Year 9 Art and the Harris Museum

We have been fortunate to be invited to work with an eminent local artist on a design project in conjunction with The Harris Museum & Art Gallery

Gavin Renshaw and Toya Walker will work with Priory pupils over the coming months to design and decorate hoarding boards around the museum which will be in place until its reopening in 2024.  The project has been arranged by, and involves, The Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

The two artists visited school last Thursday to meet with our top Year 9 artists and guide them through the brief and initial concepts.  

Gavin has just finished working alongside Preston artist Chris Dorning on a mural at the back of the Black A Moor pub in the city centre.  The artwork, which was commissioned as part of the 'Paint Preston' project funded by Preston Town Fund board,  supersedes Gavin's acclaimed work down the side of what was Yates', Bolton Court.

Lead teacher for Art, Mrs Hopes, said, "We were delighted to be selected by The Courtauld as one of two Preston schools who would be involved in the collaborative.  The original project, prior to 'lock-down', was to work on a collaboration inside the art gallery. Post lock down, and on closure of The Harris, the project evolved and we were approached once again. 

"It has been fascinating to watch Gavin and Toya work with our young people, in order to develop ideas to be included in the piece, which will feature on the front of the Harris site from May onwards. 

"As a designer, I have enjoyed working with the artists today, creating the intermediary between them and the pupils. I also enjoyed being party and involved in the discussions at the end of the day, as work was selected to go forward to the final design and the debate regarding translation of small-scale studies and concepts to enlarged artwork in the outcome."

Gavin Renshaw Year 9 Art