Year 11 Art and Design pupils were able to dabble their ideas further with a recent 3-day trip to Penzance, Cornwall on a study residential.

Teachers and students left Malvern St James School on Thursday 16 September and made their way to Penzance, a western major town in Cornwall famed for its historic port. Before arrival, a short stop was made to Oakhampton Castle where the girls were involved in drawing the ruins of this fascinating 10th-century site.

Once settled in Penzance and as part of their Art and Design studies, pupils visited the Minack Theatre, a breathtakingly beautiful open-air theatre built into the cliffs of Cornwall at Porthcurno. Furthermore, the scenic spectacle of Penzance offered the students plenty of drawing opportunities during their stay.

Pupils were able to immerse themselves with several Grand Gallery trips such as Newlyn Art Gallery and Penlee House. Pupils were also getting involved in other exciting opportunities during their stay such as drawing St Michael’s Mount and visiting St Just Maker’s Emporium which is run by a group of two demographic artists who all make and sell their own work.  

Local artists, sculptor Michael Chaikin and his wife, Susie Chaikin were able to influence our young artists further by sharing their work and their own extensive experience that they have garnered within the art world. Susie was first inspired by Frida Kahlo and Mexico’s iconic patterns and design, having spent a year living, traveling and learning in South America, where she learned weaving and embroidery from the women of Tikal, a hilltop village located in Guatemala.

Before the pupils and staff departed from their inspirational getaway on Tuesday 19 September, they took a visit to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden which allowed pupils a much deeper insight and understanding into the world of art.

Reminiscing about her study residential, Year 11 student, Rose said, “I loved all of it, but especially enjoyed talking to artists in their own studios as we got to see the people behind the Art. Suzie Chaikin was inspirational in her passion for art and empowering women. Quaint villages, sunset over the Minack Theatre and Avant Garde art instillations at the Tate St Ives inspired us to come back full of ideas for our future projects.”