Friday 27 June 2014

Colourscape at Waddesdon

I've let our National Trust membership lapse, as we hadn't been using it as much as usual.  I follow a couple of our local properties on Twitter though, and I saw a tweet about a great arts experience that was coming to Waddesdon.  It's called Colourscape, and it's fabulous.

So we went today, and I rejoined with a home ed membership (£39 for a family, week day term times only, which suits us as I find weekends a bit busy).  The kids were a bit reluctant to come but I was totally convinced they would *love* Colourscape.  I wasn't wrong!

It's wonderful.  The tunnels are red, blue, green.  The red and the green are very intense, the blue is a real visual rest.  The staff give you a loose primary colour vest to wear, so that you become part of the installation - the colours change as you walk through the different segments.  In one section there were two musicians making all sorts of sounds with keyboards, pipes, a squeaky toy, percussion, voice.  The sounds echo through the structure.

The kids liked hiding and finding each other again, and just being there.  It was a such a sensory experience.  

I chatted with one of the staff and she said that they have a much larger one that comes to Clapham Common for a week-long festival in September.  It's 8 times as big!  It's open at the weekend, or weekdays for prearranged school visits.  I've emailed to see if I can arrange a home ed trip.

I'm so glad we went, and now we have NT membership again I can plan a trip to Cliveden's big slide!














2 comments:

  1. This is a fabulous idea for an artwork - so interactive. The children must have really enjoyed being surrounded by pure colour. Are you going to do some follow up art at home?
    Thanks so much for linking up to this weeks #homeedlinkup

    ReplyDelete
  2. That looks wonderful. I think I've driven past the one in Clapham before but didn't realise what it was. I shall make an effort to go this September. Your photos are great! My 9 year old wants to go after seeing them.

    ReplyDelete