change. It was made by skilled hands, shipped across oceans, and placed with care on the roof of the Aigantighe Art Gallery, long before it became a gallery at all.

Now, too fragile to return to the rooftop, this tile still carries meaning. You can see it in the tiny stamped bee, the colour of the clay, the lichen, the reminants of dirt accumulated over time and washed away by the weather. 

What and who has this tile witnessed. Can it be a symbol, a protector, a survivor, a victim...? 

So if it’s not just a roof tile…
Could it be a storyteller?
A memory keeper?
A piece of someone’s legacy?
A spark for your next poem, drawing, painting, or performance?

"The wonderful thing about art is that there’s no right or wrong. Your art doesn’t have to be the best work the world has seen... it can still be powerful when it’s honest, when it tells a story, and when it makes someone feel something. Art gives us the freedom to look closely, ask questions, and share how we see the world. A simple object: like this roof tile, can carry stories, spark ideas, and help us connect with others." - Roselyn Fauth

So how can you be inspired? How will you use your art to inspire others? 

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