Schools put art on show

Schools put art on show

15 July 2015

THE Annual Schools Exhibition at Down Arts Centre continues to go from strength to strength.

Always popular with visitors to the centre, the exhibition highlights the excellent standard reached by secondary school arts students year after year.

Students from St. Patrick’s Grammar, Down High, St Mary’s High, St Malachy’s High, St Colman’s High, Shimna Integrated College, South Eastern Regional College SERC and Shimna College have all been past participants. This year joining the exhibition for the first time is Assumption Grammar, meaning that all local schools are now represented.

The Annual Schools Exhibition showcases some of the work prepared for A-level, AS and foundation degree courses.

Themes for the A-level students this year included Inside and Outside, The Power of the Hands, Texture of Birds and Autumn and Winter.

Textile work was a highlight last year and remains so along with the high standard of ceramic work created.

Ranging from the traditional to the quirky, there was everything from dogs to birds and human heads crafted in the kiln alongside the more traditional watercolour, acrylic and mixed media work on display.

Many of the students have experimented with different surface textures. A number used felt techniques, for example, taking wool, adding soap and water to the material and binding the different colours together. 

SERC student Julie Power built up multiple layers for her traditional cottage depictions, while others combined quilting techniques and printing in their work.

Rhiannon Boyle from St Colman’s High School also showed off her embroidery skills with felting work and fallen leaves on a white dress evoking Autumn and Winter.

There was architectural work on display from St Patrick’s Grammar, including a piece from Glen O’Neill, whose representation of Belfast merged the new dome of Victoria Square with the old North Belfast arcade.

There was also impressive work on perception with a series of skyscraper drawings from Assumption Grammar School.

Darcy Burrows from Down High School calls for us to see things in a new light with one of the many 3D pieces on display. Her work depicts a camera dissected — strings of butterflies among the life emerging from it.

Another one of the eye-catching 3D pieces came from Callum Kane at St Malachy’s High School, who seems to have applied the Inside and Outside theme to subject matter ranging from clocks to cows.

Meanwhile students at SERC displayed their graphic designs skills. They reimagined the front covers of a number of popular children’s books such as Roald Dahl’s ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ and Lewis Caroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’.

Arts Officer Denise Griffith said she was delighted all schools were now on board and commended everyone involved in producing work of such a high standard.

“To see it come together every year and getting better and better all the time is a privilege,” she said.

“I know the hard work that goes into it and how this subject can take over your life.

“It is lovely to see another school on board too.

“I would encourage people to call into Down Arts Centre and see just what our talented students can do.”

The Annual Schools Exhibition runs until August 1 at Down Arts Centre and is free to view.