Stradbroke Primary Academy Pupils Celebrate the Beauty of Individuality in New Art Exhibition

On the afternoon of Monday 3rd October, Stradbroke Primary Academy opened their exhibition of artwork by pupils to parents and the community to view. The young artists, aged between 5 to 11, explored the theme of ‘celebrating diversity’ through their artwork, capturing the importance of uniqueness and individuality, as well as acknowledging how special they are as individuals. 

Each class was inspired by different artists, art movements and styles to stir their imagination and creativity; influencing their own style and interpretation of the theme, whilst further developing their art knowledge. 

The exhibition was organised and curated by the Art Lead, Year 3 Teacher and Primary Art Associate of the Trust, Miss Grace Barnes at Stradbroke Primary Academy [Great Yarmouth]. 

Miss Barnes said:

“Over the last year, we have been working hard to develop the art opportunities at Stradbroke Primary; so our children can develop a real love for art, expressing their inner artist and creativity. The artistic atmosphere and attitude towards art around the school is beautiful, which is captured and celebrated through this exhibition. I am extremely proud of all of the children’s hard work and am excited to see their amazement when seeing their work exhibited. What a wonderful opportunity!”

Stradbroke Primary pupils interpreted the theme through creating a self-portrait and expressing themselves through a range of mediums including: coloured pencils, oil pastels and watercolours. The bright, bold and colourful artwork depicts how each child views themself, showcasing their style, individuality and in some cases, their hobbies and interests - telling a story through art. 

Year 3 pupil, Ettie said:

“I think it is amazing that my work is going to be exhibited because lots of people will get to see our work.” 

Year 6 pupil, Luisa said:

“I worked really hard to make my portrait look as realistic as possible. I loved using the mark marking techniques we learnt last year to add our personality.”

The exhibition featured as part of the Norfolk Open Studios 2022, alongside several other schools within the Inspiration Trust, including Cromer Academy, Great Yarmouth Charter Academy, Hewett Academy, Norwich Primary Academy and Wayland Academy. 

Headteacher of Stradbroke Primary Academy, Mrs Blake said: 

“We have been on a journey to develop a fantastic art curriculum and this exhibition celebrates the achievements of our staff and pupils. I am immensely proud of them all. One of our core values is 'Love of Learning' and all of our pupils and teachers have demonstrated this on their journey to explore their artistic talents. Miss Barnes has led us in an exploration of our abilities to produce quality art work. This is a tremendous achievement.”