SENIOR SCHOOL

Fifteen art GCSE students and three staff travelled to Penzance for the annual Cornwall art trip. First stop was the recently opened Exchange Gallery in Penzance, exhibiting a comprehensive exhibition of prints by a wide range of artists. We then headed to the Penlee House Gallery, which houses a very good selection of paintings by artists known as the Newlyn School of Artists. Girls were amazed by the almost photographic quality of the work, depicting the hardships of life in what was then a struggling fishing community.

Once the weather began to brighten we continued on to the picturesque village of Mousehole, an idyllic fishing village and home of the artist responsible for The Mousehole Cat, a charming children's book know by many of the girls. Final stop of the day was St Michaels Mount, where we were ferried to the foot of an imposing castle which is still lived in today. This provided ample opportunity for sketching before returning to the mainland, dodging the typical Cornish downpours.

After a quick meal back at the Youth Hostel, we set off again for the Minack Theatre, an outdoor theatre hewn out of the cliff top. Here we were exposed to the full force of the weather with tempestuous seas and stormy skies, whilst watching a charming adaptation of Fantastic Mr Fox. The girls were thoroughly transfixed by the performance.

Saturday dawned slightly brighter and we headed off to visit the home and studios of Michael and Suzie Chakin. Girls were given first-hand experience of working in both metal and fabrics and were clearly inspired by the working environment they saw. It was then time to get back on the coach, to spend the rest of the day in St Ives. First stop was the Tate St Ives where students made drawings of modern exhibits and took part in the interactive ‘balloon room' by Martin Creed. We then continued on to the Barbara Hepworth Gallery and gardens to enjoy the sunshine and produce a range of excellent sketches. That evening we visited the studio of local Sculptor Baz Mahew, who discussed his work with the girls and allowed them to try sculpting stone.

Sunday concluded our trip with a three hour stop off at the Eden Project. This continually expanding location provided a wealth of drawing opportunities both inside and out of the huge biomes which housed the tropical and Mediterranean environments. On returning to school it was gratifying to hear the positive comments made by all who took part in this trip.