Barton Peveril Fine Art Students Get Involved
Three Barton Peveril Sixth Form College Fine Art students have helped Romsey Abbey commemorate its 900th year, each painting part of an installation that will be featured in the Romsey Town monument until October.
Each of the three first year students painted a four-foot tall plywood Abbess to recognise that, until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Romsey Abbey was an abbey of nuns headed by at least 34 abbesses from its foundation in 907 until its dissolution in 1539.
Zoe West, Jack Cholerton and Rosie Gorman of Cams Hill School, Hounsdown School and Thornden School, respectively, took part in the landmark’s birthday celebrations. Their artwork was unveiled during an opening ceremony in the Abbey, on Friday 6th March, where they spoke about their work and inspiration alongside pupils from local schools.
Romsey Abbey Commemorations
Speaking on the students’ participation in the commemoration, Barton Peveril Principal, Jonathan Prest, said:
“It was wonderful for the College to take part in a small way in the 900 years celebrations at Romsey Abbey. A level Fine Art students enjoyed the commission to research one of the Prioresses and to paint a portrait of her using what they had discovered and what had to be imagined. The initiative and sense of community came alive as the images of over 40 Prioresses, spanning more than 600 years were revealed in a ceremony in the Abbey. The ceremony ended with a rousing hymn to the music of “O when the saints go marching in!”, written for the occasion by the choir Master of the Abbey.”
Subject Leader for Fine Art, Rebecca West, also commented on the students’ participation:
“The students were each provided a plywood cut out in which to transform into an Abbess assigned to them by Romsey Abbey, complete with some historical information to guide them. They each took on this challenge by working to their artistic strengths and explored techniques such as sgraffito, broken colour and dry brush effects to great success.”
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