PUPILS from Hermitage Academy have contributed artwork to the annual celebration of the life and work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The Hermitage S3 and S6 pupils visited the Hill House, in Helensburgh, to find out more about Mackintosh’s work, before heading to the town’s other Mackintosh-designed property – the Mackintosh Club, in Sinclair Street – to put their newly-acquired knowledge into action.

Working under the guidance of stencil artist Elisabeth Culshaw, the pupils spent a day producing two banners full of eye-catching designs based on Mackintosh’s iconic roses.

One of those is now on display at another famous Mackintosh building – the Lighthouse gallery in Glasgow’s city centre – while another has been retained at the Mackintosh Club for visitors to enjoy during the month-long Mackintosh Festival.

Elisabeth returned to Helensburgh after a project last year in which she led a team who stencilled a trail of Mackintosh roses on pavements in the town centre, leading festival visitors from the railway station to the Mackintosh Club.

She said: “The aim of this year’s project is to use good Mackintosh design to bring people together and do something they’d never normally do, and come up with something beautiful which has its origins in a Mackintosh design.

“What I really like about children of that age is they have no fear, and the Hermitage pupils embraced the technique and really went for it, creating a really good piece of work.

“They were fun.

“They were noisy, but it was all fun, constructive noise, and they were polite and full of questions.

“It was a very good experience and I would be delighted if they wanted to work with me next year.”

Nicola Jamieson from the Mackintosh Club said: “The art students should be very proud of their achievement and we are delighted with our collaboration with Hermitage Academy and are looking forward to many more projects together.”

Hill House property manager Lorna Hepburn added: “It was very interesting to see the pupils working on their banners after getting their inspiration at the Hill House.

“When I visited the Mackintosh Club during the workshop, the room was ringing with creative sounds. The kids were really into what they were doing and working hard to get their creations ready.”

The banners created by the Hermitage pupils were among 14 similar works overseen by Elisabeth at venues across Scotland with links to Mackintosh – with the best on display at the Lighthouse until the Mackintosh Festival closes on October 31.

You can find out more about the project at Elisabeth’s website – thelansdownehouseofstencils.com.