Who would have thought that sculptures made from florists’ oasis could look so like the contoured downland hills Eric Ravilious loved so much?

But, that (and the fantastic watercolours and sketches you can see here) is exactly what the talented older artists from the Devizes ‘Arts Together’ group did under the artistic guidance of Sue Martin. They loved the work of Ravilious and were really inspired by what they saw.

Even more impressive is that the work was made during Spring 2021 when government guidance was to stay at home where possible. The ‘Arts Together’ staff provided members with laptops and zoom training; they showed drone footage of above the Westbury White Horse and delivered weekly ‘creative challenge’ parcels of materials like charcoal, chalk and, of course, oasis to members’ homes.

The six-week course was a lifeline for members, many of whom are at risk of isolation (even in non-pandemic times).

Belinda Chandler, one of the Arts Together team, said:

It gave our group members light at the end of a very long tunnel after over a year of isolation from Covid. It caught their imaginations and gave them a ‘window’ onto the Wiltshire landscape that helped them come out of their seclusion and feel part of their community again.

Thank you to the Mercers’ Company for their support.