Line of Vision

A group of young mothers and their children explored the theme of mother and child. They looked at art work at the Natiional Gallery before discussing it and making their own. Photograph: National Gallery, London /PR

They looked particularly at works depicting other mothers, such as the Madonna with the Iris (from around 1500–10) seen here, by the workshop of Albrecht Dürer. The gallery’s outreach officer, Emma Rehm said: “The young women discussed the themes and feelings evoked by these paintings, and considered this in relation to their own experiences of motherhood.” Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

Sculptor Sarah Toombs helped the young mothers make their own works of art. Here she helps a mother and daughter. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

One young mother made a plaster cast of her foot. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

Another is seen here put the finishing touches to a cast of her child’s foot. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The young mothers created memory boxes to describe their relationships with their own children. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

A wide range of collage materials were used, and the young women were encouraged to include personal items such as clothing, photographs and hospital identity bracelets. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

Here a mother puts the finishing touches to her memory box. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The plaster casts of the mothers’ and babies’ hands and feet were used in the displays. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

This project was developed in collaboration with the Young Mums Group from Pastures Youth Centre and the Teenage Pregnancy Team, Youth Support Service, from the London borough of Waltham Forest. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The looked after children focused on landscape paintings in the National Gallery’s collection, including this one, the Annunciation with Saint Emidius by Carlo Crivelli (1486). Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The group considered how artists depict the environment and explored the choices they make about colour, texture and in particular how they achieve a sense of space and depth. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

Working with sculptor Al Johnson, the children spent most of the first day in the gallery discussing and drawing from the paintings in order to select an image to work with. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The young people then worked collaboratively in small groups to construct a three-dimensional diorama based on studies they made of their chosen paintings. They used a range of materials including foam board, wire and aluminium mesh. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The project was developed in collaboration with Ealing council's children's services department. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The exhibition features each group’s construction, based on studies that the young people made from their chosen paintings. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR

The Line of Vision display showcases work produced by the two groups of young people who participated in Line of Vision projects at the National Gallery in May and June 2008. Photograph: National Gallery, London/PR