Legendary children's illustrator Sir Quentin Blake brings nature to life at Sunderland's Washington Wetland Centre

Sir Quentin worked in partnership with legendary author Roald Dahl and more recently David Walliams to capture the imagination of generations of children, and his captivating drawings, many of which have never been seen before, are now being used to help engage visitors to the centre with the nature around them.

The drawings have been used to create the Drawn to Water visitors guide which corresponds with key illustrations and descriptions as visitors make their way around the centre.

The initiative is designed to help visitors “see the wonder of wetland nature through the eyes of the UK’s best-loved illustrator”.

There will be a different illustrated guide for three different trails which visitors can enjoy in summer, autumn and winter, with Sir Quentin’s drawings also seen throughout the centre.

Sir Quentin said: “I am delighted to be sharing my pictures with the Washington Wetland Centre and their visitors through the Drawn to Water experience.

“This project appealed to me because I have a lifelong fascination of drawing wetland wildlife, especially birds. I can't quite explain why, but it may be because like us, they are on two legs and have expressive gestures.

“The drawings you will see are from my own personal archive and many have rarely been seen in public before.

“Through Drawn to Water, I hope that seeing my artwork in places where these creatures are thriving will allow new audiences to enjoy wetland wildlife as much as I do, perhaps prompting a few people to pick up a pen, pencil or even a quill and do their own drawing.”

The summer trail was launched today (Thursday May 18) with a select group of visitors invited to enjoy the experience.

Wetland Centre manger Gill Pipes said: “We’re so thrilled to be launching the first of the Drawn to Water trails. Wetlands are inspirational places to be all year round, with each season bringing its own memorable nature moments and incredible species just waiting to be discovered.

“The summer trail will gently guide visitors around our site, taking in magical reed-beds, atmospheric woodlands and wonderful waterscapes filled with bird song and new life.”

The centre’s marketing executive, Leanne McCormella, added: “Sir Quentin has a love of nature and birds and is the perfect person to create the Drawn to Water guide. We are incredibly lucky to have Sir Quentin’s work. His illustrations are so recognisable and well known and many of us will have read his books as children.

"There’s just something about his drawings which reflect the beauty of nature.”

People taking part in the first trail were able to demonstrate their own artistic skills by completing a nature sketch pad of the wildlife they encountered, with the help of local artist Steve Pardue.

Steve said: “Quentin Blake’s illustration are so well known, but I didn’t know about his love of nature. Now, looking at his drawings, his passion for nature is quite clear and can be seen in all the books he illustrated.

"Using drawings from such a well known artist, and making that connection between art and nature, makes people realise that art and nature have such a big link.”

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Two visitors enjoying the trail and taking part in the art workshop were mother and daughter, Anna Skelton and Elspeth Pyman.

Anna, 54, from Newcastle, said: “I used to read the Roald Dahl books, such as the BFG and James and the Giant Peach, as a child and see Quentin’s drawings. I used to be quite a good artist and taking part in the trail today has made me want to pick up a pencil and start drawing again.

"Nature and art have such a strong connection as wildlife provides lots of beautiful subject matter.”

Elspeth, 85, added: “I love art and I think that using it to help engage people with nature is a brilliant idea.”

In keeping with the artistic theme, the centre will be hosting a series of summer events including natural printing in the woods, story-time crafts, watercolour workshops, charcoal drawing, creating nature journals and mural painting, a number of which will be taking place during the upcoming summer half-term (May 27 to June 4).

Further details can be found on the centre’s website.