ARTISTIC schoolchildren from 36 schools across Devon have produced a spectacular art display based on the theme The Coasts of Many Colours.

ARTISTIC schoolchildren from 36 schools across Devon have produced a spectacular art display based on the theme The Coasts of Many Colours.

Launched tonight (Tuesday), students saw their imaginative offerings on display at Sidmouth's Kennaway House, the exhibition, which takes over the ground floor of the Regency house, is open to the public until Saturday, June 19.

Using supplied canvases and acrylics, together with recycled material and a lot of imagination, both primary children and secondary school students were given the challenge by the Learning and Development Partnership of Devon County Council.

Although no Sidmouth schools have submitted artwork, creative pupils from Newton Poppleford Primary, The King's School, Ottery St Mary, Tipton St John Primary and Colyton Grammar have their displayed, together with work from students from nearby Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Honiton and Shute and schools from further afield.

Colaton Raleigh artist Alan Cotton opened the exhibition on Tuesday evening, accompanied by Beverley Dubash, assistant head of DLP, DCC's chief executive Phil Norrey and Ann Whiteley, director of children and young people's services, DCC.

"It is an excellent opportunity to exhibit work in a pretty place. Kennaway House is a great exhibition space," said Phil Creeke, advisor, art and design, with DLP.

This is the third time students have been asked to produce artwork based on the theme of colour. The first was Colours of Africa and last year the theme was Colours of Devon, Heaven in Devon.

There will be a silent auction of some selected pieces of work during the show.

Sculptures and models have been produced from recycled materials, including an impressive peacock and rows of masks.

Students from The Kings School have made a boat from plastic bottles and sails from plastic carrier bags, while Colyton Grammar students have painted fish on recycled cardboard.

Some 75 children from Newton Poppleford Primary have also submitted artwork and Tipton pupils produced colourful pictures of the sea and boats.

Other recyled offerings include sandcastle bucket people, a fisherman in oilskins, driftwood sculptures and

The exhibition, open daily from 9am to 5pm, has another 'opening' on June 19, when children will go along to collect their art to display in school.