Clarendon Sixth Form College

11 March 2025

Clarendon Sixth Form College students create artwork for local museum after success of gallery project.

Art and Design students at the college have designed pieces for Portland Basin Museum, which reflect and respond to the collections there.

Portland Basin Museum hosts a wide variety of exhibits on local cotton production, mining, canals, local history and more.

During the initial phase of the project, students spent the day at the museum, researching the various collections and choosing which exhibit to base their work on.

Halle Bagley, a level three art and design student at Clarendon Sixth Form College, created a horse sculpture, using wire mesh, which is based on ‘war horse’, a 3D exhibit at the museum and medieval knights armour.

Halle said: “My sculpture of a horse's head, crafted from recycled chicken wire, was inspired by my love for horses and my life on a farm. A visit to Portland Basin Museum sparked my interest in 'War Horse' and the intricate patterns of knight's armour, which influenced my design. The wire’s layered texture reflects both the strength and delicacy of armour, paying tribute to the resilience of horses like Sergeant Reckless, a Mongolian mare who bravely served in the Korean War.”

Students were asked to take part in the project by Alex Leese, Tameside Cultural Services curator at Tameside Council, after the success of a similar project at the Astley Cheetham Gallery in Stalybridge in 2024.

Emma Knowles, art and design teacher at Clarendon Sixth Form College, said: “This was another fantastic experience for our students, working in response to a museum’s collection. The students’ work has been exceptional and I am very proud that the Mayor was able to view it. I hope that visitors to the museum enjoy their work and it brings new life to Portland Basin. I would like to thank Alex for allowing us to take part in this project.”

On 1st March the collection was officially unveiled by the Civic Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Betty Affleck and her consort. These will now be on display at the museum for visitors to view throughout the summer.

Projects such as this help prepare students for university and the industry and contribute a vital part of their final major projects.

To find out more about creative courses at Clarendon Sixth Form College, visit the college website or call 0161 908 6600.