Well we were blessed with the weather! None of the workshops had to be rained off – and I could even add an extra sessions to the original schedule. We met on Putney river bank, and looked at various ways of framing the landscape, then we sketched the busy boats, birds and people moving in front of us. Luckily there were some less mobile elements too. But how to give a sense of perspective? Were the flowers beside us really bigger than the distant buildings of Hammersmith? We then explored how many colours the Thames could reflect, using only watercolours of course. Afterwards, I received this lovely message from a mum whose daughter had taken part for the first time: “Thank you so much for Saturday. Nicole truly enjoyed the painting experience at the river and came back very inspired”.
“Be an explorer” was my motto of the day and “be open minded!” as this tour of the Pump House Gallery was a demanding exploration of contemporary art at its “edgy”est. A bare room, where a sound installation – perhaps even a sculpture – invites you to dream in low frequencies? Magnets in the hands of the children and Magnetic North disappearing… We all loved discovering the spiky forms and invisible forces of magnetism and induced electrical current around tubes of copper. Thanks to all the curious children who came with me on the journey. What a wonderful reason to come and discover the Pump House Gallery and its free international contemporary exhibitions (Battersea Park).
