Home is where the art is: the Lancashire group getting the creative juices flowing in lockdown

Omar Aboo can barely remember a time when he didn't have a pencil in his hand and a doodle on his paper, while Emma Underwood has wanted to be an artist for as long as she can remember.

"Not long after originally meeting at Taekwondo, Emma and I both took part in a local art exhibition and bumped into each other and it was like 'oh, hi! I didn't know you did all this!'" says Omar, 53. "We got to chatting and that's how it all started."

A gathering dedicated to to letting kids explore their more artistic and creative sides, the Wyre Art Group was founded in June 2018 and offers kids between the ages of six and 12 the invaluable space and time to create artwork across a wide spectrum of styles and genres whilst using a range of materials, from pen, pencil, and watercolours to acrylics and clay.

Having met every Thursday at St Thomas' Parish Hall in Garstang prior to the latest lockdown, the group now meets over Zoom, with classes following a malleable curriculum that allows kids to experiment and develop their own confidence and style. Created by art-enthusiasts for art-enthusiasts, the group has been a big hit amongst its members.

"Seeing the group grow has been wonderful; we've got kids who have been with us from the start and we've watched them grow up and then be joined by younger brothers or sisters," says Emma, 43, who works as a childminder and has her own online business where she sells her pieces. "It's brilliant; to get to work and draw with kids is so great.

"You can see the group help build some kids' confidence, because they're with like-minded people," adds Emma, from Catterall. "We even get some kids come forward and ask to plan sessions for the other, which is fantastic - you can really tell the environment has a positive impact on them."

Omar agrees. "It's really important that kids get the chance to express themselves artistically and the kids that come to us just want that extra time to explore," he says. "And it's not just about the art, it's about the planning and organisation and the social aspect of being in a group where you can bounce ideas off each other.

"We've got such a range of kids in the group," adds Omar, who works in the education department at Royal Preston Hospital. "One young lad was really excitable to begin with, but now he takes everything on board and always brings a really interesting angle to things, while one young girl was really shy and used to just sit in a corner and get on with things, but she's really come out of her shell."

The group also likes to shake it up a little where they can in order to get the creative juices flowing. In the past, they've hosted and visited external instructors such as Wood-Sage Outdoor Education for sessions, have held outdoor painting sessions (weather-permitting), have taken part in the Garstang Scarecrow Festival, and have held drawing sessions at Scorton Church.

"I've always drawn and painted from when I was at school, so it's always been a keen hobby for me," says Omar, from Liverpool. "I don't know where it came from because nobody in my family is really artistic, but I think when I was a kid I enjoyed just sitting and drawing and doodling.

"I'd spend hours just sat there and I think that's something which still appeals to me about art: you can take yourself away and lose yourself for a while," he adds. "That's really important at a time like now, so the Zoom sessions have really helped myself and Emma as well. As a whole group, we all really enjoy it."

Nodding and smiling in agreement on our group Zoom, Emma puts it best.

"Art gives you time to think."