Online Activity and
Events Guide
Falmouth Art Gallery and Falmouth Library are now open but services are limited as we adjust to new safe ways of working. Other services remain closed. We will continue to work on adding new content below each week for all ages to enjoy. Please sign up to receive our newsletter about what’s happening. Scroll down to the activities.
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Falmouth Art Gallery Falmouth Library Heritage Parks, Gardens and Cemeteries Dracaena Centre Events Falmouth Town Council
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The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story
The Legend of King Arthur: A Pre-Raphaelite Love Story is a touring exhibition that will depict the triangular interdependency that exists between Arthurian legend, Pre-Raphaelite artists and locations linked to the Arthurian legend, with a focus on Cornwall. The exhibition will
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Free Family Workshops this August with Falmouth Art Gallery and Library
Falmouth Carnival Workshop Create your own shiny fish to join our shoal marching through town! Join Falmouth Carnival on the 6th of August. Free Artist led drop-in family workshop at Falmouth Rugby Club from 1 - 4pm. Come and make a large
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Surrealists in Cornwall: The 85th Anniversary
Andrew Lanyon 'Reconstruction of Man Ray's Metronome', 2004. Falmouth Art Gallery. During the summer of 1937, an extraordinary group of Surrealist artists came on holiday to Cornwall for the first time. Among them were some of the most influential and original
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Hevva! Hevva! – Fishing in Cornwall
‘Hevva’ was a fishing term in the Cornish language for the traditional call used by the ‘huer’, who was employed to spot shoals of pilchards (now known as Cornish Sardines), and quickly rally the fishermen to their boats when fish
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Student Project by Boudicea Brian
This week Boudicea Brian completed her work experience in the gallery. Bou is a young artist, interested in the Arts, History, Design and Technology, Computer Science. She helped with workshops and painted a landscape piece inspired by impressionist artists that
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Falmouth Art Gallery digital guide on Bloomberg Connects
Falmouth Art Gallery launches a new digital guide featuring audio descriptions and videos. The guide enriches access to the gallery’s collections for on-site and online visitors. The free guide connects Falmouth Art Gallery with more than eighty other cultural institutions around
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Roll The Dice
Roll The Dice is a selection of artwork made by Splanna, Falmouth Art Gallery's resident collective of young people, making artwork in response to the climate crisis. Over the last 6 months the collective have worked with artists from many
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‘A Sketch in Cornwall’ (The Lizard) – William Holman Hunt (1827-1910)
Watercolour on paper William Holman Hunt (1827-1910): A Sketch in Cornwall (The Lizard), 1860, watercolour on paper, 20.5 x 26.5 cms. Funded with support from Art Fund and V&A Purchase Grant Fund. About the Artist William Holman Hunt was one of the
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A Summer Day-Sir John Arnesby Brown
Brown, Sir John Arnesby RA (1866-1955)A Summer Day - a study for 'A June Day', oil on canvas, 60 x 71.5 cms. Presented to the Corporation of Falmouth in 1923 by Alfred A. de Pass, in memory of his
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‘Bouquet’ – John William Waterhouse RA (1849-1917)
A few thoughts on recent research by our Trainee Curator Emily Spargo John William Waterhouse RA (1849-1917) Bouquet Oil on canvas Falmouth Art Gallery collection Muriel Foster, from a 1905 publication.Frisco Magazine (July 1905): Plays and Players p47. The Artist John William Waterhouse
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Curators Talk with David Tovey: Polperro – Cornwall’s Forgotten Art Centre
'When the sun to westward sinks and bathes all things in gold' (1896)E. Reginald Frampton (1873-1923)Oil on canvasPrivate Collection Polperro - Cornwall's Forgotten Art CentreDavid Tovey11 May 2022Falmouth Art Gallery Polperro - Cornwall's Forgotten Art Centre is open until 18 June 2022
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Splanna at Climate Summit
Splanna - Our young Climate Activist Collab worked with @MCMCSpoken to write this spoken word piece. Performed at @CIOSLNP -Ecological Emergency Summit at Heartlands. Thank you to Katey from RJ Working for giving these young people such a wonderful experience.
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April 2022 – New Exhibitions
3 new Exhibitions at Falmouth Art Gallery
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Love Falmouth Volunteers
Love Falmouth volunteers are helping to shape Falmouth's cultural hub and make it the heart of the community. The Love Falmouth volunteer Team includes: Falmouth Library, Art Gallery, Town events and festivals, Heritage Parks, Gardens and Open Spaces and Youth Services. If you have a love of Falmouth and its culture there
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Young Curators in the gallery this week
We are a group of year 10 students from Penryn College doing work experience here at the gallery. When we arrived we were given a task to create an exhibition for the gallery. Originally, we were creating a hypothetical exhibition
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My Gold Arts Award experience
It has been a truly sensational experience to have pursued the project of doing the Gold Arts Award. I can not thank Sarah Scott (and everyone else who supported me along the way), with completing this amazing achievement that still
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Job Opportunities – Positions now filled
Apprenticeships are currently being advertised at Falmouth Art Gallery and Falmouth Library. Come and join our friendly team! Falmouth Art Gallery are looking for a Customer Service Assistant. The vacancy will suit an enthusiastic, friendly individual with a strong interest
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Splanna
Creative Action Kernow Youth Collective A collaborative youth project exploring themes of climate, art and activism. A series of talks, outdoor trips and creative workshops. We will meet every Thursday evening at the gallery. 6-8pm. From 4th November until 17th March
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Ingenious?
11 June – 11 September @ Falmouth Art Gallery A celebration of invention and innovation in Falmouth past and present, plus some jolly clever things from other parts of Cornwall. This eclectic and fun filled exhibition features an assortment of artworks,
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Ingenious? Summer Family Workshops
Workshops accompanying our summer exhibition - Ingenious? - A celebration of invention and innovation in Falmouth past and present. Free family drop-in workshops inspired by the Fox Family of Falmouth. The Fox Family of Falmouth where interested in many things. Working
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Donna – Access and Interpretation Manager
Job title access and interpretation manager (job share 16 hours per week) What you actually do a lot of writing! I focus on exhibitions and marketing, mainly creating the written elements for gallery exhibitions, developing the marketing strategy for cultural services and writing
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Summer Reading Challenge – Art Workshops. 2021
Creative Art Activities inspired by Wild World Heroes Summer Reading Challenge Free Creative workshops for all the Family. Drop-in. Gyllyngdune Gardens, near the bandstand. 10-3pm. These workshops have been organised by Falmouth Art Gallery and Library with funding from Arts Council England. We
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Half Term – Free Family Art Workshops
This half term Falmouth Art Gallery is running a series of free art workshops for families inspired by the new 'In Her Shoes' exhibition. Here's what's happening: Tuesday 1 June - Experimental Ink Drawing with Viv Wednesday 2 June -
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G7 Inspired Mindfulness Art Challenge
Discussions around the Climate and Environment are key themes of the G7 Summit this June. We would like to give local children a voice and enable them to express their passion for nature and the environment through the medium of
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Summer Activity Calendar
Take a look at our free summer creative activities.
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Sunflower Competition
Are you up for a challenge? Join the Tallest Sunflower Growing competition 2021 - open to all ages, whether you have green fingers or not. Sign up at https://lovefalmouthvolunteers.volunteermakers.org/get-involved/hour-or-two/sunflower-growing-competition/84 and receive your sunflower seedling with full growing instructions. Each week chart
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Easter Trail – Free Easter Eggs!!
Families are invited to take part in our Easter Art Trail during the Easter Holidays. From Tuesday 6 - Monday 19 April there will be 5x Easter themed artworks hidden in Kimberley Park. Your challenge is to find
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Little Story Seekers
Little Story Seekers is a story, song and movement session for very young children and their parents and carers that normally takes place at The Writer's Block in Redruth. During the lockdown they have gone online and have been
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World Book Day
Jayne from Falmouth Library has recorded a lovely selection of children's poems to celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 4 March. She has chosen poems from 'A World Full of Poems', 'I am the Seed that Grew the Tree'
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BENOW 2021
Fal Culture's annual BENOW festival has gone virtual for 2021 with a month long programme of events for all to enjoy. BENOW, a Cornish adjective meaning female/feminine, is a festival of events, ideas, art, community and activism to explore
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#InHerShoes
As part of BENOW, Fal Culture's annual festival celebrating the culture of women, we are launching a 30 day art challenge called #InHerShoes. The challenge will be posted on the Falmouth Art Gallery Instagram using the hashtag #InHerShoes https://www.instagram.com/falmouthartgallery/
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Snow Day!
Many of us are enjoying snowy scenes outside at the moment, even Cornwall has received a rare light sprinkling! When you come back inside to warm up why don't you have a go at creating some snow inspired art.
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The Great British Art Tour
While museums and galleries are closed The Guardian newspaper is working in partnership with Art UK to bring the art to us with their daily Great British Art Tour articles. We were very happy that they decided to stop
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There and Back Activity Sheet
In November we opened two travel-themed exhibitions called 'There and Back' and 'Here and There' which explore journeys near and far. Unfortunately you can't see them in person at the moment so we thought we would adapt Eve's wonderful
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Hemy Podcast
Charles Napier Hemy RA RWS (1841-1917) was born in Newcastle, lived in London, studied in Antwerp, settled in Falmouth and is buried in Falmouth Cemetery. He was the first Falmouth artist to be elected a Royal Academician and is celebrated
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Book Sniffers Club
Do you fancy trying something a bit different this lockdown? One of our freelancers, Justin Wiggins, has formed the Book Sniffers Club. This a new creative wellbeing project which aims to get our noses back in books and make
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Smartphone Photography in Falmouth
Our Community Gallery is hosting a fascinating photography exhibition. The photos on display are by an amazing group of people who have taken part in the first 8 week discover smartphone photography project in Falmouth, run by Make it Better
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3D sides card photo frame – Make&Take Adults
We all try to capture special moments taking photos. It is a way to remember and cherish them. Framing picture is an extra act of care, and there is nothing more satisfying than creating hand-made frames. MATERIAL NEEDED (for
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Falmouth Library Storytime
Are you sitting comfortably? It's time for a story with the wonderful, Jo Lumber. Storytime usually takes place in Falmouth Library every Tuesday but as this can't happen at the moment Jo has recorded some stories for you
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Falmouth’s Virtual Christmas Tree Festival
This year it has not been possible to hold Falmouth's Christmas Tree Festival as we usually would at Princess Pavilion and Gyllyngdune Gardens, but we were determined that this much loved event would still be celebrated, albeit in a different
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Origami Wishing Stars – Make&Take Adults
An easy craft coming from eastern traditions, can seems tricky at a first glance, but it is easy to master after a couple of attempts. A cute idea as a present or an unconventional Christmas Decoration. MATERIAL NEEDED: Origami paper (or
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Blackout Poetry-Make&Take Adults
Which of us has never tried, in their life, to experiment with words and little poems to express feelings and emotions that could not otherwise be expressed? Sometimes this is a tricky process though, as the blank page looks scary
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Autumn 2020 exhibitions – Walk-through with Henrietta
Join Falmouth Cultural Services Director Henrietta Boex on an impromptu walk-through the Autumn 2020 exhibitions Cornwall Council Schools Art Collection Monsters and Serpents Both exhibitions are on until 14 November 2020.
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TEA FESTIVAL
It's that time of the year again! If we were living in a 'normal' situation we would have been spending the last few weeks organising one of the most iconic event of the year for Falmouth: the TEA FESTIVAL! For
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Journaling – Make&Take adults
Journaling is a practice that lately has increased in popularity, probably because able to embody most of the principle of mindfulness. Keeping a diary and transferring on paper personal deep thoughts and emotions is a very ancient practice though, and
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Cornwall Council Schools Collection Exhibition
A visitor enjoying the exhibition at Falmouth Art Gallery Falmouth Art Gallery and the newly re-opened Royal Cornwall Museum have joined forces to stage two exhibitions, one in each venue, showcasing almost the entire ‘Cornwall Council Schools Art Collection’ which has
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Seed Paper – Make&Take adults
Would you like to make a special paper that turns into flowers? Here is a good way to recycle used paper and make a beautiful magical card for someone special. MATERIAL NEEDED: * Used cartridge paper, cut into tiny pieces * Large bowl of warm
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Cold Porcelain – Make&Take adults
Cold porcelain clay is an interesting material: simple to make at home, gives great results. It’s malleable and easy to mould, but it becomes hard and plastic-like once it dries. MATERIAL NEEDED: * 1 cup (240ml) Cornflour * 1 cup (240ml) PVA glue * 2 tablespoon of
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Creativity in Lockdown
We are creating a digital archive of creativity in Falmouth. A collection of work to show future generations what life was like and how we dealt with Lockdown through our art. Be that gardening, photography, drawing, painting or anything else creative. Has
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Macramé for beginners – Make&Take adults
MACRAMÉ is a fascinating (and slightly complex!) craft. Understanding and memorising all the different knots can be quite tricky as they rely on particular hand movements, so ideally you would need somebody to show you those movements. Nevertheless, even the
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Plant of the Month – September 2020
Sedum Spectabile Common name:StonecropsGenus:SedumSpecies:SpectabileExposure:Full sunHardiness:HardySoil type:Neutral to AlkalineHeight:45cmsSpread:100cms A clump forming perennial with upright, unbranched green stems, which originates from China and Korea. It can tolerate the severest of continental climates, including exposed upland locations in the UK, withstanding temperatures as low
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Plant of the Month – August 2020
ANIGOZANTHOS flavidus Common name:Kangaroo PawFamily:HaemodoraceaeGenus:AnigozanthosExposure:Full sunHardiness:Semi-hardySoil type:Well drained/ sandy loamHeight:180cmsSpread:60cms Originating from Southwest Australia, this perennial plant forms a clump of strap-like leaves growing from an underground rhizome, which has evolved to allow the species to regenerate after drought or fire. When
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Doodle Mandala – Make & Take adults
A MANDALA is a geometric (normally circular) configuration of patterns. In various spiritual traditions, making mandalas is a way to relax, focus attention and a form of meditation. Drawing MANDALAS can help you become more mindful and calm. MATERIAL NEEDED: Fine
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Summer 2020 exhibitions – Walk-through with Henrietta
Join Henrietta (Cultural Services Director) on an impromptu walk-through of the current exhibitions.
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Art in the Library
Join artist Sam Bradbury for weekly online art workshops. A different activity each week inspired by the 'Silly Squad' Summer Reading Challenge. Have a go at home using the videos below: https://youtu.be/Gzc8Ik2vw04
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Little Fingers
Created especially for our early years audience and their grown ups, 'Little Fingers' is a mix of creative learning and fun activities.
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Butterfly Origami Bookmark – Make and Take adults
The word "Origami" is a combination of the Japanese word "ori" (to fold) and "gami" (paper) and it is the art of folding paper to create beautiful creature and geometrical shapes. They are an important part of the Japanese culture
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Seed Beads and Wire Tree – Make and Take Adults
Seed beads are uniformly shaped, spheroidal beads ranging in size from under a millimetre to several millimetres. They are most commonly used for loom and off-loom bead weaving. They may be used for simple stringing, or as spacers between other
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Summer Activity Packs at Falmouth Art Gallery
Children who visit Falmouth Art Gallery with their families this summer will be offered a free activity pack. Each pack contains: a summer activity sheet, pencil, rainbow pencil, rubber and pencil sharpener. The gallery is open for timed-ticket
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Plant of the Month – July 2020
Agapanthus are summer-flowering plants, grown for their showy flowers which are commonly in shades of blue and purple, but also white and pink. They thrive in any well-drained, sunny position in the garden, as well as in containers and can
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Watercolours and ink – Make and Take Adults
The combination of watercolours and ink in this activity will allow to create a similar effect to stained glass windows. Stained glass gained recognition as a Christian art form sometime in the fourth century as Christians began to build churches.
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Falmouth Library is open!
WELCOME BACK! Falmouth Library is now open with temporary reduced opening times in place as we slowly get back to normal: MONDAY – FRIDAY9.30am – 1pm To keep both staff and customers safe an easy ‘click and collect’ borrowing method has been
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Watercolours Paint DIY – Make and Take Adults
Watercolours are water-soluble paints, usually semi-translucent. In modern times, it is made with gum arabic and a pigment. Historically, watercolours are one of the oldest paints. In use from the Paleolithic to modern street painters, it has proved itself a
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Refugee Week Online Exhibition
The 15 - 21 June 2020 is Refugee Week, a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees. Through a programme of arts, cultural and educational events alongside media and creative campaigns, Refugee Week brings about positive encounters between communities,
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Plant of the Month – June 2020
Echium pininana Common name: Pride of Tenerife Family: Boraginaceae Genus: Echium Exposure: Full sun Hardiness: Half hardy Soil type: Well drained/ light Height: 400cms Spread: 90cms Echium pininana is a stunning plant for any sheltered border providing a tropical touch to the summer. It is commonly found on the Canary
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Tallest Sunflower Competition 2020
Are you up for a challenge? Join the Tallest Sunflower Growing competition 2020 - Open to all ages, whether you have green fingers or not. Sign up and receive your sunflower seedling with full growing instructions. Each week chart the growth
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Living Libraries
Falmouth Library is one of only 5 in the country that has been nominated to be a partner in the Living Libraries project run by Roehampton University. The aim of the project is to create an oral history archive
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The Story Republic
The Story Republic, featuring our very own Jo Lumber, would normally be out and about sharing stories, poems and songs at Cornish festivals and events. Alas, this isn't possible at the moment so instead they will be sharing four
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Julian Dyson Line Drawing Challenge
Julian Dyson (1936-2003): Spotted dog, signed and dated 2003, ink. 5 minutes to spare? Want to improve your drawing skills and observation? Do a line drawing of your pet, or other creature using Julian Dyson's work above for inspiration. Line drawings are great
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Tintinbulation – Books for Thought
This picture has been pinned on the wall in my ‘home’ office for the last fifteen years. If I am in a quandary about something, it reminds me to weigh up the pros and cons. It is the penultimate frame
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Hector and the search for Happiness – Books for Thought
Hector and the search for happiness’ is a sweet, thought provoking novel written by the French psychiatrist FrancoisLelord. The main character, Hector, is a psychiatrist who suddenly wakes up from the tedium of his extremely routinely life. He feels a
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Adam Savage and Terry English build Armour
If you create an account with YouTube you will open a world of surprisingly informative and entertaining viewing channels, potentially catering to your own personal interests. I have a number of channel subscriptions ranging from Workshops in Craft technology, model building,
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Art Packs for Families
Falmouth Art Gallery and the Dracaena Centre Youth Project and Family Programme have delivered 82 art packs to young people aged 0-19 who may not have access to art materials at home. The packs were accompanied by a range of
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Exploring Falmouth’s Art Collection – Margaret Whitford
The Margaret Whitford Bequest is a collection of 47 contemporary prints and a sculpture acquired by Falmouth Art Gallery in 2012 through The Art Fund. In 2018/19 the gallery’s Citizen Curators staged the ‘Gut Reaction’ project to find out more
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The Curating Room
We would like to announce the release of 'The Curating Room' - a space for community groups, artists and visitors to choose and create artworks for online exhibitions. This is an online version of Falmouth Art Gallery’s Community Gallery and
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Grid and pattern composition like Grace Gardner
instructions on how to make a picture in the style of the Artist.
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Cross Stitch colouring in – Make and Take Adults
Cross stitch is gaining a renewed popularity among crafters and makers. It is easy, relaxing and very effective. Also, it doesn’t require too many complicated tools or resources, so it’s a relatively cheap craft to try. Cross stitch projects are
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During isolation, a reminder of the vibrancy of life
In this very peculiar moment of forced isolation, art can be an anchor that keeps us afloat, comforting and soothing. It is for me, at least. I spend a great part of my day in front of my laptop’s screen
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Falmouth’s Automata
Did you know that Falmouth has been a focal point for automata makers since the 1980s? Falmouth Art Gallery has a large collection of contemporary automata and visitors often comment how much they enjoy turning the handles of
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Stop Frame Animation Tutorial
Watch this fantastic video by artist Sam Bradbury and learn how to make your own stop frame animations.
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Colour and Design
Antony Frost Frost, Anthony : Time Enough At Last, signed and dated 1992, mixed media on canvas, 66 x 66 cms.FAMAG 2016.4.17 Anthony Frost lives and works in Cornwall, where he was born in 1951. His 'work is vibrant and wild, full
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Sir Terry Frost collage activity
Sir Terry Frost ‘Orchard Tambourine B’ by Terry Frost. FAMAG 2006.26.29 Sir Terry Frost was a St Ives based artist who was well known for his colourful, bold designs. He took inspiration from the life and landscape around him and created what
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Carlos Zapata interviewed by Falmouth School students
Artist Carlos Zapata interviewed by Kaylish, Hollie and Grace. Together they look at his artwork and discuss what it's like to be an automata artist. Kaylish, Hollie and Grace interviewed Carlos at a Falmouth School lunchtime drop-in session. These sessions are
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Everyone can draw
A 1 min game to free up your imagination and draw fantasy creatures.
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Pop Art Paper Plate Activity
Roy Lichtenstein Paper Plate activity