The Art Department at St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel continually seeks out new experiences for its students. With a fine reputation in excellence, Head of Art, Mrs Jayne Grant, likes to keep her students thinking beyond the ’norm’ by offering the students frequent opportunities to experience the ideas and work of local and international artists.

The most recent venture for the budding St. Louis artists was a trip the Mac, Belfast to view the wonderful ‘I draw, I do’ exhibition offered by world renowned Artist David Hockney. Hockney is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. With such a variety of artistic talents, his work was of particular interest to the St. Louis party of students from Years 10 to 14, including those preparing for GCSE, As and A2 examinations.

As Mrs Grant informed her students, “David Hockney was an important contributor to the Pop Art movement of the 1960’s and he is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century.” She continued, “Such an opportunity to view the work of quality and, especially, to gain an insight into Hockney’s own inspirations may well inspire our students to reach great heights through their own work”.

Hockney’s ‘I draw, I do’ is his first exhibition in Ireland, highlights his work during his formative years in Bradford, perhaps experimenting with his art in much the same way as the young St. Louis students are doing so at the moment.

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