The Big Draw Project:
Tracing the Tracks
September – October 2007
Tracing the Tracks was a six week partnership project between the Heritage Hub and the art department at Hawick High School, funded by the Borders Fine and Decorative Arts Society. The aim of the project was to use archival collections as inspiration for creative drawing and explore the controversial topic of the Waverley Railway Line.
Local artist Jane Gaze worked with the Education and Outreach Assistant and an Art Teacher from the High School to deliver a series of workshops to two Border Primary Schools. The project culminated in a large scale chalk drawing, depicting their take on the Waverley Line in 2007, on the ground outside the Heritage Hub.
Over the six weeks pupils visited the archive to explore collections relating to the Waverley Line which they then used to inspire drawing sessions in the High School. The class teachers took the work into the classroom for their Determined to Succeed Project and found it enhanced the curriculum:
‘I found the project worthwhile because it showed pupils that learning does not solely take place in school. Pupils were able to learn from experts, archives, friends and relations, other teachers and also from looking around them at their community. The tasks addressed all learning styles – by drawing, listening, watching, looking and writing, pupils remained well motivated and eager to learn.’ P7 teacher, Stirches Primary School
