The Art Academy Portsmouth

What an amazing day we had at the Lithuanian festival, a real pleasure to be a part of this wonderful community ❤️🇱🇹

Mural ready for the public to add themselves to at the Freedom Spring festival tomorrow.
Link below
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ArMDMsQFK/

Puppets! Puppets! Puppets!
Well done to all our 6 -16 yr old art students, In these last two weeks, they have had to listen very carefully, following instructions, using very fine motor skills and nibble fingers to build an articulated sculpture.
Throughout the year we work hard on drawing and painting and our last project of the year before our annual exhibition is sculpture. So this year we are making tabletop puppets and our college age 16-19 yr old students are making ventriloquists hand puppets.

These armatures are ready to start adding clay to personalise each one.
👏👏👏👏👏👏

🎨✨ Community Art Project at “Spring of Independence 2026”

This year, we are excited to welcome
🌿 The Art Academy Portsmouth
to “Spring of Independence 2026”.

During the festival, visitors of all ages will be invited to take part in a special community art project, created to celebrate Portsmouth’s 100th anniversary.

🖌️ Together, we will create a collaborative artwork that will become:
✨ a symbol of community,
✨ a creative celebration of Portsmouth,
✨ and a place where everyone can leave their own artistic mark.

👉 The activity is open to children, young people and adults.

The Art Academy Portsmouth offers creative classes for children and adults, developing skills in:
🎨 drawing,
🎨 painting,
🎨 sculpture.

The project is led by academy founder
✨ Donna Holmes

📅 16 May 2026
📍 Southsea Bandstand, Portsmouth
🎉 Free festival by the sea

👉 More about the festival:
https://www.gintareliai.co.uk/post/nemokamas-festivalis-prie-j%C5%ABros-laisv%C4%97s-pavasaris-2026-kvie%C4%8Dia-%C4%AF-portsmouth

📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theartacademyportsmouth?igsh=MnM5eTQ0bHp4aGd2

Guess what this year's sculpture project is? ..... Articulated Puppets! (Donna's speciality of course 🤩 super excited for this one.) Obviously there will be other things the children can do if they would rather not participate.

All our different aged groups will be given the choice of age appropriate table top puppets to design and make, following simple instructions. They will have the ability to move their puppet using sticks that are attached to the puppets limbs. They will be learning puppeteering skills too.
*** So BEHOLD.... budding ventriloquists will be coming home for summer holidays this year 🤩🤩

Our older seniors, college/uni age, are going to be making foam arm puppets. There's much more intricate work involved so good attendance is important.

It was lovely showing my Wednesday college/uni age seniors, what project I am working on, as an artist right now. They are always keen on learning and talking through with me, real life scenarios as opportunities arise in our line of work. It's so important to be transparent and true to this age group.
They've grown up watching things on social media that doesn't always show the reality of being an artist.
My own studio is separate from our academys 'cabin' studio and the students always feel like its a treat to come into my space to see what im working on, I love that. ✨️

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

HOME PAGE | Into the Wild Into the Wild, The Uk's number one festival for nature vibes, with amazing music, workshops, wild crafts, speakers, and utter wonder for people from everywhere who love life....

Next project....
Neurographic art is like journaling, but way more fun! No skills needed, just relax, breathe and see where your lines take you.
I love teaching neurographic art and seeing the kids relax and enjoy the moment, is like yes! My job is done ✔️ 🙌 😌

The Art Academy Portsmouth will be here! Come and join in the fun! See you there!