Year 10 Art GCSE pupils developed their creative skills through drawings ‘en plein air’ on local visit

The Year 10 Art GCSE were invited to take part in a specialist trip on Wednesday 14 September, giving them a chance to develop their practical skills and techniques. Their destination for the day was the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, a visit to Earth Sciences and the Archeology & Anthropology Museum, and also a brief stop at Peterhouse, Cambridge. All of these beautiful places offered a diverse selection of landscapes, artefacts, and architecture which was perfect for photographing and sketching as part of their coursework project.  

The pupil's assignment was to produce a selection of photographic images and sketches referencing the environments, artefacts, and architecture is seen. They also developed their creative skills by completing ‘en plein air’ drawings. A few particular highlights of the trip were seeing the dining hall at Peterhouse dating back to 1290 - making it the oldest collegiate building in Cambridge. Another was having the privilege to be able to hold real dinosaur fossils and fossilised dinosaur poop at the Sedgwick Earth Sciences museum! 

Su Conroy, Head of Art, said of the trip:

‘It is important for students to experience visiting museums and galleries first-hand, they provide insight into the history of humankind and the natural world. It allows them to observe and analyse the artefacts up-close and in reality, they can experience their textures, scale, and form.’  

Ziren S., one of our talented art students, commented:

 ‘I enjoyed drawing the flowers and fossils in detail and seeing them up-close’

View a gallery of images from the day.

Find out more about art at St Mary's.