As autumn arrives, a new season collection of Quentin Blake’s distinctive illustrations, influenced by wetlands and nature, give a new insight into the wonderful walking trails at WWT Slimbridge, taking visitors to special places where they can sit back and enjoy the wildlife that thrives here. Continuing the perfect partnership of nature and art, WWT and Quentin Blake are embracing a season filled with sensory experiences designed to delight and inspire visitors of any age.
Visitors can explore Slimbridge with their autumnal Drawn to Water trail around their wetlands, climb aboard a Canoe Safari and spot seasonal wildlife from the water or see the wild side of the reserve on a 4x4 Wild Safari. In the gallery, visitors can also enjoy 54 rarely seen, illustrations by Quentin Blake, until 16 September.
Adults may enjoy booking on to an art workshop, from pottery to printmaking or even painting a flamingo with friends at a ‘Sip and Paint’ evening. For children there will be daily activities including a ‘Skies and Silhouettes’ session where visitors can decorate their own sky filled with birds, inspired by WWT founder, Sir Peter Scott. Families can enjoy meeting Slimbridge’s large collection of birds, amphibians and their new pair of otters – Sam and Tilly. Welly Boot Land and Slimbridge’s family-friendly, free app – Wetland Heroes, also provide hours of fun – whatever the weather. Every Friday, until 20 October, toddlers can enjoy weekly nature activities at the Friday Froglets club, from nature patterns to bugs and mud.
Gary Haseley-Nejrup, Centre Manager, at WWT Slimbridge, said: “While every season is special at Slimbridge, autumn seems to be the perfect time to immerse yourself in nature as it’s such a sensory part of the year when the landscape is at its very best. The greens of summer start to transform into a riot of golds and browns when at their height, just envelop you in their beauty. And of course, it’s a season that has inspired some truly stunning art, so we’re thrilled to continue this year-long partnership with Quentin Blake and bring art and nature together.”
“And along with the changes in the landscape, our visiting species change, visitors can look out for migrant birds passing through the Estuary and the first main flocks of wintering birds starting to arrive. Flocks of pintail, common pochard and wigeon, as well as fieldfare, redwing and golden plover are just a few of the key species to spot this season at Slimbridge. This really is a chance to see why wetlands are so wonderful and why they influence so many artists.”
Misty mornings and early evening sunsets at WWT Slimbridge provide a perfect place to not only get a glimpse into the lives of birds on site, but to take inspiration from them to create art, from watercolour paintings to captivating photography.
To celebrate this, this collaboration has also prompted a national art competition where artists of all abilities can enter their work to be in with a chance of winning a unique, embossed Quentin Blake wetland print. With runners-up receiving copies of the Quentin Blake Papers and free entry into a site of their choice.
Using the wonder of WWT wetlands as a theme, entrants are invited to initially submit a photograph of a 2D piece of art - which could be a drawing, illustration, painting or photograph - which will be looked at by a panel of judges from Quentin Blake’s studios and WWT. The competition opens on September 4 and closes on December 31, winners will be announced in January.
For information about what’s happening near you or more details on the art competition, visit https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/quentin-blake-drawn-to-water/
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