Exploring different mediums

Finding and nurturing a pupil’s strengths and talents is our mission and in the case of the creative arts, there are so many opportunities for a girl to explore her artistic potential. Whether her interests lie in ceramics, fine art, textiles, photography or whether she simply finds being creative the best way to relax, there are clubs and activities for her to enjoy.

Downe House pupil sanding piece of wood in DT

Two girls it and listen to teacher in art lesson

Art Facilities

Art is an important part of Downe House life and we provide girls with every opportunity to express themselves creatively. The Art Department facilities consists of three art studios, a pottery, two photography studios, a darkroom and an Art History suite.

Creative Enrichment

There are opportunities abound for girls to discover more about the creative arts world, whether it be participating in The Great Pottery Throw Down! run by City Arts in Newbury or having their work displayed at public exhibitions such as the Jubilee Exhibition held at the Acland Hall in Cold Ash as part of a art collaboration with local primary schools to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. There are also many trips to visit exhibitions at national galleries such as the V&A or the Tate as well as opportunities such as learning new techniques from professional visiting artists or taking part in the annual life drawing workshop for the Upper Sixth.

Girls’ art is proudly displayed around the School and in the Murray Centre and the Creative Arts department staff choose a ‘Creative of the Month’ whose work is publicly displayed and the whole School celebrates the winner’s success in Assembly. The Creative of the Month is awarded to students of Art, Textiles, Photography and 3D Design in rotation.

Exhibitions

Downe House hosts it’s own annual exhibition as well as providing girls with the opportunity to feature in local public exhibitions and competitions.

The Founder’s Weekend 2021 Creative Arts Exhibition featured work across all the Creative Arts disciplines: Fine Art, Photography, Textiles and Design and Technology. Amongst the impressive GCSE and A Level pieces, pupils across all age ranges created soundscapes, designed and made their own clocks, and made mono speakers.

To see some of the artwork in the exhibition, please visit the Founder’s Weekend 2021 Creative Arts Exhibition.

Art club

The Art Club is a place for girls to explore their imaginations and follow their ideas, using any medium at all including ceramics, and to experiment with new techniques and push their creative boundaries. Girls have the absolute freedom to spend as much time as they like on an artwork, whilst being supported by art specialists who are on hand to guide and encourage them.

Art Scholarship Programme

Our Art Award Holders enjoy the privilege of joining a group which meets every week to review their work and to discuss new directions with their Art Mentors. The Art Award Holders attend a variety of enrichment and super-curricular opportunities such as gallery visits, workshops and masterclasses to stretch and challenge them with their work.

Artists frequently visit and work with Award Holders this year, the artist, Ian Murphy, known for his beautiful work inspired by architecture, exploring detail and texture introduced the girls to his favourite techniques, and they produced some fabulous ink and graphite drawings of buildings using photographic source material.

Discover