Countryside in lockdown
VIBRANT paintings of the countryside created by Devon’s primary school children during this year’s first lockdown have provided the artwork for a new calendar produced by local countryside charity Devon CPRE.
Proceeds from the calendar will be used to fund the charity’s vital campaign work to safeguard Devon’s precious landscapes and green spaces for future generations.
Devon CPRE’s 2020 ‘My Outdoors’ Art Competition was a big hit with youngsters during this year’s spring lockdown, with more entries than ever before. Primary school pupils from across the county rose to the challenge of creating colourful images in celebration of Devon’s glorious countryside, even though many children were unable to experience the ‘great outdoors’ at the time because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Devon CPRE director Penny Mills said: “When we saw all the wonderful entries, we decided a calendar for 2021 would be the ideal way to showcase the children’s pictures whilst raising money for our campaign work.”
The competition asked children to depict ‘My Outdoors’ in any medium of their choice. St Peter’s Prep School at Lympstone won Best Overall School. The individual winner in Key Stage One was six-year-old Betsy from St Peter’s Prep School for her seaside painting.
The joint-winners in Key Stage Two were 11-year-old Graciella from Pilton Bluecoat Academy, Barnstaple, for her watercolour of Mannings Pit and ten-year-old Thomasin from
St Peter’s Prep School, who painted Bowerman’s Nose on Dartmoor.
The A4-size calendar costs just £7, including post and packaging. Copies are available to buy from www. devoncpre.org.uk or by calling 01392 966737.