On a clear frosty morning in January, wrapped up in warm clothes, the group set off with notebooks ready to respond creatively to the Orchard Trust site. 

Starting at a picnic table participants made rubbings of the wood grain.  Nearby, were dotty, flecked bantams peaking in their run.  A photocopy of a Van Gogh pen and ink drawing showing mark making with dots and lines was discussed. Sara showed how feathers cut as quills dipped into ink can be used to draw with, to create dots and marks. 

Further along the path, some people made rubbings of letters from a carved wooden sign for ‘The Duckery’, whilst other made mud with water on soil to get the soles of their shoes dirty. Walking across a huge 4’x 6’ piece of paper different footprints were revealed.  Alex and Chris in wheelchairs steered their way through the mud creating trye prints.

Clumps of grasses provided inspiration for drawing with twigs. Short crisscross lines, again similar to some of the Van Gogh pen and ink drawings. 

At a meadow of dried seed heads we discussed Valentine’s Day and giving flowers to one another.  We picked a collection of seed heads observing the variety of shapes and sizes.

A huge Ash tree towards the end of the circular walk was an impressive stimulus.  The group made shapes with their arms and legs to look like the very old tree.  Sara demonstrated how to screw up a piece of paper, unfold it carefully and use charcoal to rub the creases to look like bark.  Some people gave the tree a hug!

The second visit was a workshop in The Orchard Trust Art/Craft room.  Re-visiting the task of rubbing, oak and ivy leaves were rubbed with wax crayons to show their veins.  These were then painted with coloured inks showing how the wax resists the watery inks.  Next with tubs of paint, washing up liquid and water we made bubbles by blowing through a straw.  With a piece of paper ready, this was placed on the tub lid and a bubble print was made!  Very exciting to see the range of lines and patterns created by the bubbles.  Some people also had a go at blowing ink around a piece of paper to see the random lines it would make.

The seed heads gathered on the walk acted as paintbrushes to make the most unusual range of tiny and bold marks when dipped into liquid paints.

For the final activity everyone was given a very long stick, cut from a tree, which had either a paint brush, a felt tip pen, charcoal or oil pastel tied to the end.  Standing or sitting above the large pieces of white paper started on the walk with foot and tyre prints, the group enjoyed making marks, lines and exciting scribble to express themselves!

This work was celebrated on 14^th February for Valentine’s Day, and the 35^th Anniversary of the Orchards Trust. Families, friends, trustees and invited guests were able to browse through the sketchbooks and have a go at using long sticks to draw with.

In the Spring/Summer Canopy hopes to continue to provide Creative Walks on the Orchards Trust Lydbrook site for the enjoyment of all.