On Saturday 17th January, the Art Department was delighted to welcome artist Jeanette Barnes to the Hill, to deliver an inspiring Urban Challenge drawing workshop for pupils from 3rd Form through to Upper Sixth.
The workshop focused on capturing the energy and atmosphere of the city. The day began with an engaging talk in which Jeanette explored her artistic influences, comparing her own approach to urban drawing with the work of L. S. Lowry RBA RA, Oskar Kokoschka CBE, Edward Hopper and Jock McFayden RA. Pupils found this particularly motivating, with one 5th Form pupil commenting that they felt “inspired by looking at her incredible work and realising that the artist is teaching me and providing one-to-one demonstrations.”
Pupils then took part in a fast-paced sequence of drawing exercises designed to bring the subject to life. By experimenting with charcoal and other materials, they explored how ideas and observations could be translated into confident, expressive marks. One pupil reflected that the workshop had “expanded my knowledge of how to work with charcoal,” adding that they planned to use the techniques when developing ideas for their GCSE examination.
The thought-provoking structure of the workshop encouraged pupils to work more instinctively and develop a personal visual language. As another 5th Form pupil noted, the experience helped them to “work more quickly, not hesitate as much, and have confidence in what I am doing.”
In the afternoon session, pupils worked on a more ambitious scale, creating their own cityscapes from a range of photographic sources. The results were highly impressive, demonstrating both technical skill and a willingness to take creative risks.
The Art Department hopes that the workshop will have a lasting impact on pupils’ work, encouraging them to explore possibilities, be decisive, and approach their art with confidence.