THE hammer fell on students’ work as parents snapped up masterpieces of the future at an art exhibition with a difference.

West Park Academy students have been studying art all term culminating in an exhibition, performance and sale at the Darlington school.

Guests were treated to singing performances as students interpreted the work of matchstickman L S Lowry and serenaded the audience with festive favourites.

Year 4 teacher Alex Evans said the project had got off to a great start with a visit to Mima art gallery in Middlesbrough where they looked at paintings worth more than £1m.

In class the children studied a variety of styles including pointillism and produced their own works in the style of George Seurat, using the telltale coloured dots.

“The work was brilliant in fact they were so good we had them framed and decided to put them up for sale.

“The Lowry drama pieces adopted a wartime theme and were very moving. The parents loved the whole experience and took home some very good art for their walls.”

Elliott Dummett, eight, said: “We really enjoyed the art project and I was very pleased with how my painting turned out. I can’t wait to see it on the wall.”