Art Project - Penny for the Guy

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

This week over this side of the pond we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night which has always been a favourite of mine. For those that haven't heard of this night here is a brief summary of it.

In 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught under the Houses of Parliament with a large amount of gunpowder and a match. He was part of a group of Roman Catholic Restorationists whose aim was to displace Protestant rule by blowing up the Houses of Parliament. Even though he was not in charge of this plot it was left for him to carry out it's execution and thus that was why he was in the cellars underneath the Houses when a search was carried out due to an anonymous tip off. He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered. To ensure the crime was never forgotten and that treason would not be tolerated thus was born Guy Fawkes Night where we were encouraged to light bonfires to celebrate the King's (James I) escape from assassination.

Apart from bonfires and fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night another tradition is to have an effigy of Guy Fawkes called (I know original!) "a guy". For many many years children would make a guy out of old clothes and newspapers and go around asking for "a penny for the guy." you would often find them outside supermarkets, on street corners etc sitting there with their guy and asking for a penny. Then on the evening of Guy Fawkes the "guy" would be thrown on the bonfire. Sadly the Penny for the Guy is a tradition if not already died out slowly dying out. People still make their guys but they are just for the bonfire.

Which leads me on to today's art project. How to build a guy!


What you will need:

1. Some old clothes, preferably dungarees or trousers and a jumper with a hood but if not an old woollen hat, a pair of gloves and socks if you want
2. Lots of old newspapers and if you also have any some leaves
3. Paper Bad
4. Pens
5. String


How to assemble:

Scrunch up the newspapers (and leaves if you have any) and stuff them into the old clothes, if you have trousers and a top you can tuck the top into the trousers and stitch around the top of the trousers to secure the top in place or if it has belt loops you can use some string as a belt and tighten them together that way.

Next on one side of the paper bag draw a face and then stuff that with scrunched up newspaper (and again leaves if any). Once full up enough tie the top of it tightly with some string so the filling stays inside but be sure to leave some paper at the bottom to form a neck.

Place you paper bag head into the top of the jumper. If you have one that has a hood attached pull that up to keep the head in place. If not place your woollen hat on the paper bag head and then carefully place the head into your jumper and stitch the hat to the jumper.

If you have gloves and socks, fil these with scrunched up paper and attach via the arm and legs holes either with string tied to keep them in place or with stitching

And now your guy is ready! Enjoy Bonfires Night and Remember Remember fifth of November.


PHOTOS WILL FOLLOW LATER THIS WEEK, ONCE WE'VE BUILT OUR GUY.

PLEASE NOTE PHOTO NOT MY OWN, FOUND ON londontravelogue