Big, Bold and Exciting: Cheltenham Paint Festival 2019
As part of the fantastic Cheltenham Paint Festival we are proud to have sponsored two all-ability graffiti workshops for children, run by Art Shape. Art Shape runs arts courses and projects in Gloucestershire, with a specific focus on disability issues and social inclusion.
Watch the video here:
Here is the video transcription:
Donna: “I think it’s big, I think it’s bold, there’s something exciting about painting on a massive surface. I don’t know anyone who dislikes the immediacy of it.
We didn’t want to be too prescriptive about any of the sessions because it’s clear that they’ve all walked around and seen the art and they’re in here and they’re just going they’re copying that style or that style, their own style. I just think it’s, yeah, who doesn’t want to shake a spray can basically.
Harriet: And they all have their very own ideas, no-one needed any prompts, like the little girl with her Japanese, she’s really into her Japanese art.
Donna: And we had a boy paint a load of Japanese blossom and some of them have gone near the stencils and others haven’t. Yeah they come in with a very clear idea and we didn’t want to run the sessions as being too prescriptive but they’ve had no need, they just come in full of ideas.
On Saturday and Sunday in the Festival we’ve run six kids’ workshops to give kids a chance to have a go on cans, to just be free, everyone loves to have a go on a can.
We’ve had quite a lot of adults wanting to have a go as well, I think we should run an adults’ one next year because some of the parents have been like “let’s have a go!”
Then we did a combination of freehand work, getting used to the cans, and some stencil work, and I think we’ve had 60 people through yesterday, and another 40-50 today, and we’ve just had a relaxed session just now.”