Pompey John painted by Dunhurst pupil

Portraits of Petersfield’s shopkeepers, traders and workers painted by pupils at Bedales Prep School, Dunhurst, went on display this week at an exhibition to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.

Pupils in Block 1 (Year 7) painted the portraits – which include John Westwood from the Petersfield Bookshop, Moyra White from Vintage and Vogue Boutique and Tom White from the Petersfield Post – after visiting the town to photograph people they wanted to paint.

Talking to the people they photographed also inspired pupils to write a few sentences about the individual they’d chosen to paint, their occupation and their interests to accompany their finished artwork.

Dunhurst pupil Dom, who painted John from the Petersfield Bookshop, wrote: “In Petersfield I took a photograph of John, who works in the Petersfield Bookshop. He has worked there for 39 years. His Dad started the shop in 1950. John supports Portsmouth Football Club (Pompey).”

Another pupil, Lola, who painted Moyra White from Vintage and Vogue, wrote: “Moyra has worked there for seven years, and when she’s not working she likes to relax.”

The portraits are on display at Beatons Tearooms in Petersfield until 10 March as part of Fairtrade Artshop, an exhibition of local schools and art organisations’ artwork to celebrate Petersfield’s ten years as a Fairtrade town.

Susan McFarlane, Head of Art and Design at Dunhurst, said: “We are grateful for the opportunity to exhibit all the portrait paintings in Beatons Tearooms during this celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight and hope many people will visit to see them.”