Students from The Crockers Centre – Bridgwater & Taunton College’s (BTC) dedicated 14-16 provision based at the Cannington Campus – successfully showcased their artistic talents and creativity during a special exhibition hosted at the Bridgy Gallery.

The exhibition, themed Love In All Forms and Play: A Valentine’s Exhibition, provided a platform for students to display their unique perspectives.

Held in the gallery’s Garage Gallery space, the display featured a diverse range of artworks taking many forms, including paintings, drawings, photography and digital art.

Each piece explored varied expressions of love, whether romantic, platonic, familial or self-love.

Over a 10-week preparation period, students engaged deeply with their creativity, researching ideas, experimenting with different mediums, overcoming challenges, and learning new techniques. All this culminated in their final pieces, proudly displayed at the gallery over the course of two months.

This project aimed not only to celebrate creativity, but to also help students develop crucial transferable skills, such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, persistence and confidence – each essential for their future employment and everyday life.

The exhibition concluded with a celebratory event where students invited college staff, family, and friends to view their work and share in their success. It was a fantastic moment that recognised the hard work, imagination, and dedication invested by each student.

Jason Gunningham, Assistant Principal, shared his thoughts,

I was so impressed with how every student was so invested in their artwork and that of their peers. The confidence they were able to display in talking about the work they have created is a real credit to their individual academic and personal development – and the power of art!

This collaboration provided a unique real-world experience for the students. As the project highlights, only a select few often get the chance to have their artwork professionally displayed in a gallery setting – now, Crockers’ students can proudly count themselves among those who have.

BTC extends sincere thanks to Bridget, owner of Bridgy Gallery, for her partnership in making this exhibition possible. While the physical exhibition has now ended, the students’ artwork can be view online via the Bridgy Gallery website.

For more information on BTC’s multitude of educational offerings, please visit www.btc.ac.uk or get in touch with the Information & Advice team by emailing info@btc.ac.uk.