SWITCHBOOK Gallery

SWITCHBOOK is an innovative collaboration, bringing together art educators from across Somerset, working side-by-side on a continuous sketchbook journey.

Take a look through our ever evolving gallery of sketchbook conversations.

2023

SWITCHBOOK 2023 saw a community of 14 arts leaders, teachers and support staff from Key Stages 1-5 taking part in our postal sketchbook circle.

Using the theme of ‘Sanctuary’, participants were encouraged to think about what it means to them and responding to the work of their partners. Sketchbooks came in all shapes and sizes, from a lifestyle magazine to an old story book; all have been given a new life within SWITCHBOOK!

Watch our 4min video showcasing the stunning work produced by this SWITCHBOOK community:

“Corresponding with other teacher artists and makers gave me time to focus on my own development in a friendly and supportive way.”

2020

SWITCHBOOK 2020 saw a community of 20 arts leaders, teachers and support staff from KS1-5 taking part in our postal sketchbook circle. Participants have supported each other through the pandemic to produce some intimate sketchbook conversations. It has been an especially tough year, however working on this collaborative project; sharing techniques and ideas; sharing the challenges of the last 18 months and having that 'creative escape' has proven really valuable.

"I've really enjoyed switching off with it, once I was brave enough to get started I could've gone on and on!"

Alice Ritchie

"This first piece from Lisa was such an inspiration for me - I love the way she had taken a tiny segment of printed paper as a starting point and continued the lines. I loved the use of a few lines of verse - Lisa included the rest of the poem and I used it and returned to it later in the year continuing her theme of line."

Alice Ritchie

"I created this piece just as the first lockdown began - it was good to immerse myself in some much needed distraction. I took a second tiny circle snippet of lines from Lisa as the starting point - I continued her theme of line around a lino print of our home - (April Switchbook challenege) - I printed this on the deeds of our house. I then further explored the idea of stitched boundary lines and returned to the lines of Lisa's verse. The free flying birds lino print became a contrast opposite. The whole piece really reflected the covid situation at the time - its interesting to reflect on this piece a year on."

Alice Ritchie

"Lisa's Geranium Eco Prints - created in Scotland I love - I can't wait to get together so she can show me how these were created. I used the shapes and lines as inspiration and I returned to the poppy seed heads on the cover of the Switchboook."

Jackie Ford

"I loved these pages...It led me on to thinking about doors, behind which we were all keeping safe during lockdown. Our barrier to the world instead of a gateway to...what was behind them..."

Jackie Ford

"Continuing a theme...doors, as it's so emotive.
I also liked the idea of the rainbow - the different lives that gave hope in the Covid climate but also was reflected in nature - the tulip fields, being reflected in different ways behind each door."

Jackie Ford

"Rainbow of hope and tears (rain/sun). I loved Carolines response because it reflected what I was thinking."

Penny Philips

"Incorporating the landscape of Sierra Nevada into the backdrop with the vibrant colour of the cacao using lino prints and ink paints.

It was a spontaneous response to being in Columbia February 2020. At the time, I did not realise how significant a moment that would be..."

Penny Philips

"View of Quantock Hills (Cothlestone Hill) from my bedroom window. Printing remnants.

I see the Quantocks the moment I wake up and go to sleep. My sense of place..."

Penny Philips

"Exploration with original paintings using tissue, used dry paints and strips of used colour - wanting to mute the colour through the tissue - but played with lino print on the tissue."

Liz Kearvell

"One of my favourite pages was early on, the sheep with her lamb. The texture of their coats was accidental when the paper stuck to the gelli plate."

Liz Kearvell

"I really liked the layered textured papers that contrast with the black and white butterfly."

Liz Kearvell

"Penny invited me to add to this page which I was a little nervous of. However, I think our different styles have complimented each other well."

Jenna Creasey

"This is a piece that I kept coming back to throughout my Switchbook journey. It's a scene from Hong Kong when I visited back in 2018, I added bright coloured blocks to signify the bright neon lights that reminded me of the city and included segments of different parts of the city aligned next to each other symbolise the fast-paced busyness."

Jenna Creasey

"I loved Liz's wet felted seascape in response to my theme in the prior week. The wispy and wet looking white felt really gives you an impression of a crashing wave and the knobbly bits of felt give great texture for the sand."

Jenna Creasey

"This was my first time working with lino prints. I love the pattern thats been left from carving out the sky in the lino. This was a very special piece for me as it was one of the first times I got to see my mum after lockdown to work on our art together."

2017

SWITCHBOOK is a collaborative project between artists, teachers and young ambassadors from across Somerset and beyond, uniting people through the universal language of drawing.

Led by Spaeda – arts education, the SWITCHBOOK 2017 participants shared skills to develop drawing, art and education practice through a continuous sketchbook journey.

"I feel more in tune with my own creativity and confident in many endless possibilities...please can we do it all again!"