My name is Lucy Loakes and I am 23. For the past three and a bit years I have been working three days a week as a sales assistant at Bookbarn International near my home village south of Bristol. Before that, I went to National Star College in Cheltenham for three years to study IT. My hobbies include art, creative writing and horse riding. I love going to view modern art as I can usually see pictures and images in the paintings.

Late last year I was asked to help out with some LifewithArt workshops in Bristol on Friday mornings. Sometimes I just helped with making tea and coffee and at other times I helped members of the group who needed a little extra support.  One example was when we were making papier maché bowls.  I tore-up strips of tissue paper while the man I was helping did the glueing. He got really messy!  At another session I helped to motivate a lady I was working with who needed help concentrating on the Christmas tree decorations we were making that week.  It has been good to meet new people and help people who perhaps need more help than I do.

In November I went to Farrington School to help out with an art morning consisting of 27 children in years 1 and 2. They started off with a blank canvas and first had to draw a snowman using one large circle and a smaller one. They then painted the background, being very careful not to paint any of the snowman. While that was drying, they screwed up little bits of loo paper to stick all over the snowman. Next they put a layer of snow under him so it looked like he was standing on it. They then screwed up some more bits of paper to stick on the background as if they were snowflakes. Finally, they did a red scarf with screwed up tissue paper, a black hat, black eyes, three black buttons and some orange tissue paper for the nose. The kids all got messy with blue paint and glue but they really enjoyed it. It was good fun and nice to see some of them being so careful and taking their time.