Our recent art competition was a feast for the senses, which brought together learners from our Learning for Life and Nurture programmes.
The competition and exhibition, themed around the joys of a Picnic, was filled with bright and imaginative art using paint, clay and mixed media. Nostalgic background music from Take Hart amused guests of a certain vintage, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all who attended.
We were pleased to welcome Katie Jennings, CEO of The Hive arts charity in Shrewsbury, as our guest judge. It was Katie’s first visit to Derwen College, and she enjoyed a grand tour of our campus. She enjoyed meeting students and visiting our facilities, and loved seeing the creativity on display.
Katie said: “It was so hard to choose between these fabulous pieces of art in many different mediums. Well done to everyone who took part and worked individually or collaboratively to create some very imaginative pieces. I hope that the art competition could become an annual event, and that The Hive can be involved again.”
Students from Learning for Life hosted the exhibition, inviting staff and fellow students to join their celebration. Guests were treated to drinks and chocolate crispy cakes on arrival, served with a smile by some of the students.
Our Nurture programme lead, Bev Simmonds, also shared her thoughts. She said: “Art is accessible at a wide range of levels. Students with a range of physical abilities were able to join in a meaningful way, and we were blown away by the standard. The exhibition was also a lovely way for all of our students and staff to come together to find out more about our programmes for students with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), complex learning difficulties (CLD), and for those students who are looking to progress to vocational pathways.”
And the winners were …
- Joint first place: Cherry on Top by Joy Banda and Buzzin’ BBQ by Travis Stretton Wright
- Second place: Bubblegum Surprise by Alice Glennon
- Third place: Juicy Canvas by Benjamin Smith
Congratulations to all the students who took part. Your creativity, enthusiasm, and teamwork made this event a true celebration of art and community. We look forward to continuing this tradition and seeing what our talented students create next!
