RGS Newcastle

Since 2017 Jane has worked in partnership with the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, and their inspirational Artist/Teacher Christine Egan-Fowler. Over the years Christine and RGS have been an invaluable support to Jane's art practice, her projects, and the children and educators who participate in them. Through their partnership, Jane has been invited to deliver many drawing workshops at RGS.

Alongside Linda Peacock of Jarrow Cross Primary, Christine co-instigated Jane's Where Did All the Animals Go? (WDATAG?) project in 2019, which RGS has supported since its foundation. RGS were also sponsors of WDATAG? 2019 Exhibition. The School's Year 6 students created drawings for the exhibition and environmental activist student Elise Feenan and Christine were guest speakers at the 2019 Endangered Species Conference. Most recently Christine, Ruth Gibson, RGS Technician, and RGS Art Department assisted Jane to prepare some of the exhibition drawing scans for the 2021 Exhibition at Great North Museum: Hancock including RGS Year 7's drawings of Asian species for the exhibition. In 2019, Christine and Jane also formed Murmurations at BALTIC with the BALTIC Learning team. 

RGS ART 2017 

Jane and Christine's journey began when Christine attended one of Jane's workshops at Thought Foundation Art Gallery in 2017. Many of Christine's RGS students were subsequently introduced to drawing in Biro following a visit to Jane's 2017 exhibition at the Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Christine invited Jane and her dog Lily to attend the end of term Christmas Art Party to show her the exceptional Biro art the students had made.

Following their visit to Jane's exhibition, RGS students spent that term studying her artwork and inspirations. Jane was honoured to spend time meeting students and look at the Biro art both they and their teacher produced.

"Many students researched endangered species and drew animal portraits in Biro, while others chose to make abstract pieces experimenting with Biro and other mediums including wax, ink in ice-cubes and drawing on scrunched paper.  I was thrilled to see the extremely high standard of the work created and the dedication of both students and their teachers. A huge thank you to the Royal Grammar School, students, and Christine Egan-Fowler for creating extremely inspirational work and for the beautiful collage frames they presented me with." Jane Lee McCracken