Make an Aniplant: Caitlin Wyatt

A young woman with red hair sits at a table with plants, jars, and a laptop labelled AniPlants. She is looking at a red tablet on a stand. The background is a colourful, paint-splattered wall.

Learn how to make an animal-themed plant pot, designed and led by student Caitlin Wyatt.

In partnership with Creative & Cultural Skills, the National Festival of Making released an industry-led student challenge designed to support students’ skills development. Caitlin Wyatt, Level 4 Graphic Design (BA) at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA Epsom), was the Overall Winner for her considered and well-presented idea for a workshop centred around plastic recycling.

As part of her prize, Caitlin travelled to the Arnolfini gallery in Bristol to receive mentoring from Artists in Residence, Let’s Make Art.

To have a go at making your own Aniplant inspired by Caitlin’s work, watch the video, download the workshop graphics and template below.

You will need:

  • A large recycled, clean and dry plastic bottle 
  • A pencil
  • Scrap paper
  • Acrylic paint
  • A paintbrush
  • Paint pens
  • Masking tape
  • Scissors (and craft knife – optional) (make sure an adult helps with this bit)
  • If you want to hang your plant pot, you will also need a hole punch and some string.

Top Tip: You can download Caitlyn’s Aniplant template to help you create your animal.

Download template

A flat lay of art and craft supplies: empty plastic bottle, hole punch, acrylic gesso, two paintbrushes, paper sheets, scissors, tweezers, four paint markers, tape, string, compostable cup, and a small potted plant.
A small plant sits in a hanging planter made from a recycled plastic bottle, painted white to look like a cat’s face with ears, whiskers, and a pink smiling mouth. Pink string holds the planter against a colourful background.

About the Challenge with Creative & Cultural Skills

The Live Brief with Creative & Cultural Skills invited students to consider what they would like to contribute to the National Festival of Making programme by proposing an imaginative piece of work that will engage the festival’s multi-generational and diverse audiences.

About Creative & Cultural Skills

Creative & Cultural Skills supports the UK cultural sector by shaping skills, education and employment best practice. They provoke action and enable learning opportunities that drive change and help to build an inclusive, skilled sector. 

About Let’s Make Art

Alice and Karen founded Let’s Make Art, an independent arts organisation, in 2012. They run high-quality, unique art activities, events and workshops to ensure people of all ages and abilities experience many art techniques in a fun and imaginative way.

Karen and Alice are currently Artists in Residence at the Arnolfini, Bristol’s International Centre for Contemporary Arts. Their first art book for children was published in 2022.

Website

Two people wearing colourful animal masks and playful outfits pose joyfully in front of a bright, abstract mural with yellow, blue, and orange shapes. One mask is a bird; the other resembles a monkey.