Junior Art Workshops with Belinda John

Date: 20th Jul 2026 @ 12:13pm

Earlier in the year, our School Council organised a whole‑school vote to decide on two special projects the children would most like to see at Mount Carmel. The winning ideas were the development of our Peace Patch, which was completed just before Christmas, and an opportunity for pupils to work with a professional artist.

As artist Belinda John was fully booked, we waited patiently until July for our turn — and it was certainly worth the wait. Each junior class enjoyed a dedicated workshop session with Belinda, exploring a wonderful range of artistic styles and techniques.

The children took part in:

• Graphite portraits inspired by the World Cup, sketching Kane, Bellingham, Mainoo and Rice

• Frida Kahlo‑style portraits using soft pastels and floral embellishments

• James Rizzi‑inspired skylines featuring bold, colourful New York buildings

• Picasso‑inspired self‑portraits created with a range of papers, card, foam sheets and felt

Every class threw themselves into the experience, producing expressive, imaginative artwork and showing real pride in their creations. The atmosphere across the day was one of excitement, concentration and pure enjoyment. One child summed it up perfectly when she turned to her friend and said, “This is the best day ever, isn’t it.”