Woodham Academy’s annual art exhibition took place on Tuesday 25th June. The Exhibition showcased the work of 65 Year 11 students across both GCSE and BTEC Art and Design courses and was held in Woodham’s new exhibition space.
Every student’s coursework was displayed in the corridors and classrooms, with final pieces from exam projects and coursework projects framed and displayed in the new bright airy exhibition space.
The evening was a great success with many people overcome by the standard of the work and the ambience of the space with Adam Nicholas playing the piano softly in the background.
Special guest of the evening was portrait and wildlife artist Pauline Alldis. Pauline’s style of photorealistic oil painting has been of great inspiration to a number of students in Year 11. It was fitting that one of these students was able to show her around the exhibition.
Caitlin Hindle, who found Pauline’s work online, contacted her seeking advice on how to improve her painting. Caitlin looked initially at Pauline’s portraiture work but also found much inspiration in her wildlife paintings. Pauline replied giving Caitlin advice on building up a painting in layers and how to use blending and tone and a range of shades of different colours to create texture and realism in her images. Through Caitlin, a number of other students were also influenced by Pauline’s style.
On speaking with most visitors over the course of the evening, it was clear that everyone had their own favourite piece – the artwork touching different people in many different ways.
Teachers from local colleges were also in attendance and were eager to know if the exhibiting students would be going to their college. They said they were ‘blown away by the level of talent and creativity’. They were taken aback by how the students had been able to work so independently to follow their own personal lines of study at this young age, resulting in a show of individual and unique pieces of work.
Pauline Alldis said that “It was a real delight to see everyone experimenting and enjoying different media and themes. Beautiful work!”
