STUDENTS from a specialist college will display their technological artwork at an exhibition.

Creative Studies students from Derwen College, in Gobowen, will display artwork created on tablets and mobile phones at Qube in Oswestry, which opens on Friday (August 3) and runs until September 3.

The artists, from the college for young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, will attend the official opening of the Painting by Pixels exhibition.

The work showcased in Painting by Pixels has been created at workshops run by Paul Kielty and Nadia Kingsley of Fair Acre Press at Derwen College and social enterprise Designs in Mind.

Their work will be displayed alongside art by Paul and Nadia along with leading artists Giancarlo Facchinetti and ‘Isaac’ from Birmingham.

The exhibition is part of an Arts Council for England-funded programme which also includes an e-book on how to paint by pixels, with examples of work created by the lead artists and other participants.

12 students took part in the workshop in May, learning to use Sketchbook Pro to create patterns and pictures and learning different techniques.

Creative studies programme co-ordinator, Jennifer Fawcett-Jones, said that students relished using the new app.

She said: “They picked up the app very quickly, using it on their own devices and experimenting with patterns, images and some of their previous artwork. It’s a quick way of producing artwork which some of our students really enjoyed.”

Student Rachel Pickford said she enjoyed using the app, producing work inspired by Harry Potter.

“My artwork was based on Gryffindor,” she said. “I had never used the app before but found it quite easy to use. It’s great that our work is going to be displayed in an art gallery for the public to see.”

The app aims to make makes art accessible to everybody. Student Mathew Jenkins, who has dyspraxia, particularly enjoyed being able to produce work independently without support.

Students who took part in the workshop were Kelsey Hardy, Alexander Hall, Rachel Pickford, Olivia Asterley, Caitlin Wedgwood, Anna Howell, Caitlin Kelly, Lauren Morgan, Mathew Jenkins, Keeley Wood, Ben Waldron and James Pyne.

For more information visit www.qube-oca.org.uk and www.derwen.ac.uk