The regular Saturday morning HIVE Jive get together at the Church Street gallery also featured an exhibition of GCSE work produced by tomorrow’s creatives from local school, St. Aidan’s. David Simper ordered his usual Americano and climbed the stairs to view this display.
The 22nd of March’s HIVE Jive gathering was enlivened by the opening of this fine exhibition consisting of GCSE art and design work created by the pupils of St. Aidan’s school. This was universally good work and very varied making an excellent and bold display.
The school prides itself on offering a diverse range of creative opportunities, from painting, through glass fusion, to digital media. Pupils are given freedom to investigate a wide range of subject matter as the basis for their work. This sounds like an excellent environment for the creatives of tomorrow.
I spoke to Darren Elwell, whose own work I have reviewed twice for this site, who has guided this group through its studies and set up this exhibition for them.
What is the process to draw out the talent that was on display on the HIVE gallery walls around us?
The school’s always taken the approach that it wants to give the pupils as many different opportunities as possible, and then allow them to specialise in the stuff they want to specialise in, rather than forcing them to do something they’re not interested in. So we end up with a massive variety of different styles, approaches and media, which makes it tricky to single anyone out.
The point of this exhibition was to show that variety, rather than try and pick out something exceptional – it’s all the different approaches on show. There are some students who are fantastic drawers and painters, others hate the idea of drawing and painting, but have found a different way of expressing themselves – print-making, photography, sculpture, glass – all creative, but maybe not a traditional approach.
Do you feel that creativity in Blackpool is safe with your pupils?
Yes, Blackpool’s an incredibly creative town anyway, the more opportunities like this where students get to see their work in a high profile setting, lots of people visiting and complimenting them, that’s going to push them on to continue with their creativity further on in life.
Thanks to Darren for his insights, based on working directly with the pupils and enabling them to produce this marvellous work.
I do like the art deco style influenced posters, a particularly favourite style of mine and here executed very well. As Darren said, there is also excellent traditional drawing here.
The glasswork worked particularly well stood on the window sill, achieving a backlit effect.
Whoever has done the tiny canvases has a fine grasp of details with the brush, the bee being a particularly fine example here (although I do like bees).
I am now in my seventh decade and can’t remember a time when the Kray twins were not in prison (and now deceased). Despite this, a pupil had picked up on their story and created the piece below.
During the couple of hours of the HIVE Jive time, the pupils and their parents came to view their work and that of their peers. One could feel the joy and pride. Many happy photographs were taken. I sincerely hope that these fine young artists keep in touch with their creativity, if only as a relaxing hobby – maybe some will make a career of it.
The show continues until the 5th April 2025.
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