A day dedicated to art for Steyning residents

Last Saturday, Steyning Museum and Steyning Grammar School hosted the arty day and Steyning was the theme for the artwork.

One of the patchworks created on the day will be displayed at the museum and the other will form part of the Grammar School’s 400 years celebrations quilts.

Jacquie Buttriss, chairman of Steyning Museum and leader of the Big Draw Art Day, said: “It went very well, with many family groups as well as individuals working happily together on their collages, paintings, sketches, applique pieces or quilting for our two community artworks.

“In the middle of the afternoon, which was mostly full of animated conversations, all the children and adults were concentrating so hard on their artwork that the whole room went silent for a few moments.

“It was like a spell, but it was soon broken by the laughter when we realised.

“Participants could choose from all kinds of paints, crayons, soft and hard pencils, pens, charcoal, pastels, a selection of special papers of all colours, fabrics, buttons, lace, wool, threads, and other materials.

“They could do paintings, drawings, collage, embroidery or applique.

“It was lovely watching families with children as young as three all taking part together, looking around the museum and interpreting what they saw to achieve their own distinctive works as part of community displays.”

Around 50 people took part in the big art day.

The participants began sketching in the museum and then completed their final artworks in the Penfold Hall, where there was a wide 
range of art materials ready for use.