Ipswich Art Gallery Dazzle and Create striped room.

At the heart of Ipswich’s rapidly transforming cultural scene is the Ipswich Art Gallery – a space which invites visitors of all ages to engage, make, learn and be inspired.

The latest installation by Ipswich Art Gallery Kids (IAG Kids), Dazzle and Create – Inside the Artist Studio, transports visitors into a hypnotic world of black and white colour where the only limit is your imagination.

Dazzle and Create – What to Expect

Located on the second floor of the contemporary-looking Ipswich Art Gallery is a dedicated kids’ area which from now until 18th May 2025 is home to the Dazzle and Create exhibition. This eye-catching theme is a nod to the dazzle camouflage technique employed predominately during World War 1 to disguise the movements of army vessels such as ships and planes. It is characterised by bold and strong, geometric shapes of contrasting colours which intertwine in an effect which aims to create visual confusion.

This striking design feature is immediately evident as you enter the IAG Kids artist studio as you’re met with a monochromatic living room covered in stark lines of black and white.

Children are encouraged to grab a card of black sticky tape and add lined patterns to the walls, floors and furniture in a celebration of creative freedom. This results in a display which is ever changing and is as unique as the mini artists themselves who plaster their creations onto any spare surface they can find.

The dazzling continues on an adjacent wall where a hands-on craft activity gives budding creators an opportunity to showcase their art. Keeping in line with the razzle dazzle black and white theme, visitors are provided with an array of patterned paper to be chopped up and glued back together to build a truly one-of-a-kind-piece. These are displayed on a nearby wall to create an interesting mix of textures that are mesmerising to the eye and rather captivating to observe.

If all the razzle dazzle has put your brain in a bit of a spin, then you can head on over to the art station and grab a spot on one of the many wooden horse drawing easels. Here you’ll have access to all the colours of the rainbow, with crayons, pencils, oil pastels and watercolour paint in almost every shade imaginable. There’s no limit on creativity as a blank canvas paves the way for endless opportunities to draw and create for children of all ages and abilities.

Cubby house building is another great activity on offer at Dazzle and Create and this provides the perfect, creative platform for aspiring engineers to put their skills to the test. A series of rods, connectors, clips and fabric can be combined to make fortresses, tents and cozy nests much to the delight of little builders. Don’t worry if cubby construction isn’t really your forte, as there are kind and helpful staff on hand to help in achieving your vision.

Dazzle and Create – What We Thought

While young children and art galleries may not seem like the most likely combination, the Ipswich Art Gallery has taken big strides in changing this perception with its IAG Kids program. The large, second floor space is bright and welcoming, providing young visitors with permission to explore and create.

The Dazzle and Create exhibition has been carefully curated for little hands with activities that are appropriate for toddlers through to school aged children. The open-ended nature of the drawing station is ideal for beginner artists who are starting to experiment with dexterity and coordination. Scissors and glue take creation to the next level in the craft section where we began to interact more with the razzle dazzle theme. Upon leaving the gallery (after two hours of fun), we started to notice other patterns in the natural and artificial world around us. This was a seamless transition from our experience at Dazzle and Create and allowed for the continuation of learning and engagement outside the gallery walls.

My kindergarten aged participant was particularly drawn to the cubby house building and loved assembling an inviting tent home with the assistance of friendly staff members. This activity allowed us both to slow down as we took the time to rest and appreciate the simple pleasures of a good old fashioned sheet fortress. As a parent, I enjoyed the collaborative nature of this activity as we watched other children take joy in the space we had created.

The black and white striped, totally Instagrammable room was also a highlight with cool photo opportunities and the chance for children to unleash their creativity without the usual boundaries. Miss Four couldn’t quite believe her luck at being able to decorate the walls and floors – a yearning she cannot fulfil at home! She also got a real kick out of seeing her artwork displayed on an art gallery wall which was a special moment to witness.

Dazzle and Create at IAG Kids is an insightful and interactive experience which is great for play dates, catch ups, wet weather days and, best of all, it is completely free! Due to the constantly evolving nature of the exhibit’s appearance, it’s also suitable for return visits as no two days could possibly look the same.

IAG Feature Exhibition: Don’t get too comfortable

The current main gallery exhibition, Don’t get too comfortable by Matthew Cheyne and Caroline Cheyne, flows on smoothly yet also subtly from Dazzle and Create with glimpses of the trademark black and white dazzle stripes in amongst splashes of colour. It is open to the public until Sunday 1st June 2025 and is absolutely worth a visit if your little one has the restraint and patience to enter the main gallery space.