A Portrait of Petersfield

Portraits of Petersfield’s shopkeepers, traders and workers painted by pupils at Bedales Prep, Dunhurst went on display last week at Campachoochoo coffee shop at Petersfield Railway Station.

To celebrate the exhibition - which was organised by South Western Rail Art Coordinator Lucy Lomax and local art teacher Helen Sill - some pupils presented their portraits to their sitters, and Petersfield Shine Radio were on hand to interview the pupils about their work.

The portraits – which include Anthony from Campachoochoo, Emily from One Tree Books and Huong from VIP Nails – are the culmination of Block 1 (Year 7) pupils’ portrait project.

Pupils first practised their portrait skills by drawing themselves from observation, thinking about the proportions of the human face, and considering light and shade to give a sense of form, before painting the portraits after visiting Petersfield to photograph their sitters. As well as taking a photo to help them produce a likeness, they also interviewed their sitters so they could convey something of their personality in their work.

Dunhurst’s Head of Art and Design Susan McFarlane commented: “I think it’s important for us to support our wonderful community in Petersfield, and especially our independent shops. Growing up I loved books like Busy Town and What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scary, where all the characters had a purposeful life, going about their daily business. It’s a bit nostalgic, but I love the idea of pupils getting to know everyone in their community and what they do – and what better way to do that than visit the town and paint the people?”

Petersfield Shine Radio | Art and Design at Bedales Prep, Dunhurst | Susan McFarlane