This was the only instruction given to kids & adults at the University of Reading’s Big Band Big Lunch on 3rd June 2018, in the Water@Reading tent. People were given a piece of paper and colourful soft pastels to draw a river, as detailed or simplistic as they liked. We then put all the drawings next to each other to make one big river!
Despite being a very simple instruction, it was fascinating to see a beautifully eclectic river emerge! This also tells us a lot about how people see riversides: very green, with a few flooded riverbanks and cities, and even magical with grazing unicorns, it turns out.
The photos below capture this river art masterpiece!