Young artists step up to public stage - 04/02/2012
Budding young artists at Roselyon School, Par, are keenly anticipating their debut in the public eye with the school’s first public art exhibition, opening in Lostwithiel on Saturday, February 11.
The 15 six- to 11-year-old members of the school’s art club, formed last September, have crated a wide range of representational and abstract exhibits, involving water colour paintings, pencil sketches, acrylic works, collages and mixed media.
Parents have helped with donated frames and offers of transport for transferring the exhibits into the Tapprell Gallery at Lostwithiel, where the exhibition, entitled “Nominys”, will run until March 2, Mondays to Saturdays.
The children have taken an untitled, unsigned “nominy” – a traditional rhyme – as inspiration, and all works will be for sale, with proceeds being split between the artists and school funds.
Roselyon art teacher, Gary Marshall-Stevens, explains: “The nominy is linked with the theme of harvesting and the hard work involved; it has a lot of imagery reflecting these things and the children have been inspired to create some very vivid images of their own as a result.
“They are thrilled with the idea of having their own public exhibition. Knowing that people are coming in to view their work and provide feedback and kudos should give them a lot of confidence – especially if some of their works end up being purchased!
“They have been involved in marketing their exhibition on the school website and are also helping with hanging their works in the gallery, so the whole experience is proving an invaluable life skills aid as well as boosting their artistic aspirations.
“Now we are just hoping that we may be able to attract a sponsor to help with production of a commemorative booklet-cum-
catalogue once the exhibition is over.”
The art club and exhibition have been the brainchilds of Mr Marshall-Stevens since starting work at Roselyon at the beginning of the current academic year.
He is already well-known in the Cornish art world, with a studio of his own in Lostwithiel and previous exhibitions organised by him including one in Fowey for children of Fowey Primary School, where he previously taught.
As a professional sculptor and artist, he has also been involved in various art projects in schools all over Cornwall during the last two years. He currently runs a live drawing class for adults in Fowey.