Dunhurst shortlisted for Global Canvas Art competition

The artistic efforts of pupils at Bedales Prep, Dunhurst have earned the school a place in the final of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Global Canvas Competition for the third consecutive year.

Tasked with producing an imaginative and creative entry that represented this year’s theme – ‘Endangered’ – a group of pupils in Group 3 (Year 6) worked together to create an art installation that focused on endangered British wildlife.

Pupils created book sculptures to tell the story of Britain’s nature in 3D, using recycled boxes and old books to create individual scenes of endangered species and their habitats, including Scottish wild cats, turtle doves, hazel dormice, red squirrels, adders and tortoiseshell butterflies. In pottery, they made moulds of their hands and cast them, cutting out letters to spell out a poignant message: “The story of the future of nature lies in our hands”.

The pupils have also demonstrated their commitment to protecting British wildlife in their Outdoor Work lessons, where they have created a ‘bug hotel’ – an eco-friendly environment ideal for bugs and insects.

Their artwork will now go on display alongside the other finalists’ work at the Natural History Museum in London on 12 March 2020, before the winners are revealed at a prize giving ceremony in the Museum’s Flett Theatre.

Dunhurst has reached the final of the Global Canvas Competition for the last three years. Last year, their entry – which focused on the plight of the orang-utan in Sumatra and Borneo due to deforestation – was selected as a finalist. In 2018, their Great Barrier Reef themed entry finished in third place.

Head of Dunhurst Colin Baty said: “We are excited to be seeing our pupils as a finalist again this year at the National History Museum. We are so proud of them and their commitment to wildlife in Britain. They are, as ever, inspired by a wonderful group of teachers in our Art and Design department at Dunhurst, led by Susan McFarlane.”

Dunhurst’s Head of Art and Design Susan McFarlane added: “What is particularly lovely about this year’s entry is that the subject of endangered British wildlife is so close to our hearts. It is a pressing issue and a plight of modern times, and Dunhurst pupils have been able to explore it creatively and inter-disciplinarily through Art, Design, Textiles and Ceramics, as well as their Outdoor Work studies. The theme really caught the imagination of pupils, who loved creating book sculptures and playing with the ‘story book’ idea. Great art is born from close observation of the world and the times we live in.”

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation | Global Canvas Competition | Bedales Prep, Dunhurst | Outdoor Work at Dunhurst