Year 10 Art GCSE pupils from Risedale School embarked on an inspiring trip to Whitby on Friday 3rd May, led by Head of Art, Ms Jaime Westwood. Accompanied by staff members Stacey Johnson and Anita Piper, the visit aimed to provide pupils with the opportunity to capture photographic inspiration for their second coursework unit.

This particular unit encourages pupils to critically and practically investigate artists and ideas linked to their choice of project, from ‘Food’, ‘Coast’ or ‘Streets’. Whitby's rich history and picturesque landscapes offered the young artists a chance to delve deeper into their chosen themes, while the town's unique character provided further inspiration.

Ms Westwood expressed her enthusiasm for the trip, stating, "Whitby is such a vibrant small town with so many photographic opportunities to capture nature, history and contemporary culture together.  Pupils took inspiration from impressive geographical features, grand historical buildings, the vibrant colours of the arcades and the sugary delights of the seaside stalls. The pupils definitely made the best of their day, exploring the town and its rich visual character; I’m really looking forward to seeing how these ideas develop further in their individual projects."

Pupils echoed Ms Westwood's excitement. Paige Doak remarked, "I loved being able to explore the town independently and look for things to take photographs of that I found interesting”. Thomas Randall said, “I really enjoyed looking for graffiti to photograph for my Street project.” and Mollie Thirlwell and Lily Wadhams added, "It was a brilliant photography experience, it was really nice to be doing school work away from school, in a different environment."

Equipped with their cameras and brimming with creativity, the Year 10 Art GCSE group's visit to Whitby has undoubtedly provided them with a valuable learning experience. They are sure to return to their coursework with fresh perspectives and a wealth of visual material to inform their artistic explorations, capturing both the grandeur of Whitby's history and the quirky charm of its seaside culture.