A BLANDFORD artist has created a book about the experience of lockdown from the perspective of children.

Jen Vincent, 36, an artist of three years, was commissioned by The Arts Development Company to take part in their Good Life project, where she had to produce a piece of work that shows the positive side to the current situation.

Jen decided to create something that offered an alternative perspective to the pandemic, and her book 'Inside, Outside, Rah, Rah, Rah!' was born.

She said: "I have been home-schooling my five-year-old and seven-year-old throughout the pandemic, so I asked what lockdown was like for them. My daughter said that she was excited to be at home with me, which is not the answer I was expecting. All that mattered to my children was the increase in quality time spent with me.

"The children I spoke to for the book had the same positive outlook as my own. Even when lockdown eased they said they wanted to spend more time with their family."

In December 2020, Jen held two-day workshop sessions with Blandford families.

This included children sharing their experience of the pandemic, through words and on paper.

Jen said: "It took me a couple of months to collate all the stories and the illustrations, which the children drew while in the workshop. Their pictures are amazing. I created a collage out of what they created.

"It's really important to to be able to give children a platform to talk about their feelings, and it's especially good to give them a creative outlet. Also, children who weren't involved in the book's creation can read it, relate to it and won't feel so lonely as other children feel the same as them."

Plans are in place to distribute the book to libraries across Dorset, but this has been put on hold due to the pandemic, with the library names to be revealed soon.

Also, with every book that's bought, another will be donated to a local foodbank.

You can purchase 'Inside, Outside, Rah, Rah, Rah!' here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JenVincentPrintmaker