OKEHAMPTON is proving itself well served by the arts, as a project providing a variety of art opportunities is now in full swing. Workshop Under the Sky provides nomadic, environmental art workshops in a portable yurt, where budding and established artists work together to enable participants to explore and learn about the natural world around them. The scheme uses scientific methods to identify and explain, then record findings through observational drawings. It is a principle of the group that all events are free to participants, so that no one is excluded. Project leader Jennie Hale said: 'Thanks to the outstanding generosity of Okehampton United Charity, Workshop under the Sky has funding to hold seven events, purely for the benefit of the people of Okehampton.' In recent weeks, the project has brought falconry to Okehampton College, giving students the opportunity to study and make drawings of an eagle owl, a barbary falcon and a barn owl. Art teacher Danielle Murray said: 'Eighty eight teachers and students attended the day-long event where they produced superb drawings directly from live birds. Virtually every student commented that this was the first time they had ever had the opportunity to draw directly from life.  'The standard of work from the students was fantastic and I can't wait to display them in the college for all to see.' A falconer was also at Okehampton Primary School's grounds last Saturday providing townspeople with the same opportunity to study the animals. In Simmons Park on May 19, a successful art event was run in the yurt in conjunction with Puzzle Tree. Workshop under the Sky is the brainchild of Jennie Hale, who is a successful artist and potter, best known for her drawings of wildlife and nature. She started the initiative in 2002 to connect children and adults to their natural surroundings by holding events in rural areas.  She has persuaded a group of scientists and artists to help her run the events, held in the spacious yurt. For some of the events, the team live trap small mammals, moths and invertabrates. Artists and scientists then work together to identify and record the findings through observational drawing.  Further events being held in Okehampton are a 'Wildlife in the Woods' session in Abbeyford Woods, being held in partnership with the Forestry Commission on June 28, an event to mark The Big Draw National Campaign for Drawing on October 11 in Red Lion Yard and the Museum of Dartmoor Life, and the final event in Simmons Park in April 2015. To find out more, visit http://www.workshopunderthesky.co.uk">www.workshopunderthesky.co.uk