A total of some 50 budding artists attended three Summer Arts and Crafts Schools at Drax Power Station this week (Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 August) to brush up on their artistic abilities and creative talent.

The crafts schools were run by David Anderson, an illustrator and designer who runs his own graphics company and is also a renowned artist in watercolour and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

The children aged 7 to 10 learnt how to design and make masks and kites using a variety of materials along with t-shirt painting and jigsaw making, while a Master Class for 12 to 16 year-olds helped them learn more about the skills and techniques involved in using watercolour and mixed media.

This is the first year that Drax has offered three schools.

Dorothy Thompson, chief executive of Drax said: “I am delighted that we have been able to offer more children the opportunity to come and enjoy what’s on offer at the Drax Summer Art School. We have seen some wonderful finished work, which I am sure the children have enjoyed making and taking home to show their parents.”

David Anderson said: “It’s great to watch the free-flowing imagination of children. Over the three days we gave the different age groups the chance to try out all sorts of ideas and hopefully improve their skills, technique and knowledge.”

The Summer Art Schools are now in their fifth year and are organised by Drax to build on its Art In The Community scheme to encourage and develop art appreciation as part of the company’s support for education and to promote art learning within the National Curriculum.

For more information, please contact:

Melanie Wedgbury/Mandy Empson
Drax Power 01757 618381

Richard Harrison/Sam Addie
Imagen PR 01943 468778

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

1. Drax Power Limited is the owner of Drax Power Station, the largest, cleanest and most efficient coal fired power station in the UK. The output capacity from the station’s six generators is 4,000MW. At current output levels it supplies some 7% of the UK’s electricity needs.

Those involved in the summer school (above) included: (front row from left) Katie Ranskill, Katie Stephenson, Liam Stephenson, Amelie Limbert and Drax Power Station Guide, Bob Johnson. On the back row are (from left) artist David Anderson, Hannah Stocks and Eleanor Wood, who assisted with the Summer Arts School.