The project is called Not Quite Picasso and began during the week of February 16. It is integrated with the coming Wallangra Festival over March 27 and 28. 

Children in the area’s more remote schools in Bonshaw, Delungra, Gravesend, Ashford and Yetman learned about the celebrated relationship between Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, the masters’ artwork, colour, and the concepts of cubism; learning to break an image down into geometric shapes.

Then the students produced a cubist portrait of their own, and were left with a teacher’s pack of follow-up lessons to eventually create a cubist painting on canvas of a classmate. 

Schools will choose some of the work for a student exhibition at the Inverell Art Gallery in April.

Carolyn said it was a pure pleasure to work with the smaller schools who were very enthusiastic to learn. She said there was a positive reaction when she showed them images of Picasso and Matisse.

“The kids enjoyed it. They thought some of Picasso’s work was funny,” she said, Carolyn felt the project bolstered student confidence because the quality of the pieces were not dependent upon looking realistic.

“They were pleased with the results and they didn’t have to feel that they weren’t good enough, because they were using geometric shapes,” Carolyn said. 

She felt the children could find satisfaction in making a beautiful piece of work and using their imagination.

“It was really good. Everybody loved it; all the schools were really enthusiastic.”