Art at Marlborough

‘Creativity is celebrated and encouraged by the very finest team of teachers who live for their subject’

Nell Hargrove (IH 2014-19), practising Linguist & Artist

Art at Marlborough has been respected nationally and internationally across the last half century for the delivery of visual excellence. Our success lies in the fact that Art staff believe in every pupil’s individuality and potential to fully realise their artistic ambitions. Art is encouraged through an investigative outlook and fortified by the opportunity to explore contemporary and traditional art making techniques, via the teaching expertise and resources within the Art School.

Our aim is to foster the pursuit of artistic enjoyment and discovery; to observe carefully, describe precisely and keep an open mind to all possibilities, these are the skills of adventurers!

In term time, the Art studios remain open well beyond the timetabled day and at weekends, enabling pupils to seek 1:1 support and further pursue their work and ideas outside of class time. Furthermore, Upper Sixth art pupils benefit from their own individual studio work-station

Our Art Department has an excellent track record in preparing pupils for first choice destinations in higher education. Over the past two years, we have placed 28 pupils on a range of leading foundation and degree courses all over the world.

Scholarships & Bursaries

Edward Twohig RE Head of Art & Director of Visual Heritage

Art scholarships are awarded annually to individuals of exceptional ability and promise. Extra tuition is given to art scholars on a weekly basis. Workshop sessions are held to broaden the variety of artistic skills that the scholars cover and encourage independence and self-direction. During the Lent Term, an art scholars’ exhibition is held, providing a valuable opportunity for scholars to curate and show their work.

‘When I look back over my five-year career at Marlborough, the Art Department comes out tops! I found its atmosphere congenial to lateral thinking before making. My studio space was a place to concentrate, create, absorb and do.’

Kai Jackson, (C3 2017-21) currently studying Architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London.

The College can offer means-tested bursary places of up to 100% of fees paid, including the Robin Child art bursary a new full-fee Sixth Form bursary which will be first awarded for September 2022.

marlboroughcollegeart www.marlboroughcollege.org

Professional collaborations

The Art School is a happening place with a plethora of activities: visiting artists, exhibitions and trips. We have forged strong and lasting links with the British Museum, the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in London, Verso Art Charity, Aberystwyth University, St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, and Eames Fine Art.

‘What makes the Art Department so special is the unstinting giving, knowledge and genius its teachers have for nurturing individuality through creativity. This kick-started my real love for Art. And, my future.’

Art for everyone

Art is a structured part of the timetable in Shell and then a subject choice through the rest of the school. The Art School not only endorses the structured teaching of examination criteria but is flexible in accommodating individual pupil’s creativity and aspirations. We nurture imaginative, critical thinking and provide opportunities to communicate creative initiatives, techniques and original ideas, all of which contribute to a highly rewarding artistic life at Marlborough.

Varied creative methods of tuition are practised, through art forms ranging from the core discipline of observational drawing, to the use of digital media. From experimental printmaking or ceramics to sculpture and painting workshops, every pupil’s personal artistic process, knowledge and interests are enriched. This initiates a greater visual sensitivity to life in general and enables a more articulate visual dialogue within our pupils’ art.

Ella Warner, (MM 2017-21) currently studying Fine Art at Kingston University.

Facilities Exceptional Artist

Charlotte Stafford (MM 2016-21): ‘Charlie Stafford submitted eight original prints and six preparatory drawings for submission for election to Membership of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) in April 2021. This body of work was viewed, assessed and discussed by a panel of globally renowned printmakers. The RE Council marvelled at her precision and dexterity at drawing mirrored across Charlie’s drypoint prints. That this work was accomplished by someone under twenty [years of age] is immensely astonishing by any standard.’

Opened in 2005, our purpose built Art School houses five open-plan studios for painting, drawing, relief and intaglio printmaking, screen printing, a photography darkroom and studio; lecture room and a computer suite and a well-resourced Art library. Two buildings adjacent to the Art School accommodate the ceramics and sculpture studios as well as a ‘large scale drawing’ studio. We also have a dedicated gallery and archive space in ‘The Mount House Gallery’ where pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community are able to regularly view a diverse programme of curated internal and external exhibitions.

Professor David Ferry PRE, FRSA, Hon Doc. Arts, Hon RWS. President, Royal Society of Painter/Printmakers (RE), London. Charlotte Stafford (MM 2016-21)

What we can offer you

Our Art Department is committed to offering a rich and stimulating environment in which a versatile range of art practices flourish. We set very clear, very high expectations and aim to offer each pupil an individual experience within a supportive framework.

• A dynamic and creative centre of learning for all pupils; from Shell to GCSE and A level.

• Full breadth of areas of specialism within Fine Art and Photography.

• An exceptional art scholars’ programme.

• Means-tested bursary places with up to 100% of fees paid.

• Regular art exhibitions featuring inspirational artists and celebrating pupils’ work.

• Preparation and support for further education within the Arts, including Fine Art, Architecture, Design, Fashion and Film & Photography.