On Tuesday 17^th October the 5^th Form artists spent the day in Bristol taking in the thriving art scene.

Our first stop was the Arnolfini Gallery on the waterfront. We were taken around the breath-taking Grayson Perry exhibition where we learnt all about his ideas and techniques. Our hosts Letty and Oliver then gave us an hour workshop getting the pupils to come up with different ways of starting an idea using collage - the pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Our next stop was the RWA up towards Clifton. Whilst travelling there we carried out some drawing tasks and took in some Banksy murals. The RWA was having its annual Members' Exhibition with over five hundred pieces of artwork on show! There was a vast variety in technique and subject matter, something for everyone. HRH Prince Charles even had a few watercolours in the exhibition.

Our last stop before heading home was the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery where we took in some art from Mesopotamia and Egypt as well as some natural history artefacts. The top floor houses a lot of Victorian and contemporary art alongside there also being a ceramics exhibition on show.

The pupils are at a crucial stage of their coursework and the day provided the perfect inspiration for them to complete their ideas. We shall definitely be going back to Bristol in the future as it has a lot to offer. An album from the trip can be seen below.

?Seamus Harkness - Art Teacher