Falmouth Poly to host sketch club lockdown art exhibition

They all belong to Falmouth Sketch Club, a group of art-loving people who enjoy sketching, drawing, painting and socialising.

Guided by club founder Eve Bourrat, they would, before the pandemic, meet every week at local cafés.

Each session would focus on a brief given by Eve such as “Today’s mission, if you choose to accept it, is: Draw opposites!’

However, in mid-March this year crisis struck as it was apparent that the Covid-19 pandemic would change the artists' lives dramatically.

Sculptor Rob Johnsey and artist Ros Gutteridge found a solution.

"We suggested we form a WhatsApp group to stay connected and combat those fears of isolation. We all swapped numbers that day and the ‘Sketch Club Lockdown Art Group’ was born," they explained.

Eve continued to send out her briefs each week via email and the artists would work on them from their homes, communicating their progress through the WhatsApp group. Everyone supported each other, sharing worries and concerns through a love of art. Whatever the time of day, the ping of a message or a new work posted became a constant and reliable comforting presence in all their lives.

Friendships were deepened, techniques improved and the positive effects of creativity became a solace in difficult times.

Eve, who posts the results on Instagram, said: "They are such a talented group of people. It's beautiful to see the variety of styles and different approaches people take despite being given the same brief."

The group were so thrilled with the outcome that they now want to share their story and artwork in a celebratory exhibition.

Their show, ‘Lockdown Art’, will be on at The Poly in Falmouth from November 9 to 14, featuring work they have produced over the last five months.

Some of the proceeds of the exhibition will go to Sea Sanctuary, a charity specialising in ‘blue health’ - helping those with mental health issues through marine-based activities.