For these youngsters, Hockney is not an art-world giant. He is simply part of everyday life.
When asked who he was, one child, Finn, answers confidently: “He was a famous painter.” Another, Joni points out that “he doesn’t just do paintings, he does videos as well.”
The children know his work in detail.
Asked about their favourite pictures, Betsy says: “I like the big splash ones”. For Finn, it’s “the sunflower one” and Yunus says: “I like his trees.”
Many have visited nearby Salts Mill, home to a huge collection of Hockney’s work. For children growing up in Saltaire, his art is woven into the fabric of the village.
And they know why he matters here.
“Because we’re named after him,” says Bonnie, and Hayat adds: “He was born in Bradford.”
As the children happily paint and chatter, there are echoes of Hockney’s own approach, noticing details, experimenting with colours and painting simple joys.
“I was using red and white and pink,” Betsy explains, while Joni says: “I was trying to draw the flowers.”