On Wednesday 17th April, 34 children aged 6 to 11 from the Elne Centre de Loisirs travelled to Port-Vendres to meet our artist. The association’s committee had put together a tailor-made programme for them, and four active members were on hand to lead the morning’s activities together with their supervisors.
During their walk along the Quai Forgas, the young people discovered 4 panels along the way, including a boat, which they thought was remarkable because there were “people” in the watercolour, and stopped briefly in front of the bronze which indicates the building that was the Mackintosh residence in Port-Vendres: the former “Hôtel du Commerce”.
Back at the Interpretation Centre, the children immersed themselves in the watercolours painted by Mackintosh thanks to a quiz showing details of some of them. It was a treasure hunt that stimulated their curiosity and encouraged them to complete the sheet successfully, which they proudly put back in their rucksacks.
The older children also enjoyed anecdotes from the artist’s life, his adventures with a raven, a horse and the schoolchildren of Port-Vendres in 1927.
Due to the weather and the strong tramontana wind, the programme of events could not be completed with the sketching session planned facing the port from the viewpoint on Place Castellane. So maybe another time…
The members of the committee were delighted to welcome this quiet but inquisitive group. They hope that this second edition of introducing young children to the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh will be followed by others, for that is indeed the mission of our association.