Drawings from the personal collection of Roald Dahl artist Sir Quentin Blake are featuring in a new series of trails at a local nature reserve.
WWT Washington Wetland Centre has launched its latest attraction for the schools' half-term holiday, unveiling the first of what will be a total of three seasonal trails including work by the 90-year-old artist best known for his illustrations in Dahl's children's books. And Sir Quentin is delighted to share his own collection of drawings - many of them unseen until now - to help boost the wetland reserve.
Their partnership, called Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake at WWT, has produced the first illustrated trail guide which features wildlife-theme drawings in his distinctive style and the idea will to be for visitors to collect and keep the unique guides which will be on themes of summer, autumn and winter, each including a detachable bookmark.
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Sir Quentin said: “I am delighted to be sharing my pictures with WWT sites and their visitors through the Drawn to Water experience. This project appealed to me because I have a lifelong fascination of drawing wetland wildlife, especially birds.
"I can't quite explain why but it may be because, like us, they are on two legs and have expressive gestures. The drawings you will see are from my own personal archive, and many have rarely been seen in public before."
The beautifully-illustrated guides will take visitors on journeys around the centre's wetlands, woodlands and meadows, helping them to see and experience nature in new ways. Sir Quentin added: “Through Drawn to Water, I hope that seeing my artwork in places where these creatures are thriving will allow new audiences to enjoy wetland wildlife as much as I do, perhaps prompting a few people to pick up a pen, pencil or even a quill and do their own drawing.”
The trails, which will run until 2024, will focus on different aspects of what flourishes at WWT over the course of a year, highlighting the likes of new life, sparkling water, visiting birds and diverse habitats. Running alongside them will be activities, led by local artists, for all ages and the first will get under way during half-term week with themed events to follow during the summer holidays and beyond.
Northumberland-based artist Steve Pardue visited the centre to help mark the launch of the new partnership, joined by WWT marketing manager Deborah Nolan who said she is thrilled about the new trails and their celebration of memorable moments and species relating to each season. The summer one will run until September 2.
She said: “This illustrated summer guide is a gentle invitation to explore our site, encouraging visitors to stop and enjoy magical reedbeds, atmospheric woodlands and wonderful waterscapes filled with bird song and new life - to name just a few highlights." She added that research shows people who connect with nature are more likely to behave in a positive way towards the environment and she says art is one way to make that connection "encouraging us to slow down, take notice and appreciate the wild world around us".
For more information about the new summer trail see here and to sign up to an art workshop see here. The WWT website also has details on how to join. To book tickets see here.
A Quentin Blake range of products is also on sale in the centre's shop whose proceeds go towards wetland conservation.
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