Bringing Art and Heritage to Leominster’s Bus Station
The Leominster HSHAZ Team commissioned locally-based artist Emma Beebee to run two workshops in Leominster schools, teaching the students how to draw historic buildings using easy techniques. Emma is a talented illustrator, who spent time in lockdown exploring Leominster’s street’s and drawing some of our fantastic buildings, bringing them to life with her charming and characterful drawings. The aim of these workshop sessions was to encourage our young people to look closely at the beautiful heritage surrounding us in Leominster town centre, and to see the streets they walk along every week with new eyes.
Our first session was a morning with students from Westfield School, a group of twelve pupils who were chosen to take part because they are particularly interested in art. Emma showed them how to look at a building as a series of shapes, rectangles and triangles, and then how to fill in the detail such as windows, doors, bricks, chimney pots and plants. Once they had been shown the technique, the students chose from a selection of photos of local buildings from Leominster town centre and set to work. Before long the classroom was humming with concentration, as they put their new skills into action. The teachers commented on how absorbed and quiet the group was as they worked on their creations, assisted with individual guidance from Emma.
Our second session was with students at Earl Mortimer College, 28 students from across all the year groups were also chosen because they have a passion for art. Emma ran through her presentation, breaking down each drawing into stages and showing how she adds colour and interest once the basic shapes are laid out. Then it was the students’ turn. They selected photos of buildings from Leominster, excited to see buildings they recognised, such as shops on the High Street and buildings around Corn Square. With guidance from Emma they drew their chosen buildings first in pencil, then fine line pen and then a wash of watercolour to bring their pictures to vibrant life.
By the end of the sessions we had a beautiful selection of art works from both groups of students that Emma will turn into collages to decorate the bus station awnings in Leominster town centre. We know that the drawings will brighten up their new home, and we hope that they will encourage you too to take a moment and look around you at some of Leominster’s precious heritage. How many of the buildings in the drawings can you identify in real life?
