AN IMPRESSIVE art exhibition was staged by children from Copplestone Primary School who have been working with a local artist.

An Ernest Cook Trust grant enabled Teresa Rodrigues to work with the children on several projects during the last year.

The final project, with Purple Class, resulted in a display in one of the classrooms, which was greatly admired.

There was a cabinet of curiosities, cave paintings, plaster casts, a "bearded boy" and the "head of Charles I".

Masks were made in a Greek arts project, younger children did wildlife painting and drawings were completed by other children.

Recycled books with illustrations and different forms of painting were produced.

Teresa explained: "Some of the children studied the Stuart period and we produced cabinets of curiosities similar to those produced and presented during that period.

"We read from a book produced in 1660 called 'Secrets of Art and Nature' and this was the inspiration for some of the work.

"We had great fun and we also produced two videos."

Mrs Arwen O'Callaghan, whose daughter attends Copplestone Primary School, said of the art exhibition by the older children: "I was so impressed at the quality of the work by the pupils and the creativity displayed in the naming of the exhibits.

"I was equally impressed by the way the staff have paid considerable attention to showcasing the pupils' work."

She added that she thought the exhibition was: "Really quite something to behold."

Mrs O'Callaghan paid tribute to the effort and care taken by the pupils and staff in producing art of such quality.

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