Portsmouth pupils become Alphabetti artists with In Our Words and Look Up Portsmouth
Children at Arundel Court Primary School have been busy serving up stories, creating their own spaghetti messages inspired by a new mural from renowned pop surrealist artist Jimmer Willmott.
Jimmer, who is best known for turning Alphabetti Spaghetti into playful art pieces, unveiled a colourful 7m x 3.5m mural on the front of the school entitled What’s Your Story. The hyper-realistic piece celebrates childhood nostalgia and the power of words.
Alongside the mural, 90 Year 4 pupils took part in quirky workshops, using tins of Alphabetti Spaghetti and paper plates to spell out their own imaginative messages.
The fun-filled activity was sponsored by local businesses SLR Recruitment and Mountjoy, and run by Jo Malyon of Bella and Barley Craft. It formed part of a collaboration between Portsmouth’s year-long literacy campaign In Our Words and the city’s annual street art festival Look Up Portsmouth, aiming to spark curiosity and joy through wordplay in a unique and delightfully messy way.
“When I heard about the In Our Words campaign I knew I had to be involved,” said Jimmer. “Although I’m based in Bristol, Portsmouth holds a special place for me because it’s a city with such a deep history of storytelling, from the sea to the page.
“I paint letters of Alphabetti Spaghetti because I believe words should be fun, alive and nourishing. Literacy feeds the mind the way food feeds the body. Without it, we go hungry. My work is a reminder that letters aren’t just shapes: words hold power. That’s why working with the children at Arundel Court and connecting my Alphabetti work with literacy felt like such a fantastic opportunity.”
During his time at the school, Jimmer also joined the children for lunch and shared stories about his life as an artist.
Andy Phipps, Curator of Look Up Portsmouth, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jimmer back to Look Up Portsmouth. His hyper-realistic style and playful subject matter really spark the imaginations of children, and it’s fantastic to see that happening at Arundel Court Primary School.
“These workshops capture exactly what both Look Up and In Our Words are about: celebrating literacy and creativity in ways that enrich society, open doors and grow with us throughout life. Whether it’s through murals, author visits or community projects, our aim is to make art and storytelling part of everyday life in Portsmouth.”
Gemma Nichols, CEO of Portsmouth Creates, added: “One of the most powerful things about In Our Words is the way it uses creativity to open up literacy for young people. Art has a unique ability to make words feel alive and accessible, especially when it’s playful, hands-on and a little unexpected.
“By linking up with Look Up Portsmouth we’re showing children that stories aren’t confined to the pages of a book. They can be built, shared and celebrated in ways that spark imagination and a lifelong love of reading.”
- For more information on In Our Words please visit: portsmouthcreates.co.uk
- For more information about LOOKUP Portsmouth please visit: lookup-portsmouth.co.uk