EGGSTRAORDINARY ART!

For two local charities, this year’s Wokingham Arts Trail was eggstra special. Arts4Wokingham (A4W) and Wokingham District Association for the Elderly (WADE) combined forces to produce a range of creatures inspired by the theme of animal magic.

A number of children, together with some of WADE’s senior citizens, collaborated with local artist Jo Wyles and were encouraged to produce works with an everyday egg box at their core. Imaginations ran wild and the fledgling artists came up with penguins, mice, giraffes and even a crocodile.

Workshops in progress

The results of Jo’s creative workshops were displayed at Wokingham’s Old Kiln Yard Gallery and enjoyed by hundreds of local folk as part of this year’s Wokingham Arts Trail. Jo Wyles likes to recycle easily available materials and integrate them into works of art.

Artworks on display in the gallery

‘I wanted to show that even something as simple as an egg box can stir the imagination and assume a number of forms when the creative juices flow. It’s a great way to encourage involvement and help everybody realise that art can be fun and accessible.’

“Percy” the posh mouse

 This unique collaboration between WADE and A4W was a first for the two charities. After a private preview on Friday, those dropping by over the weekend also enjoyed live art demonstrations, a raffle, an art cafe and a stall run by friends of WADE. It was a great opportunity to share with the people of Wokingham more about the respective activities of these two prominent local charities.