Quentin Blake art draws people to Caerlaverock Wetland Centre.
Three seasonal trails highlighting the best of the UK’s wetland nature will be running at WWT Caerlaverock from 18 May until February 2024 as part of a partnership between renowned illustrator Sir Quentin Blake and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust.
Throughout the partnership, “Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake at WWT”, WWT Caerlaverock will run three seasonal trails with guides using selected little seen before illustrations of watery nature from Quentin Blake to help inspire visitors to view the wonder of wetland nature in a different way.
Each of the trails, Spring/Summer, Autumn, and Winter, will highlight the amazing nature that arrives each season, showcasing new life, sparkling water and visiting birds, helping everyone experience nature in new, unexpected ways through Quentin Blake’s work
These trails will run alongside a range of art and illustration activities to inspire all ages and abilities, helping everyone experience nature in new, unexpected ways.
Here at Caerlaverock, alongside the seasonal trails, there will be frames at various viewpoints, providing opportunities to take photos and observe different aspects of our wonderful wetland. The trails shall also contain prompts to use your senses and connect with the natural surroundings.
Commenting on the partnership Quentin Blake said: “I am delighted to be sharing my pictures with WWT sites and their visitors through the Drawn to Water experience. This project appealed to me because I have a lifelong fascination of drawing wetland wildlife, especially birds.
“I can't quite explain why but it may be because like us, they are on two legs and have expressive gestures. The drawings you will see are from my own personal archive, and many have rarely been seen in public before.
“Through Drawn to Water I hope that seeing my artwork in places where these creatures are thriving will allow new audiences to enjoy wetland wildlife as much as I do, perhaps prompting a few people to pick up a pen, pencil or even a quill and do their own drawing.”
Anna Barlow, Visitor Experience Officer at WWT Caerlaverock said: “This is a brilliant partnership to enhance engagement of all our visitors with wetland nature as it evolves through the seasons, as well as seeing our reserve from different viewpoints. Quentin Blake’s illustrations show some of the highlights that can be experienced in a nostalgic and imaginative way.”
