Fine Art Learners Visit Barber Gallery

Aspiring artists from Solihull Sixth Form College visited the University of Birmingham's Barber Art Gallery recently to view their exhibitions and participate in a drawing workshop.

Fine Art students in their first year of study took the trip to engage with the world-class artwork at the gallery. This will inform their research, analysis and making skills in their A level studies.

Learners were enthusiastic about the trip, with one stating:

"The trip was very informative and educational. I was interested to learn about many different art pieces, as well as their history and meaning. I found the tip on how to first analyse a painting very intriguing and I like how our tour guide asked us questions and got us all involved and immersed in the whole thing."

Another student added:

"The trip was a real eye opener because it gave me the opportunity to not only look carefully at the composition of the artwork, but also learn how each piece was crafted. The changes throughout the artwork as time progressed was something I found particularly enjoyable, such as understanding what substances were used to create colour and how an individual's class would be reflected throughout the artwork. The rivalry between artists was quite exhilarating and learning how individuals with power fought for the best work and artists, desperate for the ability to withhold such statement pieces, proved very interesting in my eyes."

As well as a guided tour of the exhibitions at the Barber Art Gallery, students also participated in a practical drawing workshop, which they enjoyed very much.

One learner commented:

"The art activities were a lot of fun and I discovered different ways to improve my skills, as well as finding new ways to express myself. Overall, the trip was an amazing experience that really appealed to my love for art and inspired me to visit more galleries."

Creative Arts Curriculum Leader Zoe Maksymiw commented:

"We are grateful to staff at the Barber Gallery for giving up their time to work with our young people. Our guide Carl really brought the pieces in the exhibition to life for our students and the practical workshop capitalised on those analytical skills, enabling them to bring what they learned into their own artwork."

14 November 2024