Big Draw at Crmz, Widnes

Halton-based artist collective Markmakers have been in residence at the Crmz, a new youth centre in Widnes as part of the borough’s Big Draw activities.

Artists Carys Anne Hughes, Jennifer Kenworthy, Sharon Lelonek and Claire Weetman spent the half term week working with young people at Crmz on a variety of drawing activities.

Carys Anne Hughes took her embroidery practice to the youth centre, creating a curtain with the young people that used continuous line drawing and pattern.

Jennifer Kenworthy, whose work features drawing, embroidery and landscapes, created images on a glass wall with the participants. Using sticky vinyl, they built up images in small pieces.

Right: Curtain with embroidered drawings made by young people with artist Carys Anne Hughes

Vinyl drawings made by young people with Jennifer Kenworthy

Sharon Lelonek is a printmaker who uses pattern and repetition in her work, often using marker pen to draw directly onto metal etching plates. As part of this programme of work, Sharon exhibited one of her prints in a new exhibition facility at the Crmz, sharing real artworks with the young people in the centre. For this big draw activity, Sharon used her technique of marker pen doodles, this time making them onto paper lined pillars that form part of the architecture of the building.

Also working with the architecture of the newly refurbished building was Claire Weetman. In one of her works ‘Dicing with Drawing’ participants were asked to generate random numbers by rolling dice. They were then able to connect two numbers on the glazed wall of the building using black tape. Young people also created versions of this on paper, using a variety of drawing materials, the results of which were exhibited in the new exhibition frames for their peers to see.

Drawings by young people using chance, dice, and a variety of drawing media


Claire also likes to use Graphite powder to create drawings and has started working with animation in her practice. Working with a small group of young people she helped them to create a short animation called ‘Blink’. Using stop motion animation techniques, graphite powder and erasing, they created the following film:

The idea to make drawings of eyes came from the work that Markmakers member Sue Archer had created with a local primary school. The work pictured here is a hanging made from felt that features eyes, noses and mouths, creating abstract faces as it is viewed.

Right: Felt hanging produced by Sue Archer with a local primary school.
Photographer: Luke.