The Purcell School has been named joint winner of The Big Draw Festival — the world's largest celebration of drawing.

The event invited participants to interpret the theme of 'Come Back to Colour' with the school's Art Department responding with an innovative project that explored the connection between sound and visual art.

Live music drawing session

Students engaged in a live music and drawing session where drawings reflecting the emotions and colours evoked by Zolotarev's 'Sonata No. 2', Semyonov's 'Bulgarian Suite' and Albéniz's 'Asturias'.

Over 30 students of different ages participated, producing a variety of stunning visual interpretations that not only evolved with the music but which culminated in a single, harmonious piece of art.

Visual imagery

The project, influenced by Kandinsky's exploration of music and art and James Mayhew's live drawing performances, introduced students to synesthesia and how sound evokes visual imagery.

Victoria Samuel, Head of Art at The Purcell School, said: "We aimed to show that drawing is for everyone and can be a powerful tool for expression, connection and creativity.

It was inspiring to see the students connect so deeply with the music and each other during this experience."

It was inspiring to see the students connect so deeply with the music and each other during this experienceThe Purcell School

Originality

The judges praised the project for its originality, saying that they "loved the idea of exploring the relationship between sound and colour, and found it especially fascinating to learn how the students' drawing styles visibly evolved with each change in music."

Following the success of The Big Draw event, the School organised a similar project in which students created art in response to a live organ performance by Principal Paul Bambrough. Both works of art, produced in these collaborative events, now hang proudly around the School in celebration of art, music and community.