Together the work from pupils and staff demonstrates the broad range of skills and interests within the community that is Sanquhar Academy.
During the course of the past year or so it became increasingly clear that everything was becoming less and less certain; would the pupils be in today? Would enough staff be in? What if the school shut tomorrow? Would we get enough work done for the exams? All important and valid questions but as time passed the real question was one of health; how do we stay healthy both physically and mentally with everything that is going on? Out of this uncertainty comes the gathering together of the creative outpourings of Sanquhar Academy in an exhibition of artwork which in the words of the philosopher, historian and metaphysician Ananda Coomaraswamy “The artist is not a special kind of person; rather each person is a special kind of artist” and we have many special kind of artists represented in this exhibition.
The only requirement for pupils and staff to contribute to this exhibition was that it be creative.
There was no theme as such and no limits to the size of the work or the media used. It could be realistic, abstract or lie somewhere between. The only criterion was that the work should be a personal, creative response to a mood or feeling, an experience either good or bad, a person, a place or sound that evoked a strong memory or sensation. Even a sight sound or smell may be enough to trigger an emotional response in the form of a drawing painting or photograph.
The work contained in the exhibition is all of these and more. Most of the senior pupils’ work is part of their portfolios for N4, N5, Higher and Advanced Higher with S1-S3 submitting coursework from the BGE curriculum. Staff have not disappointed either with contributions including landscapes in oils, photography, cross-stitching, watercolours, ceramics, lino printing, drawing, pen and ink.
This exhibition will run for the month of February at A’ the Airts Community Art Centre, High Street Sanquhar. Open Tuesday to Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday 10am-2pm, all visitors are welcome and entry is free.
