This was the third Graphic Design trip to Cornwall developed to offer students the opportunity to learn offsite and master the art of working in situ. The students stayed at the YHA, Castle Horneck, Penzance. Kim Marshal was the accompanying tutor and John was our bus driver from Horseman Coaches (who has toured with the Rolling Stones!)

On the first day the students explored Penzance on foot and found their bearings. On the second day we relied on our bus to take us to St. Ives (John had to park high up above the seaside town as the narrow streets could not accommodate the coach). The Tate St.Ives and Barbara Hepworth’s studio were the main attractions. Works by Denis Mitchell, Wilhelmin Barns-Graham, and Callum Innes were on display at the Tate. Mitchell’s bronze sculptures were beautiful and thought provoking. Barns-Graham’s abstract paintings were in stark contrast to the cool strokes in Innes’ work.
Barbara Hepworth’s house, studio and garden are always popular with the students. The museum offers a wealth of information and the amount of work on display is incredible. The students are always amazed to see Hepworth’s studio exactly intact from the day she died (the calendar is fixed at 20th May 1975). Students could not believe that such a place existed in Cornwall.

The town of St. Ives is itself an interesting place to roam around and observe – the students had to create a Visual Studies sketchbook that captured the essence of their trip. The winding streets and eclectic shops by the sea were perfect for such explorations. On return to the bus I befriended an oil painter, Douglas Hill, who was capturing a street scene. Walking in and out of the town forced the students to interact with such characters as many lost their way!
On the third day we were booked into two galleries in Newland and Penzance. The first, Newland Gallery, offered a unique collection of local, community based, and professional art. One student commented that it was, “the best gallery”, she had ever visited. The gallery was small but did an excellent job with the usage of space.

Penlee House in Penzance is an excellent museum that hosts a plethora of historical gems. The curator gave the students a talk about the Irish artist, Norman Garstin whose work was on display. He focused on one painting in particular, ‘The Rain it Raineth Every Day’, 1889. It was originally banned by the tourist board
(for obvious reasons) but is now regarded a masterpiece.
On returning home we stopped at the Eden Project.

Students were able to expand their Visual Studies sketchbooks by drawing the range of exotic flora and fauna in the domes and surrounding areas.
Students had to submit their sketchbooks on the bus were Kim and I gave a formative grade. The thought that this assessment was happening kept the students focused on the development of their work throughout the trip. On the final afternoon I walked into the TV room in Castle Horneck to find all the students working ferociously to perfect their work. The students – not the tutors, instigated this directive!