I'm excited to share my recent experience at Coin Street's Summer Camp on London's Southbank, where I led several t-shirt printing sessions for local young people.
In my previous studio, I ran heat press workshops for adults, teaching various techniques for applying cut, drawn, and painted images onto fabric. Earlier this year, I discovered Coin Street had a heat press tucked away, and I was determined to help them put it to good use.
I was delighted when Dan Gibbs, Coin Street’s Youth & Community Programmes Senior Coordinator, invited me to propose a workshop for the kids' summer camp. Unlike my usual full-day adult workshops, I had just 90 minutes per session to get the young people settled, creating, and printing – a challenge I gladly accepted!
I had a lot of fun exploring creative ways to use heat transfer vinyl, drawing inspiration from Matisse-style paper cutting, nature-inspired organic forms, and geometric shapes, before structuring these ideas into the session's theme.
With a wide age range and diverse abilities among the campers (from 8 to 16 years old), the goal was to design an activity that was accessible to all. Embracing my love of colour, shape, and fun geometrics, I designed a glorious sunburst motif for everyone to follow, with room for adaptation if time allowed.
One of the glorious creations made by Coin Street’s young people this summer.
To create the image, we used heat transfer vinyl, which comes in sheets and allowed everyone to choose their own colours from bright neon, primary shades, or shiny metallics, making each T-Shirt completely unique!
For many, it was their first time seeing a heat press, so it was wonderful to introduce them to this new technique. It was a real highlight to see the young people engaged, learning a new skill, and asking insightful questions about the process.
The young people brought fantastic energy to the session, and it was great to see how each person added their own creative expression to the basic design elements.
It was touching to see how the different age groups worked together, with the older campers helping the younger ones.
The "peel and reveal" moment of their designs was always a highlight. It was truly rewarding to bring something I love to the community and witness their pride in their unique creations. Many were so excited they left wearing their new t-shirts!
It's been fabulous seeing their creativity blossom as they learn about design, printing, and bringing their unique ideas to life on fabric. The energy and enthusiasm of the young people is truly inspiring, and it's amazing to be a part of their summer, fostering new skills and a love for creative expression.
The Community team at Coin Street is truly brilliant, renowned for their excellent work with young people. They lead the summer program with engaging art, sport, and various activities, and even provide home-cooked lunches, supported by a dedicated team of session workers and volunteers. You can find more about their work here: Coin Street Community
