Boot Camp (From Oxford Mail)

Boot Camp

6:00pm Thursday 13th January 2011 in Art By Jeremy Smith

How would you like to have a picture you drew or painted put on display at Oxford’s world-famous Ashmolean Museum?

Better still, what if that picture could be painted or drawn with crayons, coloured pencils, paints, felt-tips – in fact, anything you like?

And, best of all – what if that picture could tell a story?

Well, thanks to a fantastic competition being organised between ourselves and one of the country’s best-loved museums, one of you will now be able to say to friends, family and teachers: “Guess what? I’m exhibiting at the Ashmolean!”

So what do you have to do?

Actually, it’s simple – we want you to be inspired by Lucien Pissarro’s illustrations for The Story of a Shoe, right.

Pissarro, who was a celebrated painter, engraver and printmaker more than 60 years ago, created four delightful drawings in which he was planning to add a story about a young girl’s adventure with a shoe, but ran out of time.

What we want you to do is draw, paint or design your own four pictures about your adventures with a shoe, but this time, unlike Pissarro, fill in the gaps with words to describe your story.

The four pictures with words can either be featured on the same single sheet of A4 or A3 paper, or on four separate sheets.

The winning pictures will be exhibited in the Ashmolean’s temporary exhibition gallery on the 3rd floor, next to the exhibition Lucien Pissarro In England: The Ergany Press 1895–1914.

Which means if you are aged between five and 15, and fancy having your picture put on show at the museum, start drawing now.

What You Need To Know l Pictures must use strong, bold, bright colours (the brighter the better).

l The pictures must be drawn on either A4 or A3-size paper. l Write your full name clearly on the back of your picture, as well as your age, address and telephone number.

l Send your picture to the following address: Lucien Pissarro In England: Children’s Competition, The Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH l Deadline: Thursday, February 10, 2011 l Entries will be divided into two age groups – five to nine years and 10–15.

l A panel of judges will select one first prize winner and two runners up from each group.

l The winning artwork will go on display from March 1-11, 2011. The winners will also be treated to tea with their parents in the Ashmolean Dining Room.

LUCIEN PISSARRO l The Ashmolean is home to the Pissarro Family Archive – the greatest archive in the world devoted to an Impressionist painter. It is famed as a source of information about Camille and his Impressionist colleagues.

l The Ashmolean is celebrating the work of Lucien Pissarro (1863-1944) with the first comprehensive display of his Eragny Press (1895-1914).

l Lucien Pissarro In England will exhibit the 32 books printed by the artist and his wife Esther at their home in London, along with his preparatory drawings, and paintings by his father, Camille Pissarro, who assisted him during the 1890s.

l Dates: Until March 13, 2011 l Venue: Temporary Exhibition Gallery 61 l Admission: Free l Catalogue: £15 l For more information about the competition, prizes and sponsors, log on to ashmolean.org/exhbition or call 01865 278000