Newcastle children share love of art

Love was in the air – and on the walls – when budding artists at a Newcastle school showcased their talents in a themed exhibition.

Pupils of all ages at St John Vianney Catholic Primary School in West Denton displayed their creative work in the Love Art Gallery, which had a ‘love heart’ theme and took place in the run up to St Valentine’s Day.

“The Love Art Gallery was a celebration of art mediums across the entire school from Nursery to Year 6 – all children took part,” explained Kerry O’Neill, Art and Design Technology Champion at the school, which is a member of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust.

“There were three evenings where parents and carers came along to view their children’s work, and gained an insight into the progression of skills from Early Years all the way up to Year 6.”

With guidance from staff, the pupils created a wide range of artwork, which included hanging hearts in Nursery, and ‘Love Bugs’ in Reception; marbled floating hearts in Year 1; crayon hearts, water colour wash, and silhouette hearts in Year 2; and vibrant water colours in Year 3.

In Year 4, the children worked together to create a group 3D illusion art piece, while Year 5 used air-drying clay for their love-heart designs, and Year 6 drew inspiration from Pop Art.

“All staff led and organised their classes’ work,” continued Mrs O’Neill. “I organised the event, but it could not have happened without the hard work and creativity of all the teaching and support staff.”

Previous St John Vianney exhibitions have included a whole-school art project in 2023 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Angel of the North.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to invite parents and carers into school to see the wider achievements of their children, as part of a whole school community,” added Mrs O’Neill.