30 | May 30, 2013 | www.cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News
What’s On Family Five things
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Workshop
to do with the family
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1. Discover life in the RAF LOOK sharp! The Imperial War Museum Duxford is looking for new recruits! Well, kind of. To celebrate their new exhibition, Historic Duxford, find out what life was like for the men and women who lived and worked at RAF Duxford in the 1940s. Dress up in wartime outfits, discover what job you’d have had and learn to salute your superiors properly. It’s on every day at the Battle of Britain exhibition from 11am – 3pm until Sunday and there’s no need to book, plus, under 15s go free.
2. Spot some bats SPOOK yourself silly with a wander about Wimpole Hall bat spotting on Friday night. Pack a torch and pop on a pair of sturdy shoes for a guided walk around the estate by dusk and learn to tell the different winged and swooping creatures apart. Let’s hope there aren’t any vampire ones… eeek. Meet from 9pm at the stable block. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £4 for children. Book your place on 08442491895.
3. Teach a dog new tricks PLAYFUL pups can pick up a few tips and tricks at Wood Green in Godmanchester – and your little ones can take all the credit. The animal shelter is about to start running a family dog training course packed with training and communication advice (for mums and dads), and fun games and nifty moves for your dog to show off too (for the kids, we’re thinking). The four week course starts on Thursday at 6.30pm and costs £45 per dog and its family. Book your spot on 08442488181 or email handson@woodgreen.org.uk.
4. Make a pinhole camera BUDDING photographers and questioning kids can get to grips with engineering their own pinhole camera at the Cambridge Science Centre. After building their own camera (with a little bit of help), they can experiment and find out how the camera lens reacts to light in the same way your eyes do. The sessions are on Saturday and Sunday at 11am and usual admission prices apply, plus £3 extra for the workshop. Book online at www.cambridgesciencecentre. org.
5. Learn about whales BEFORE the Cambridge University Museum of Zoology closes for refurbishment (boo), it’s hosting a day of storytelling and craftiness. Add a colourful butterfly of your own making to a swarm in the museum galleries, trek into unchartered territories with a behind the scenes trip to see secretive collections and listen to stories about the whale outside on the lawn if it’s sunny. You’ll have to book a behind the scenes tour at www.museum.zoo.cam. ac.uk/umzc.zoology.club/, but drop-in on Saturday between 11am and 4pm for the other activities. And do you know what’s best? It’s all free.
DRAWN TO HER WORK: Aurora and, below, some of her illustrations
Art of the matter M
ANGA fans and budding graphic novelists can put pen to paper in a weekly comic book workshop, launching on Monday afternoon. The hour long sessions are being run by Cambridge based Italian illustrator Aurora Cacciapuoti – an artist with a penchant for all that is absurd, charming and quirky – and is aimed at 7 to 11-year-olds who fancy exploring the world of comics. Originally from Carbonia in Sardinia, Aurora describes her own style as “something about half way between teenagers and adults,” which explains why her drawings are so full of energy and humour. She’s had exhibitions at the Haddenham Gallery and Williams Art on Gwydir Street, Cambridge, in the past and recently had a show at the Cambridge Art Salon after winning the Love Cambridge Art initiative. When she’s not jetting about international book fairs and working on designs for magazines, you’ll probably find her running a range of workshops including one on sustainability for kids at the Cambridge Science Centre.
She cites her “masters” as Cambridge’s very own Ronald Searle of St Trinians fame, as well as Edward Gorey and Quentin Blake, but her favourite thing to draw is: “Cats! And animals with strange costumes. I love this type of imagery.” You can see why her playful style would make comic books a perfect kooky match. During the sessions the children will be “encouraged to use their creativity to create their own stories and comic books”. They will get to build a character (or a hoard of them) from scratch (wild imaginations will definitely come in handy), and bring their story to life using traditional comic book techniques. “They will learn how to use the grammar of comics,” says Aurora, listing speech balloons, onomatopoeia, framing and storyboarding as just a fraction of the storytelling devices available. “[And use] some techniques of bookbinding, use technical tools for drawing like ink and nib pens.” Don’t forget colour, lots and lots of colour, as well as collage if cutting and sticking takes your little one’s fancy. “We will play with storytelling, colours and we will build small comics
ᔡ The comic workshop starts at Saint Augustine’s Church, Richmond Road, Cambridge on Monday, June 3 at 3.45pm (and the same time every Monday after that). Suitable for 7-11-year-olds, places are £10. Don’t forget to book at nekocherry@gmail. com.
books,” Aurora enthuses. “It is an opportunity for children to develop their creativity and also to have a nice and fun moment for play with fantasy, and enjoy a moment with their friends.” To find out more about Aurora and her work, follow her on Twitter @nekocherry or visit www.nekocherry.com.