Colour In The Big Draw

Award: 
Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust Awards 2009 - Winner
Location: 
Playeum, The Play Museum, Singapore

Sumitra Pasupathy and Jennifer Loh, Founders and Directors

Artists: Kenny Chua, Kamal Dollah, Caroline Essame, Mike Foo, Rachel Jordan, Bridget Low, Angie Seah, Sujatha, Sun Yu Li, Tay Bee Aye, Andy Tear, Germin Yeo

Patrons: Dr Barbara Piscitelli, Mr Chua Mia Tee, Mr Sun Yu Li, Mr. Iqbal Jumabhoy

Sponsored by South West Community Development Council, Lyra Asia Pte Ltd, Exxon Mobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

The first Singapore Big Draw was held in a shopping centre, marina barrage and regional library, with the finale in the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden.

Playeum, the new Play Museum, upheld the Campaign for Drawing’s aims while introducing a wide range of play-based experiences to children. Artists led by the museum’s distinguished patron and artist, Sun Yu Li, supported four memorable events.

Participants were offered

  • viewfinders with transparent acetate surfaces to make individual drawings of flora and fauna
  • dyes and paints to add to a huge collective batik
  • cardboard to colour and build into a box city
  • a spectacular giant web to knot, tie and weave with natural elements found in the botanic garden

They responded with delight to an unprecedented invitation to collaborate in making large, bold artworks, life-size cut-outs and colourful murals.

The programme demonstrated the positive impact on young people and their families of shared creative activities, with space, place and nature as inspiration.

Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust Awards

The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust aims to increase public appreciation of the arts and music. Their awards recognise educators, artists, teachers and others who use The Big Draw to extend their audience’s perception of drawing and to engage them in innovative activities. They reward organisers whose events relate to their setting, local environment or community, show a clear purpose and good results. Individual drawings may have been used to create a collective artwork, or a public display to celebrate participants’ achievements.