Lower Fifth Art and Photography students enjoyed two days of sunshine and Art workshops in the harbour town of St. Ives, Cornwall. Art students, Kate and Anna-Rose, have shared their accounts of this experience:
To back up my Art GCSE coursework, I went on a coach to St. Ives in Cornwall with 60 other pupils for 2 days. We stayed in a lovely hostel and visited some famous artist hotspots to gather inspiration for our own artwork. First off, the Tate Gallery was a masterpiece which exposed us to a range of different artists and art techniques that we could use within our own coursework. The collection of modern and contemporary art was incredible and we were walked through the gallery with an artist called Greg Humphries who encouraged us to experiment with the artists own styles whilst inside the museum.
In the afternoon, we went to the St. Ives School of Painting, which immersed us in a whole new range of ideas and ways to express our emotions through art – one of which being sun printing. This unique way of creating art was a very satisfying and eye-opening experience. The workshop was filled with hands-on activities and expert guidance, allowing me to explore my creativity and experiment with new techniques. This was a highlight of our trip.
All in all, my St. Ives trip was a great opportunity to expand our art knowledge and broaden our understanding as well as collecting key terms to score better grades in our coursework. The combination of visiting the Tate Gallery and taking part in the sun printing workshop at the St. Ives School of Painting provided me with a rich and immersive artistic experience. I left St. Ives feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to further develop my skills as an art student. It was an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime journey that I will treasure for a long time.
Anna-Rose
"As Year 10 Art and Photography students, we were thrilled to have the lovely opportunity to visit St. Ives as a group of 42. The trip was packed full of so many unforgettable and inspiring workshops and museums. Here are a couple I really enjoyed:
To start off, one of the highlights of the trip was visiting the Barbara Hepworth Museum. The museum showcased the extraordinary sculptures of Barbara Hepworth and the number of captivating and eye-catching sculptures were incredible! We were guided through the space creating several observational drawing activities throughout the exhibition. This helped strengthen my understanding of Barbara Hepworth's techniques which I am now able to include in my GCSE coursework.
Later on in the day, we had a beach workshop where we used the outstanding landscapes of the harbour to draw while learning about Sandra Blow and her techniques and including them in our work. We were given a whole new range of ways to capture the astonishing atmosphere of the beach including techniques I have never tried before. I felt this workshop has expanded my creativity massively and since leaving St. Ives I have been eagerly looking forward to incorporating new methods in my coursework.
Overall, the trip to St. Ives was a really inspiring experience that helped us express ourselves and try new things. It definitely had a positive impact on my art, allowing me to grow and explore different mediums and techniques. The memories and lessons from this trip will continue to shape my GCSE course and I am grateful for the opportunity to have immersed myself in the rich artistic history of St. Ives."
Kate