On Monday, the Year 10 and Year 12 artists went on the annual trip to London. We visited LARA art school and enjoyed a morning of charcoal-based life drawing and then spent the afternoon in the Royal Academy of Art at Phyllida Barlow’s ‘Cul De Sac’ and the Summer Exhibition.

When we visited the LARA studio, it was set out in a traditional way, with time honoured skills and techniques being delivered. By doing timed sketches of the teachers, we gained experience of how artists of the past worked and studied, particularly those of John Singer Sargent, amongst others. The LARA art school had many inspiring figures both sketched, sculpted and painted.

The Phyllida Barlow Exhibition showed her new works - sculptures of inexpensive materials on monumental scales. They had a strong impact as the industrial materials created a striking visual language with their scale and the form.

The Summer Exhibition displayed a range of works from artists of different backgrounds in different media. The walls were covered with artwork and made a colourful visual impact.

It was a truly inspirational trip with something for everyone!

Dora, Year 10 Art Scholar