Torrington Schools Art Exhibition at the Plough Arts Centre

Torrington Schools Art Exhibition at the Plough Arts Centre

Inspired by maps and the local geographical area, twelve schools in the Torrington Learning Community have been working with artist Kim Etchells to produce a collective map, encouraging a sense of community and awareness as to how each school is linked across

this rural area.

After discussing and looking at the colours and textures in the landscape of North Devon, the children painted a section of a map that represented their own geographical area. Kim plotted the map in advance and the children were given squares to paint. They then thought

about how things look different from above and drew patterns onto sections of their map pieces to depict texture.

We all seem to have a natural curiosity to find and seek out significant landmarks when we look at maps, so that we can place ourselves within them. During the workshops the children were enthusiastically linking pieces together to make sense of the patterns they were painting and to enable them to search out places they knew well.

The children also built a relief map. This was their own imagined map and many joined together with their neighbours to plan and create a wonderful cardboard landscape.

The Great Torrington Secondary School map shows a broader view of Torrington to illustrate approximate locations of the surrounding schools. All other maps depict the immediate area surrounding their own school.

Come and see the fascinating results of this project and journey from village to village along the walls of The Plough Gallery.

For further information please email visualarts@theploughartscentre.org.uk