Year 7 pupils interview our first Guest Artist
Shazia Mahmood is a sea and landscape artist based in the Witterings, where she has a studio and draws inspiration from the Sussex coast. She has been exhibiting and selling her work all over the world for over 25 years. As our very first guest artist in our Guest Artist Gallery, she kindly agreed to be interviewed by our Year 7 pupils.
"Never think you are not good enough," she said to our fascinated Year 7 pupils. “There is no such thing as good or bad art, you just make,” she added.
Shazia felt, in her own words, 'bowled over' by the questions she was asked by our two groups of Year 7 pupils.
Here are just a few examples: Is art in your blood? Did you always plan on being an artist? What’s your favourite type of medium? Do you have to restart if you make a mistake? What is your favourite time of the day to work? Were you always good at art? Do you like using real colours to paint? How do you paint the light in the sky?
Shazia said: “Their questions were mind-blowing - especially about colour creation techniques! The students’ curiosity about my artistic influences and how I develop my colour palettes showed their deep engagement with art."
"Mrs Jeram has created an exceptional art department where students are encouraged to experiment freely."
Shazia Mahmood, Artist
Shazia explained to the Year 7 pupils: “I wasn’t good at art at school, I just worked really hard. All children need art. And art has to be taken as a serious subject, because it is the creative thinking you are going to need in the future. And creative thinking transcends to all subjects.”
Head of Art, Mrs Jeram, said: “It was wonderful to see all the children light up as they talked to Shazia, I really hope her visit will inspire and enrich their creative skills and encourage them all that everyone can be creative.”
That was quite an art lesson!
