Jo Chapman

ART & NATURE is a partnership between the Sainsbury Centre learning team and West Earlham Infant and Nursery School exploring the power of our relationship with the natural world, and drawing inspiration from our local environment.

Watch the film here

Each summer 60 pupils in year 2 work with Sainsbury Centre associate artists over three weeks. The children visit the art museum and sculpture park, and are invited to respond to the artwork they see. The associate artists lead creative workshops outside, in the galleries, in the learning studio, and in school.

In 2025 we focused on The Seas, to tie in with the season’s exhibitions. Sculptor Jo Chapman shared objects from her studio which have inspired some of the large sculptures she has made. The children carefully created coral-like forms with plaster, and made fossil-like sand casts. Jo also drew inspiration from Ro Robertson’s ‘Drench’ and constructed cardboard forms which the children really enjoyed painting.

Class teacher Cheryl Hillyard commented: “The children had the most amazing time and it was so wonderful to see them immersed in such creativity and imagination – using so many different types of media to bring their creativity to life. It has really had such a positive impact on all of the children and the adults alike!” 

Learning Programme Manager Becca Sturgess said “It is really wonderful to work so closely with a school so near to the Sainsbury Centre, and to give the children the opportunity to work with our artists for several days. The variety of ways which they get the children engaged with the artwork is brilliant – from expressing the energy and emotion of the exhibits with their bodies, to experiencing how different materials behave. Throughout the project we see the children grow in confidence asking questions and sharing ideas – everyone gets very excited.”