Corridors of Art - Wycombe High School

Really glad I came to this show as I haven't been for a couple of years and Mark (Coombe) is moving on this year so it is his last exhibition. It is really impressive, with some brilliant large, loose, figurative painting and drawing. A good mix of styles from still life and portraits to strong issue based pieces exploring identity. This is the first time it has been held in the 6th form studios and the walk from reception to the studio is through corridors full of paintings. These are GCSE works and because the school always displays lots of painting it is a straight forward job to open the school as part of Bucks Open Studios. The stairwell to the studio is full of really big drawing and painting and the scale and quality is hugely impressive (see video).

The actual studio opens out onto the roof and has views over the valley. Highlights of this show, for me, are some of the big paintings especially the portraits there is a loose confidence about these works which is a delight. But I did enjoy a very intense enclosed installation stained with angst and conviction. Some students had developed images and ideas digitally and these were simply displayed on laptops alongside the larger work which was simple and effective. The open laptops fitting in seemlessly with the open sketchbooks in a way which seemed perfectly natural and unassuming.

Once again I find a new AS course in photography presenting some excellent photographs - intelligent, reflective and perceptive. The school has just acquired an A1 colour printer which provides high quality A1 prints. This does make a difference but Mark told me that some large branches of Tesco provide A1 digital prints for about £2.40 (less for bulk orders). In this girls' grammar school this course was done as part of the 'enrichment programme' so the students had fewer taught lessons than a standard AS course.

Mark does a lot of examining and it was interesting to discuss the implications of the changes that are coming down the line. We talked of the fact that, these days, as most students use canvas and oil or acrylic, the quality of painting is infinitely better than it was only a few years ago when canvas was uncommon and redimix and paper was the norm.  We also noted the possibility that with the development of a new reduced curriculum, the possible loss of QCDA, BECTA, Levels, SIPs, TAs, Advisers, CPD and Uncle Tom Cobbly, it will be exams and examiners that will have to guard the flame and preserve what is important. Well that may not be such a bad thing - its where I came in.

It was good to meet the new Head of Art and I will look forward to next year's show at Wycombe High School with interest.