The roles were reversed
Date of news/blog: 7th May 2024The roles were reversed when art students returned to Brockington House as part of an intergenerational link-up.
In 2023, students from Hereford College of Art took part in what is believed to have been a national first – a portrait artist of the year competition held in Brockington.
The ladies and gentlemen who live at the home acted as models and the artists used a variety of different mediums including charcoal, paints, ink and digital to create the portraits.
Such was the impact that the student visits have now become a regular part of art and craft classes at Brockington House, though this time with an element of role reversal.
This time, the students helped the residents produce their own artwork.
Hereford College of Art Curriculum Lead Kay Rambaud said: “Art acted as the stimulus to draw people from different generations together and it was wonderful to see how the conversation has developed from there.
“The students learned so much, not just from their art but from their time listening to these wise people with such varied and interesting life stories.”
“Many of the residents love their art but don’t have the dexterity they used to and the students have been able to act as teaching assistants to help them.
“Providing an opportunity for students to get out of the classroom and engage in the wider world is very much part of what we look to do, it opens the students’ minds to new experiences which can only help their own art.”
Tara Chatterley-Russell, Activities Lead at Brockington House, said: “When people make Brockington House their home, we don’t want them to have to give up anything they enjoy doing and for many that includes art.
“The residents enjoy the sessions with the students and hearing about their hopes for the future.
For the students it’s like having a grandparent to talk to, listening to their stories and learning about the past, so it benefits everyone.”