Riverbank
Benjamin Fallow, Age 8
I drew and painted all these birds and animals during lockdown, when I was 6 and 7. I was shielding, and watching and drawing the birds really helped me. I built my drawings up from shapes to make them look 3D, and then added the feathers, colour, and details. I painted this riverside background last summer. It was a really good day when we went to the river, and I painted this looking at a photo I’d taken of the river so I could always remember the day. I tried to get the feel of the reflections in the water using the paint. I made this collage using my river painting as a background, and put lots of birds and animals that I’d drawn into the picture. I wanted to show how a river can be if people take care of it and don’t pollute it.
Benji calls himself Benjamin Fallow after fallow deer because deer are his favourite animals.