Issue 8 - May 2013

Art Helps Redevelop Community / The Queen’s Brooch / A Gallery For The Community / Alumni-Online

creative / Summer 2013

update

University for the Creative Arts Alumni Magazine

Issue 08.

UCA at the Movies / Zandra Rhodes / Creative Fund / A Facebook Adventure

Cover image Watercolour of the punk-inspired The Conceptual Chic Collection, 1977-8 © Zandra Rhodes 2012

Welcome

No bounce

Welcome to the eighth edition of Creative Update, the magazine of the UCA Alumni Association

back:

Simon Ofield-Kerr, UCA’s Vice-Chancellor

In this edition of the UCA Alumni Magazine, Creative Update, we report a number of major successes for our alumni, for the University and for the work of the alumni relations team.

features

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advice

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news features

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academic matters

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development

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profiles

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advice

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update

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news

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alumni news

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obituaries

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It is now clear that the hoped-for ‘bounce back’ in university applications has not happened with enrolments in 2013 likely to be lower than they were in 2012 especially in creative arts courses.

Since the last issue of Creative Update our alumni have been nominated for both Oscars and Baftas, appeared in major television series, designed jewellery for Her Majesty the Queen and opened their own galleries. Creative Update has caught up with these alumni, and others, to hear their stories and to ask them to give you some words of wisdom as to how they achieved their success.

The decline in applications and the likely further decline in enrolments is nothing short of a tragedy because the changes to student finance and the introduction of full-fee loans discourages potential students from realising their talents by following a creative arts degree.

In recent months the University has has secured significant funds for research projects. The most high profile of these has been the successful project to catalogue the work of our Chancellor, Zandra Rhodes, and to make her collection available online as a free educational resource.

The reduction is more than a personal loss; it will be a loss to the UK’s creative industries and arts sector. More, it is a loss to other sectors which employ arts graduates because they are creative, enterprising, critical and independent.

UCA has also announced a redevelopment scheme across its campuses, starting with an exciting plan to refurbish the Library on the Farnham campus this summer. The scheme and the plans for the other campuses, reflect the changes in the way that students learn today and will provide quality teaching and learning spaces for our current and future students.

Just a few years ago, many of us thought the longstanding links between UK creative arts education and creative industries, and the strengths of this country’s creative sector had finally been recognised. However, either by accident or design, it feels from my perspective as the Vice-Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), that memories are short and it is once again essential to make our case to government and indeed to prospective students.

In the Development and Alumni Relations Office we have launched a new online service for all UCA Alumni. This offers each alum the facility to find lost friends and classmates, and to develop an online profile for others to see. This service will be developed to provide other facilities over the coming months.

In the autumn we launched our first telephone fundraising campaign in aid of the UCA Creative Fund. Money raised will be distributed across the University later in the year to support a range of projects benefitting students on all campuses. UCA would like to thank all those who supported this new initiative.

The Alumni Relations Team alumni@ucreative.ac.uk www.ucreative.ac.uk/alumni

University for the Creative Arts | Contents | Creative Update

creative economy.

There is no denying that this has proved to be a difficult year in Higher Education as the Vice-Chancellor outlines in his article.

Next year may prove to be equally challenging, but with diligent planning UCA is well situated and prepared for the future.

There are a number of changes planned for the coming year and we hope that, as an alum, you will want to get involved.

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talks about Higher Education and the

news

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creative economy. We need to make it clear that the success of this sector is intimately related to the 175-year history of art and design education in this country. It needs to be recognised that there is no incidental relationship between what happens in creative arts institutions each and every day and the international strength and recognition the UK has across art, design and media – movingly and repeatedly recognised in the cultural aspects of our incredible Olympic Games last summer.

Each and every day we teach students how to be creative and enterprising, by asking them to produce work for which there is no prescription, by requiring them to work individually and collectively in an environment of studios, workshops, galleries and libraries, supported by project briefs, lectures, seminars, crits and exhibitions. Most importantly, students engage with staff - who are themselves working within the arts sector and the creative industries - and the student is formed by a rich diet of industry-led collaborations, projects and competitions.

Whilst the content and outcomes have changed hugely, the core challenging experience of the environment and its real engagement with industry and the world beyond the campus has been remarkably stable for more than 100 years - and it works.

In itself, the changes to student finance would be challenge enough, but when combined with that of international recruitment caused by real and perceived visa issues, and the potential introduction of the EBacc that promotes the importance of STEM subjects at the expense of the creative arts, universities like mine are potentially feeling the breeze from an impending perfect storm.

So, it is frustrating to be required to make the case repeatedly that what government wants in terms of real engagement between universities and industry is happening within creative arts institutions and has been for more than a century – there is a model of great practice that should be recognised rather than left to suffer from uncoordinated policy initiatives from different government departments.

It is vital that we reaffirm the links between our form of education and the strengths of the UK’s

Dr Simon Ofield-Kerr Vice-Chancellor

Creative Economy | Simon Ofield-Kerr | Creative Update

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News

News

Joanna Lumley launches digital archive

News in brief Backstage opportunity for students at London Fashion Week Foundation students from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) at Farnham gained a unique experience of the glamorous world of fashion during London Fashion Week.

14 Pre-Degree students were given the opportunity to work backstage dressing and assisting models at the Fashion Scout venue during the four-day international event.

Student, Teresa Carmona said: “Working backstage at London Fashion Week was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It was hectic yet exciting and a great introduction into the fashion industry.”

The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) has launched a digital archive of work by celebrated fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.

Actress Joanna Lumley unveiled the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection on 26 March 2013 at London’s Fashion and Textile Museum.

During Zandra’s 50 years in fashion, she has dressed global icons including Princess Diana, Jackie Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor.

These famous designs are just some of the 500 dresses and garments that have been painstakingly prepared, catalogued and photographed over the past 18 months for the collection, created for the education community through a collaborative project between UCA and the Zandra Rhodes Studio, with funding from JISC.

Zandra said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that the Digital Study Collection has gone live and hope that it will inspire and guide fashion students and researchers around the world.

“It’s been an exciting project to work on and I’m glad to see that my work is of value and will be remembered for many years to come”.

Fellow Further Education student, Rowena Kinghorn, said: “I really enjoyed the fast-paced environment of working backstage - the atmosphere just before the shows began was incredible.”

Two decades of domination at ‘Jewellery Oscars’ HRH Princess Michael of Kent attended the Craftsmanship and Design Awards where the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) won the College Trophy for the 20th time in 21 years.

The annual prize-giving, organised by the Goldsmiths’ Design and Craft Council, took place in London on 4 March 2013 where students from UCA Rochester’s BA (Hons) Silversmithing, Goldsmithing and Jewellery course took home four other awards.

UCA has won the prestigious College Trophy at the so-called ‘Jewellery Oscars’ nearly every year since it was introduced 22 years ago.

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Creative Update | Zandra Rhodes | Digital Archive

Subject leader, Robert Birch, said: “We are all delighted to win the College Trophy for the 20th year and keep UCA’s enviable record going.” Gold Award winner Mafalda Manteigas, who is 20 and from Portugal, studied at UCA for a semester as part of an exchange programme with her Product Design course in her home country. She said: “I’m extremely grateful and happy to receive this recognition. Winning has encouraged me to continue designing jewellery and to be bold in my inspiration and designs for pieces.”

UCA Honours The University would like to extend its congratulations to UCA alumni Tracey Emin and Stephen Webster on their awards of a CBE and an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List.

Tracey received her CBE for services to the arts whilst Stephen’s MBE was for his services to training and skills in the British Jewellery Industry.

UCA Lecturer wins international design competition Gabor Stark, a lecturer from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) at Canterbury has won an international design competition.

A senior lecturer in Architecture, he impressed the judges in a contest set by the Siberian Centre for the Promotion of Architecture in Novosibirsk to create a monument dedicated to the famous Russian architect, painter and typographer, El Lissitzky.

Rather than creating one fixed monument, Gabor’s winning concept features 10,000 portable artefacts that will move around the world.

Gabor Stark said: “El Lissitzky and his wife Sophie Lissitzky-Kuppers led a nomadic existence, travelling around the world collaborating with the international avant-garde, so I wanted to reflect this through small objects that could migrate from Novosibirsk and end up anywhere in the world, the same way that they did”.

News in brief | News | Creative Update

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‘Silver trunks of treasure’ Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection project Legendary fashion designer and UCA Chancellor, Zandra Rhodes, has been working with UCA researchers and students on an exciting new collaborative initiative launched online at the end of March 2013.

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The doyenne of the fashion world, with a career spanning over five decades, has designed haute couture dresses and outfits worn by icons such as Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, and Debbie Harry of rock group ‘Blondie’, to name just a few.

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Now these remarkable garments are coming out of the closet.

A selection of 500 exquisite vintage pieces from the private archive of Zandra Rhodes have been pressed, preened, photographed, researched, and catalogued to be made available openly online for use in learning, teaching, and research worldwide. This joint venture between UCA and the Zandra Rhodes Studio has been made possible with external funding from JISC,

Creative Update | Zandra Rhodes | Digital Study Collection

after a successful application by the University’s Director of Research and the Project Director, Professor Kerstin Mey. Dubbed by the project team as her ‘silver trunks of treasure’, the garments have been hidden away in mammoth trunks stacked throughout the Zandra Rhodes Studio in London, located above the Fashion and Textiles Museum founded in 2003 by Zandra herself. The trunks contain a sample of every Zandra Rhodes creation, totalling many thousands of incredible luxury and handmade pieces, which she has had the foresight to retain since the beginning of her career in the mid-1960s.

Having trained at one of UCA’s founder colleges, the Medway College of Design, in the 1950s, Zandra Rhodes has returned to her roots with this project and has been working with the next generation of fashion and textile design students from the University’s BA courses. Through paid internships, a lucky group of students assisted the project researchers with the preparation and documentation of these garments on site at the Zandra Rhodes fashion house, and gained a privileged behind-the-scenes insight into the industry. The project has utilised expertise >

“

I used to get up at 5am and spend time working on my prints before going to teach

” Digital Study Collection | Zandra Rhodes | Creative Update

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from the University’s Visual Arts Data Service (VADS), which has managed similar digital archiving initiatives, and hosts a tremendous database of over 120,000 high quality art and design images from public and private collections across the UK. As well as her finished garments, access will also be provided for the first time to the ‘Zandra Rhodes Style Bibles’. These sixteen volumes held in the studio contain beautifully stylised pencil drawings of each and every one of the designer’s fashion collections.

The inspiration and stories behind the designer’s favourite and iconic outfits have also been captured in a series of video interview clips with Zandra Rhodes, and the design and production processes involved in making a Zandra Rhodes piece will be uncovered in video tutorials with her specialist studio team. Filming has been made possible with additional support from the UCA Creative Fund.

The project has also provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for students from other courses such as Film Production and Photography, who have assisted with filming, digital post-production, and project publicity photographs of the designer.

For details on how to access the Zandra Rhodes Digital Study Collection, see the project blog www.zandrarhodes.ucreative.ac.uk To access more image collections for free non-commercial educational use, see: www.vads.ac.uk

By Amy Robinson VADS Collection Manager

Above: One-shoulder dress from The Ayers Rock Collection, 1974, inspired by the designer’s visit to Above:

Australia (this dress

Ensemble from

was worn in another

The Ukraine and

colourway by Jackie

‘Chevron Shawl’

Kennedy Onassis)

MARK WARING Caroline Boulton Chris Butler

collection, 1970 © Zandra Rhodes 2012

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Creative Update | Zandra Rhodes | Digital Study Collection

Film Special | UCA Screen Stars | Creative Update

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Image: ©2012 Disney Enterprises.

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All Rights Reserved.

We had three massive stages with up to 50 units running with 30 animators at one point. There’s a lot of co-ordination involved in shooting something so big. We had multiple puppets as well. There were about 15 Victors and 30 different types of Sparky, in various different forms – dead, alive, sitting, jumping, barking - all of which had to be animated at the same time by all of those units.

The stop-motion techniques we use in the big Hollywood productions are far more complex than what I used at UCA back in 1989. When I was there, we had basic wire armature puppets and if we were lucky we’d have a ball and socket joint. Even then they were very expensive things so when you’re a student and learning you work with what you can afford and what you can get away with.

Some of the concept puppets on Frankenweenie cost around £40,000 to make. They have winding mechanisms inside the head which allow a character to open the mouth and change their face and make them talk or smile. We couldn’t do this at university, or even on children’s TV programmes,

O

f course it’s great to be nominated for these awards but it’s also nice to know that the years of hard work making a film have all been worthwhile. It’s important to know that you’ve made something that’s got substance and means something when it is seen in the cinema.

Nominated for both an Oscar and a BAFTA, Mark Waring writes for Creative Update

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Creative Update | UCA Screen Stars | Film Special

When I was at UCA, the emphasis was more on what you had to say and your story than how you did it. That was a good grounding because, even on a feature film, you’re trying to find the best way of telling the story. UCA really gave me a really good sense of that, which is something I’ve used throughout my career. You can create amazing sets, puppets or design but if it doesn’t tell your story, you’ve failed. That’s something that was instilled in me early and what we took into our graduate films.

Being asked to direct the Captain Sparky short was a great end to two years of hard work on Frankenweenie because I was given another little step up. Being given my own project was a fantastic opportunity for me. It was a great idea to take something from the film – the home movie – and make more. As a kid I loved making my own home movies on my Super 8. In fact it was these that got me my place on the course at UCA. Personally it was a nice little thing that came full circle for me on this project. All of the elements fitted together really resonating for me.

It would be great to do more features when they come up. Unfortunately, they never seamlessly finish and start up again seamlessly so I’ll go back to directing commercials and pop promos until the next feature film pops up again. I’m sure Tim Burton will want to make another animated film soon, so fingers crossed I’ll get to work with him again.

It was fantastic working with Tim Burton. He’s very enthusiastic and he loves stop-frame films – that’s where he started out. His love of this genre filtered through to the rest of us on the shoot. It was great when he came round and spoke to us about the film. His enthusiasm radiated out to all the people working on the project and he was happy to talk to all or any of us. He got so interested in the details and he gets really engaged with the smallest things, like tweaking the set design, certain props or the weave of a costume.

It’s the first film I’ve made in 3D which was an interesting challenge. The film was converted into 3D in post-production but there were a few shots that we created specifically for 3D.

because you don’t have either the money or the development time. That doesn’t make a less interesting or successful film however, as the story and skill of the animators is what really matters.

I think the course attracts people with talent which is a great thing. When I was there, I was aware it was a prestigious course and I’m sure it’s the same now. When I was at UCA a whole bunch of students got poached to work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit because the producers realised they had all the skills necessary to go straight into the job.

The prestige of the course goes ahead of it because of the Oscar winners and I think potential students will see people who’ve gone on to do some amazing things and want to follow in their footsteps.

Mark Waring BA (Hons) Animation Farnham 1995

Frankenweenie is now available on Disney blu-ray and DVD. All images in this article ©2012 Disney Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

Film Special | UCA Screen Stars | Creative Update

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World Without End, Following her time at UCA Caroline went on to drama school in London. Since then she has become a successful actress and has had a number of TV and film roles including working with Ridley Scott on World Without End. Creative Update caught up with Caroline shortly after she returned from filming in Europe.

Caroline said: “I chose UCA after much research as it was the only degree in film that specialised in Film Art which was my absolute passion. There are an awful lot of general film and media degrees you can choose at a normal university but the artistic side of filmmaking is what I really wanted to study in depth. I also wanted to be in an environment that supported developing artists fully, being surrounded by fellow

a nun’s story After UCA actress, Caroline Boulton, works with Ridley Scott

creative, artistic people is so helpful to develop your ideas and skills as an artist. The teachers are all artists in their own right and you need to be taught by those who understand what you are trying to create and can guide you from their own experience. It also encouraged mixed media projects with other departments in KIAD which reflects how things really work in the industry, projects are very collaborative now.

My degree was very useful when moving into the world of acting. There is a huge amount of technical knowledge you can only really pick up on set and from gaining industry experience but my BA and MA absolutely without doubt gave me a head start. Because of my studies I was always very comfortable on a film set in front of or behind

the camera which is a huge advantage. Often, actors come to drama school after an English Literature or Theatre degree which can be quite theoretical, but for me personally, I found my film degree much more practical and useful.

My Course Leader Sophia Phoca recommended that I try acting.

I was always singing in the corridors of KIAD, doing ballet in the canteen, taking drama classes and generally being a bit annoying! I had already trained as a ballet dancer, was taking singing and acting lessons and had started to act in everyone’s films they made on the film degree and so I got a real taste for it. I had never considered it as more than just a fun hobby and thought that at 23 I was way too old for drama school.

Sophia mentioned one day I should really go to drama school and work professionally.

She was very complimentary of my acting abilities but I was quite embarrassed so dismissed it out of hand but it really got me thinking.

Creative Update asked Caroline how she got involved in “World without End”. She said, “I auditioned months before filming and then just had to wait and wait! I spent a long time pacing the floor with my fingers crossed. The director Michael Caton-Jones then selected me to play the role of Sister Elizabeth and once it was all confirmed I started filming straight away.

The TV series is a big-budget adaptation of Ken Follett’s best selling book “World Without End” and the follow up to awardwinning TV series “Pillars of The Earth” also by Ken Follett. The mini series is set in the English town of Kingsbridge and follows the residents as they are led into the hundreds year war by the King and as Europe battles the outbreak of the black death. It’s an epic TV series with a budget of $46 Million dollars and is produced by Ridley and Tony Scott. It is being broadcast worldwide so it should be quite spectacular. The first series was nominated for Golden Globes and Emmy awards so we are hoping to compete!

I play Sister Elizabeth, a very pious, confused nun searching for power within the church and who believes she can gain control by helping the Prior Godwyn by acting as his spy and accomplice. Unfortunately not everything goes my way. I loved playing her! Lots of scowling and it’s so much fun to be mischievous! She is quite confused and desperate too so she makes some rather bad decisions which lead her deeper down a path she then can’t escape from. All my scenes are with fantastic actors too like Charlotte Riley, Miranda Richardson and Rupert Evans so a really great experience.

Working on a big production like this slightly terrifying at first! There are hundreds of people working on a show like this as it was such a huge production but you soon get used to the scale of it and get to work.

The entire village, including the Cathedral were all built from scratch in a huge field, so it was like stepping back in time, sheep and geese running about and lots of mud.

Some of my internal scenes were filmed at the largest sound stage in Europe which was just so enormous.

I have worked on big budget films and also period TV shows before like Robin Hood for the BBC but this was a much bigger more elaborate production which was reflected in the amount of crew, just hundreds of brilliantly busy people everywhere making everything look perfect. The attention to detail was mind blowing, every prop was made bespoke.

Talking about her current job as an actor and her future plans, Caroline said, “I love acting and being selected to work on a production as big as this just reinforces my passion for the film industry. I have just returned from filming on “Fleming/ The Man Who Be Bond” a brilliant BBC period biopic of the Bond writer Ian Fleming starring Dominic Cooper.

I play Janet his stockbroker secretary and this will be broadcast as a 4 part series on the BBC. I’m still always excited whenever I see myself on TV in any production I’ve worked on.

If I had to give advice to someone who was considering acting as a career after they had finished their degree I would say, You must work obsessively hard to get anywhere as it’s highly competitive so no slacking and always be a polite and decent human being. You never know who your fellow students may go on to be in your industry in the future. Your fellow students are your future colleagues.

Caroline Boulton BA (Hons) Visual Communication (Video & Film) Maidstone 2002

Image: copyright of Tandem 12

Creative Update | UCA Screen Stars | Film Special

Communication/Scott Free

Film Special | UCA Screen Stars | Creative Update

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Advice

Tunde Adebutu

Tunde Adebutu BA (Hons) Architecture Canterbury 2003

Tunde is 32 was born in London, lived in Lagos, Nigeria till he was 16 and then returned to London where he has lived since.

a year off and decided I wanted to try something else. I got a great opportunity in planning which also involved working with development, so I took it.

Creative Update asked Tunde what advice he would give to students or alumni who had not considered a career in planning.

He says: “When I left college, UCA Canterbury (then the Kent Institute of Art and Design) was one of the universities I visited. I loved the city and the course head made me feel welcome so I decided to go there.

I remember I felt so grown up to be leaving home, but London was only an hour away on the train so I could pop home if I got really homesick!

After I finished my course, I worked in Westminster libraries, then I got a unique opportunity as a planning assistant in Essex; a year later I went to work in Surrey as a planning officer.

I also had the opportunity to study for a master’s degree in planning.

He said, “Planning is interesting work and there are many aspects to policy, development management and enforcement. Being involved in creating great and ever evolving places is always interesting.

I am now working as part of a team helping to deliver a new local plan for the borough which includes a huge former military site for 1500 homes, commercial, retail and leisure uses also.

It’s taking years so that’s a big project!

“The course was a chance to pursue an idea of a vocation and it was great to finally move on from just drawing in notebooks in my bedroom.”

Chris said: “I was absolutely thrilled to be nominated for an Oscar. I watched the announcement whilst I was in bed in a hotel room in LA, I was giddy with excitement, it’s such an honour.

He has worked on some of the biggest animated projects of the last decade, including Coraline and Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride, and recently designed, storyboarded and animated the short film Timer Switch for UCA Academy Award-winner Daniel Greaves.

BA (Hons) Animation course leader, Lesley Adams, said: “Everyone on the Animation Course was very proud of Chris’ Oscar nomination. The degree at UCA Farnham has produced three Oscar-winners so far and we would love him to join that special list.”

Initially I planned to make a career as an architect but a number of opportunities arose which made me change my plans.

I am now a Planning Policy officer in a Local Authority in Surrey. As a Policy Officer, I help plan, monitor and manage development throughout the borough.

At UCA, I got to develop many skills during the course including gaining a better knowledge of the built environment, technical skills, design skills, group working and project planning. The course gave me the skills I needed to develop my career in ways that I had not previously thought about. I can say that my degree and my experience really opened doors.

“I’m really proud of the film and was so happy just to get the chance to write and direct it, so having a nod from the Academy really is the icing on the cake.

It’s just incredible.”

Chris said: “Studying at Farnham was a special time for me: it was my first time away from home, my first time meeting like-minded creatives, and my first time being a grown up.

It’s interesting, sometimes you start out on a path but things end up working out differently. Architecture is a long course and seven years is a long time.

After the first three years (Part 1) I took

I find my job very rewarding. I have been in my current role for nearly seven years and I still really enjoy it. Local Government work is very fulfilling so I may stay I while longer.”

Creative Update | UCA Screen Stars | Film Special

Chris Butler BA (Hons) Animation Farnham 1995

Working in a local authority is particularly fulfilling. When you go to work, your concern is not to make profit, but to improve the lives of people in the borough, both now and for future generations.

That always gives me extra motivation”.

My 3 key bits of advice for anyone starting a BA course: Do the course because you enjoy it: All the most successful creatives I know do well because they genuinely love it.

Balance your work and play: University is usually your first major taste of freedom and independence and some people tend to go nuts. Enjoy yourself, but remember why you’re there - to gain skills for you to have the most successful and fulfilling career you can have.

You make the majority of your friends for life at university and you may even meet your future partner (I did!) so be pleasant and sociable!

Opportunities with Architecture | Tunde Adebutu | Creative Update

advice

Stop-motion zombie comedy ParaNorman, was also nominated for a BAFTA, and is Chris’ debut feature as a writer and director.

Studying architecture was always my dream as I have always loved the built environment and living in London really inspired me due to its wonderful buildings. It’s amazing to be involved in creating great places to live and work.

Chris Butler, who graduated from UCA Farnham’s BA (Hons) Animation degree in 1995, was shortlisted for Best Animated Feature at the 85th Academy Awards for his film ParaNorman which he wrote and directed.

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A rewarding career, Architecture can lead you anywhere...

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learning excellence…

News Feature

A ‘gateway’ to

news feature

News Feature

Creative Update | Farnham Library | Redevelopment

The Library & Student Services Department has begun work on a project that will transform the spaces in which key services will be delivered across UCA campuses.

The first of these projects is the redevelopment of the Farnham Library.

A design has been produced for the interior space of the building which provides: •

25% more space and 30% more seating capacity for students to work without reducing capacity for our books and other resources

The Farnham Library will be completely refurbished in time for the start of the next academic year. This is a major project that will ensure that UCA students have an inspirational and dynamic Library which meets the learning, teaching and research needs of a 21st century student.

•

Wider accessibility for students and staff with mobility impairments.

Following extensive consultation with our staff, students and alumni UCA has now engaged a team of architects, DRDH Architects based in London, who have been working with the University to design this cutting edge resource, ensuring unrivalled access to materials and technology, essential to students studying the creative arts.

•

•

A range of learning environments able to cater for seminars, workshops, meetings, tutorials, group work and presentations with quiet spaces, available to students when they want to study away from everyone else A brand new 120 square metre flexible learning area, providing 30 square metres of exhibition wall which can be used for graduation-shows, exhibitions and other events.

In addition a new Research Centre will be created which, with the special collections and archives will provide a reading room for researchers. The Research Centre will also be home to UCA’s digitisation unit, as well as the Visual Arts Data Service (VADS), a national online resource for the visual arts.

Finally, the new Library will provide a landmark building for the University on the Farnham campus.

As well as a new library space, the refurbished building is a ‘Gateway’, providing access to a range of specialist student support services including learning and language support, disability & SpLD support (specific learning difficulties), counselling services, financial advice and guidance and careers services.

Students will be able to contact staff online, by telephone or in person, at our ground floor service desk.

The Library is due to be completed for staff to move back into at the beginning of September. The refurbished building will be open in time for the start of term and we look forward to seeing you then.

The design process is now drawing to a close and work is continuing with Kier Construction, the main contractors, to plan the construction phase which will take place during June, July and early August.

If you would like more information about any aspects of this project, then please email us at thegatewayproject@ucreative.ac.uk.

Alternatively, you can ring on 01252 892950.

This distinctive and innovative ‘Gateway’ resource will be open to students and staff seven days a week and will play a central role in the creative process, being at the heart of our campus community.

Redevelopment | Farnham Library | Creative Update

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Academic Matters

Academic Matters

Lucy O’Brien UCA Lecturer in Music Journalism

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academic matters

dele, Madonna and Lady Gaga are just three of the major female artists highlighted by a lecturer from UCA in her book about women in popular music. Eighteen years after it was first published Lucy O’Brien has undertaken to revise and expand her book, She Bop: The Definitive History of Women in Popular Music, to reflect the changes in music today.

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“Younger artists are all unique women with their own take on it, with their own language and story to tell. Women before me like Joni Mitchell or Kate Bush have taken their machete into the jungle, parts that are not so traversed. You honour the women before you and after you.

There isn’t a copyright on this story,” singer/songwriter Tori Amos told me.

She Bop (the definitive history of women in popular music) is their collective story.

Since She Bop was first published, some key changes have occurred for women in rock. Previously under-researched, there is now a range of writing on the subject – so much so that in 2000, US girl band Le Tigre chanted from the stage: “Not another book about women in rock!”

Creative Update | Lucy O’Brien | She Bop

Despite fresh perspectives, there is still a need to document women’s musical history because it is periodically buried.

In the same way that Janis Joplin diligently uncovered the story of Bessie Smith and bought her a headstone, today’s music fans have to search for 70s female punk bands or forgotten 80s soul singers in alternative media.

Female performers are still being written out of ‘official’ pop history. As long as women are sidelined in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame or Classic Rock anthologies in favour of the male canon, there will be a need for more material on their achievements.

My third edition of She Bop is a major update on the 1995 original. What struck me while writing this is how polarised the scene has become, between the digital underground and the global pop industry. Although an increasingly competitive market has meant hypersexualisation and branding on an epic scale with stars like Gaga, Katy Perry, and Nicki Minaj, once-marginalised women artists have been using new technology and social media to forge ahead. Performers like Imogen Heap and Iggy Azalea are no longer reliant on traditional record-company structures to get their music heard. As LA Times critic Ann Powers told me: “On the positive side, I do think

things are falling apart, coupled with the passing of the elder generation of nearly 100 per cent male music industry executives, has opened a space in which talented women can emerge.”

What also struck me when updating this book was how many of the women I first interviewed have since passed away. Women from Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, and Dusty Springfield to punk upstarts Ari Up and Poly Styrene. They enriched popular music in many different ways. In that sense She Bop has become an archive of women’s experience, from the early 20th century music industry onwards. Talking to women like Simone and Eartha Kitt made me realise how much they had struggled through racism and sexual discrimination to be heard. The global divas of today owe so much to those pioneers.

So why did I write the original?

When girl guitar bands and singer-songwriters were in the ascendant in the early 90s, there was a noticeable lack of analytical material about women in popular music. From 1984, when I co-wrote a cover story for the feminist magazine Spare Rib on women in the music industry and was shocked to discover just how few of them had record deals or were in the >

Academic Matters

Development

“

Younger artists are all very unique women with their own take on it, with their own language and story to tell. Some have paved ways.

”

charts compared to men, I made a point of interviewing female artists whenever I could. As a journalist on New Musical Express (NME) in the 1980s, I tried to get more in-depth coverage of female acts from a feminist perspective. In 1992, having spent eight years as a music writer, I decided to draw all the strands together.

All the women I spoke to had a singular sense of purpose; it was as if obstacles such as racism and sexism demanded such self-definition. Emerging from the interviews was a sense of the importance of women as role models, whether it was Ari Up,

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Creative Update | Lucy O’Brien | She Bop

I have explored areas of power for women in pop: Why have women colonised the singer-songwriter genre, or immortalised the role of the disco diva? I have examined how much women are tyrannised by the Image Question and the impact this has on their work.

How do they negotiate what Suzanne Vega calls “the Cleavage Question”? Female artists devised strategies to confront or bypass this issue, whether it’s Madonna’s outright twist on the blonde sex bimbo or Annie Lennox’s androgynous ‘man in a suit’. There is also the question of lesbian sexuality, how coming out of the closet is considered commercial suicide.

This fear may have been allayed in the early 90s, when k.d. lang publicly said she was gay, but many lesbians still feel obliged to enter into a charade of bluff, counter-bluff and non-gender specific lyrics.

I also interviewed women in the industry – the managers, journalists, producers, and A&R women who work in powerbroking areas. I have explored the scandal of the industry ‘brain drain’ – women fed-up with hitting their heads against the vinyl ceiling leaving the corporate sphere to set up as independents – and assessed their progress within companies: how effective is their gradual ‘infiltration’ of executive positions? Despite what one insider called “management training courses and a large amount of goodwill” in the 90s, the impact of recession in the noughties meant a reversion to the old boys’ network. Now

with a rapidly changing industry there are more opportunities for women, particularly in the USA, but there is still room for radical change.

Finally, that troublesome ‘Women In Rock’ category. Female artists are often featured together, even though they perform across a range of genres – whether it’s Bjork, P.J. Harvey, and Tori Amos on the cover of Q magazine, or Shakira, Britney Spears, and Mary J. Blige on the front of Rolling Stone. No self-respecting writer would include Jack White, Jay-Z, and Liam Gallagher in the same article and call it ‘Men In Rock’.

Despite the fact that women make up nearly half of the pop charts, record companies and music media still lack confidence in their selling power. When that category finally disappears, we can celebrate true equality for women in the business.

All the women interviewed for this book found music to be a personally liberating force.

Whether as performers, business people, or fans, they use music to describe, define, and give meaning to their life.

As women move further to the centre of the industry to shape it for themselves, the way music is consumed and performed will be totally transformed.

Lucy O’Brien, is a BA (Hons) Music Journalism lecturer at UCA, based on the Epsom campus.

UCA benefits from almost

£1million in research funding

UCA’s Research & Enterprise Department has been awarded funds from the European Union’s Interreg IVA Channel Programme as lead partner in three schemes to engage the creative and cultural industries in the UK and France.

The partnership, led by UCA, is made up of six art schools (three in France and three in England across 11 campuses) with a history of serving the arts, the communities and industry for at least 200 years.

The project addresses the strategic challenges of social cohesion and cultural identity. It encourages the stimulation of growth for the creative and cultural industries in the South and East England Coastal region and Par-de-Calais, Normandy and Brittany.

The project particularly focuses upon supporting creative practitioners, including creative art students, freelance artists and creative professionals from across the regions allowing them to develop the quality of their practice and development.

The respective arts schools will serve as hubs for creative excellence, flanked by community based arts organisations that serve as unique units for innovation, as cultural animators between creative practice and communities.

In addition there is the support of the public authorities and public organisations acting as intermediaries that bring appropriate strategic and coordinated civic engagement and reach.

Uwe Derksen, Assistant Director of Research & Enterprise at UCA, said: “We are delighted to be a part of this exciting new project.

By nurturing the creative network of creative animators and intermediaries that engage with creative practice with the arts school and its students at the centre it will create a rich cross-border creative ecology through a range of collaborative actions.

Out of this ecology, and by ensuring that each action has a social and community aspect to it, ICR seeks to stimulate cultural and economic growth, enhanced collaboration and cohesion. In doing so it will employ innovative models of creative knowledge exchange, cultural development and interventions.

“It will aid research at UCA, and in the UK and also create new partnership opportunities and access to new resources and expertise.

“I find it particularly satisfying that UCA has been made lead partner of one of the projects as it clearly shows the many benefits that a creative arts university can bring to a cultural regeneration scheme.”

This will reconcile and refresh activity concentrated in cultural urban centres with the skills, knowledge and creative talent that can be applied in the wider coastal communities and its hinterland. The partners will use their combined expertise and experience in the development of cultural content and its civic application to revitalize the urban and rural areas in the French-English border regions stimulating the rest of the economies and wider communities.

Interreg | Research Funding | Creative Update

development

This book, fuelled by over 250 interviews in the USA and Britain, is not a straightforward chronological history; rather, I have examined themes and trends. Too often women have been written about in terms of what filmmaker Penelope Spheeris dubbed ‘Marilyn Monroe Damage’ – that is, primarily as men-pleasing angels or problem personalities – rather than their body of work, so I encouraged them to talk about their personal creative expression.

celebrated by New Young Pony Club’s Tahita Bulmer for her “punk ethic and playful glamour”, or Billie Holiday, whose voice was, for Cyndi Lauper, that of the “Universal Mother”.

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Development

Development

Creative FUND For three weeks in October and November the University launched its first telephone fundraising campaign on behalf of the UCA Creative Fund For those three weeks, students from the Farnham Campus worked in shifts every evening and at weekends, calling our alumni and the parents of current students.

Throughout the campaign the students spoke to over 1100 of our alumni and parents seeking their support for a number of Creative Fund projects. This year the campaign concentrated on three special projects. These were:

development

22

The general fund, to be spent on special projects.

The Creative Fund Scholarship

The Graduation Show Fund

Creative Update | Development | Creative Fund

These projects, aimed at providing the greatest benefit to the greatest number of students, were approved by the UCA Leadership Team to launch the first year of the telephone campaign.

Alumni and parents to whom the students spoke were positive about the fund and were, in the main, pleased to be called.

Many understood the need for the Fund and said that they would have liked to have had the chance to call upon these funds when they were a student.

Many talked about the problems in finding money to pay for the extra materials that they needed for their course. This seemed to be a common theme for many, regardless of the course.

Robyn Taylor, a first year BA Product Design student and one of the callers said: “I loved talking to the alumni. That was the best bit. It was great finding out about what they had done since graduating.”

Over three weeks alumni and parents pledged or gave gifts of over £30,000 which will be allocated to special projects later in the year.

Matthew Horton, Head of Development and Alumni Relations said, “The University and the students really appreciate the support that alumni and parents have given to the campaign. In these difficult times it is extremely generous of people to give back to their University. On behalf of UCA I would like to thank all those who have made a gift.”

What is the Creative Fund?

Creative Fund Projects 2012

The Creative Fund provides funds for a wide variety of projects that transform the student experience, enhance research and teaching, and support students in financial need. Each year staff and students bid for grants from the Creative Fund for projects that would not be possible without these funds. They may be for specialist equipment, research or collaborative projects with external stakeholders that give students the opportunity to work and to present their work in the real world giving them valuable experience that will enhance their employment prospects.

Almost £20 000 has been allocated for number of exciting projects from the Creative Fund 2012.

They include:

Every gift made to the UCA Creative Fund, regardless of its amount, enables the Creative Fund to make a difference. Gifts provide funding to projects that have a real and lasting effect on the School, its students and the wider UCA community. The joy of the fund is that a great number of alumni and friends can join together to make a real difference to the students and to feel a part of the work of the University.

We greatly appreciate contributions of all sizes and would like to take this opportunity to thank all our donors for their generous support.

More details of the creative fund and to see the projects funded by the 2012 campaign visit: www.ucreative.ac.uk/supporting-uca

The Zandra Rhodes Masterclass The Zandra Rhodes Masterclass is a collaborative venture between UCA and Zandra Rhodes Studio to develop a series of online videos for use by UCA fashion and textiles students, in which key techniques unique to Zandra Rhodes’s design and production will be demonstrated.

Enhancing the CG Arts corridor area and computer rooms The aim is to enliven and enhance the environment for all students who work in and around these areas, as well as for all those who pass through and use the areas.

Canterbury Open Lecture Series The lectures will be an ambitious series connecting individuals, local, regional and international communities and will focus upon emerging issues that underpin contemporary art & design: Knowledge, Invention and Creative Currency Waste in Action In any urban or rural area good waste management is essential. Students will be asked to consider the waste, rubbish etc around them and aspects of disposal and recycling, using art & design - processes of deconstruction and reconstruction of discarded materials - to raise others’ awareness of the global environmental problems that councils, at micro level, are faced with.

Creative Fund | Development | Creative Update

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Development

Profile

Creative Fund

Caller Profile: Robyn Taylor Robyn, a BA Product Design first year, tells Creative Update about her experience as Creative Fund Caller Tell us about your course The course looks at design but also the practical uses of design.

I am currently designing a light for family use. The course helps us look at the practical use of our design not just at the product itself. My lights are designed as easily movable blocks and are really colourful, textured and attractive to kids. Parents can move them to where they are needed.

They but can also be used by adults to provide mood lighting.

Why did you apply to be a Creative Fund Caller?

I wanted the opportunity to be involved in the life of the University other than being just a student. It has already given me the chance to work in other areas of the university. As this was a new project it was especially exciting and has given me the chance to meet students from other courses. I also hope to become a student ambassador in the next year.

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Creative Update | Development | Creative Fund

What sort of reaction did you get from the alumni?

The alumni had had a letter saying that they were going to receive a call, so no one was surprised. Initially some people were a bit hesitant. After talking to them for a little while they seemed very positive about giving even if it was only a one-off gift. Some people didn’t really approve that we were asking for money. They thought that the rise in fees meant that the uni would be richer. After talking to me and the other callers though they better understood the situation.

Why do you think the Creative Fund is important to students and to UCA? It is really important. It gives the current students access to things that they wouldn’t have otherwise. The Creative Fund is the key to getting support from all the alumni. As a current student it’s great to know that previous students have done well, loved their time at uni and want to support those of us who are currently doing our degrees.

I have spent over £200 on extra materials for my course so far this year. It’s tough finding that sort of money. Some students really need a scholarship to survive. The Creative Fund is a great way of providing the resources that students need.

Not all the calls ended up in a gift but I think the alumni liked getting a call from their old uni.

Some of them even signed up as mentors, which was great. There are other ways for the alumni to give back to the uni, not just with money. As a student I really appreciate that.

I would like to thank all those who spoke to me. I really enjoyed meeting them, even if it was only on the phone.

When I finished my under-graduate course in Farnham, Surrey in 2007, I set my own company up and worked as a web designer, animator and graphic designer.

The work was extremely diverse: brand development, designs, ergonomy of websites, layouts of catalogue brochures, logo design and flash animations.

I also did a number of internships in Soho in various animation studios. Whatever I was up to, I made sure I also did my own personal work in my spare time to further practise and learn my craft.

After two years I decided to complete my academic pathway by studying a Masters in Image & Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, which offered a deeper and more Sebastien Freuler academic insight into what I chose to do.

BA (Hons) Animation A week before completing my studies I Farnham 2007 received a phone call for a job offer at UEFA in Nyon, Switzerland as an Assistant Graphic Producer. I did not have to think it twice; I packed my bags and came to Switzerland right away! I started working pretty much a month after having completed my Master’s degree.

I had the great honour of working on the 2012 UEFA European Championships. It was an overwhelming experience; the build-up to the event was long and needed a lot of hard work. Somehow I never thought that day would come. However, once I set foot in Poland it felt quite surreal. The simple thought that millions of people across the world would be watching us every second of the event was quite daunting. Of course, the hard work we put in and the long hours made these weeks pass by quicker than we thought!

I knew that more than 100 television channels across the world would be broadcasting my creations. I felt responsible and challenged by that fact admittedly, it was quite nerve racking at times.

We were working on incredibly tight schedule while having to be as creative as possible and at the same time creating exciting and eye-pleasing work.

There’s a saying in design that quick turnover and excellent work cannot co-exist. I think we managed to break that myth! It was an exhausting experience but at the same time satisfying seeing our work on TV! Football crosses all borders and race and brings people together with thrills and entertainment; it shows the diversity that is found within our European culture. The football audience is a young vibrant audience and no longer predominately male! So our work has to appeal to a wide range of demographics and work for everyone! I have never worked on a project of such a grand scale before.

UEFA acted as the host broadcaster for Euro 2012.

It welcomed 44 broadcast partners from IBC, (International Broadcast Centre) for the totality of the tournament. On site we provided a large range of services from TV studios, edit suites, production areas and offices to shops and restaurants.

I was so grateful to UCA for preparing me for this kind of challenge. The BA Animation course taught me about the power of narrative which brings strength to projects even when they are 20-second promos. The technical skills were pretty much up to me to perfect and learn. UCA gave me the basic tools and knowledge but let me explore them in my own time. If you can tell a story in 20 seconds then your message comes across a whole lot stronger.

UCA taught me that. Who knows what the next challenge is… I say bring it on!

You can find out more about Sebastien at his website. www.sebastienfreuler.com

Graphic Producer | Sebastien Freuler | Creative Update

profiles

Did you enjoy speaking to the alumni?

I loved talking to the alumni.

That was the best bit. It was great finding out about what they had done since graduating.

I especially enjoyed talking to the younger alumni who were just a bit older than me. This has given me some great ideas for where I could take my career after graduating. There was one alumna who had done a fashion degree but she had moved on to become an illustrator. She told me that doing the degree had given her a great range of skills and it had given her more opportunities than just in fashion. Some of the other callers even got internships out of the process.

After his postgraduate degree in Image & Communication, Sebastien moved to Switzerland to work as a Graphic Producer for UEFA.

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Profile

Chia-Wen is a Taiwanese graduate who completed her degree, BA Fashion in 2010 where she studied at the Epsom Campus. She and a friend set up a Facebook page to share their experiences in the UK. This soon became an internet phenomenon and has now been turned into a book, The UK Observing Diary. Their Facebook page has over 122 000 followers and gets ten million hits a month. Creative Update asked Chia-Wen what it was like to have a book published.

She said: “It’s like having a baby! Only it takes more time than pregnancy. It takes about a year and a half, from the first word I wrote to see it on the shelf in a book store. My first book means so much to me, as I first came to England to study when I was 17, this book is like a summary of my days. My Family back in Taiwan now understand why I have spent all those years far away from home, and what I actually did in UK.

A

k o o b e c Fa nture e v Ad

I get my inspiration from absolutely everything. It could be some new graffiti on a wall in Shoreditch or a barista handing out a new flavour of drink.

I have lived in London for six years but sometimes I still feel like a tourist when I see something new on the street. The people in London are what made me write the book. I did interviews with loads of creative people such as designers, models and actresses for my book. They are all creative, liberal and down to earth at the same time.

I started running UK Observing Diary a fashion and lifestyle social media page in 2009, with my best friend Shang Ting who finished university in Barcelona and came to Leeds to work. In 2010 our page had the first press exposure which featured in the Leeds Guardian, then Taiwanese press just went crazy after that. Our story was on the national news, television and newspapers. We even made the headline on Yahoo! Taiwan search engine. We had about 6,000 subscribers before the press presence, it then doubled and tripled in the next few days.

122 000 followers… and still counting

(At the moment we have more than 122,000 followers.) It was then that we were approached by publishers in the Far East.

I began in 2010 working as a design assistant for Victim Fashion Street, an ethical womenswear designer label and then as a contract writer for reading shopping, and styling fashion websites.

I have been invited to be an official blogger for Vogue Taiwan and to be a columnist for “Bon Voyage”, bimonthly travel and lifestyle magazine.

In 2011 I co-founded zeczec.com, the first Taiwanese creative crowd-funding website.

In 2012 I published UK Observing Diary, a creative guidebook featuring British fashion, designer interviews and culture. This year I directed the fashion show for designer APU JAN during London Fashion Week.

UCA prepared me for so much of this. With so many fashion-related courses going on in UCA Epsom, I learned the skills and knowledge I needed from my fashion course, and also learned how to cooperate with people from all professions. During my time in UCA, I helped to put on a fashion show with students from the fashion and promotion course, model in photo shoots with graphic students, and assist MA fashion students for their graduation projects. All these great experiences became a stepping stone to my future collaboration.

I am now working as project manager for zeczec.com.

I do social media management and crowd-funding project consulting. For UK Observing Diary, we are talking about having a website to give more content.

We welcome any new, exciting collaboration, we are a great link for those who want to establish in the Far East market! I am also preparing my second book.

www.facebook.com/ukobservingdiary

Chia-Wen Liu BA Fashion Epsom 2010

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Creative Update | Chia-Wen Liu | Facebook Fashion

Facebook Fashion | Chia-Wen Liu | Creative Update

27

Profile

Advice Profile

Jaakko Mattila Art helps re-develop run-down community

International alumnus Jaakko Mattila has recently returned to UCA Farnham to transform a run-down building into a work of art thanks to a community project organised by the University.

Jaakko Mattila travelled from his native Finland to work with young people from the Sandy Hill Detached Youth Project in Farnham during April and May. The unique assignment was organised by staff at UCA’s James Hockey & Foyer Galleries who wanted to create a community project for Jaakko around his major exhibition there last year.

Jaakko, who graduated from BA (Hons) Fine Art at UCA Farnham in 2001, said: “This was a very exciting project for me. Art, like sport, brings people together: it educates them about cultural and social differences, and can enrich people’s lives. For me, the experience of art - and making it - has been life-changing. ”I have done community art projects in the past that have been very fulfilling and this one was just the same. I hope that the kids got something out of the project and now feel more rooted here.”

Jaakko and members of the Youth Project began working on the exterior walls of the octagonal hut on Sandy Hill on 17 April.

Tracy Scares, Lead Youth Worker at Sandy Hill detached Youth Group, said: “We are really pleased with how the building has turned out, but for me the most important outcome of this project has been the number of young people getting involved in art who might have never done before.

“We had new kids joining the group because they saw artwork happening down here, which also brought in a new dimension because many kids have very complex backgrounds and it can be tough for some to learn about tolerance, working together and accepting new people, so this has been great.”

Jaakko was the first became the first UCA graduate to headline a major solo exhibition at the James Hockey & Foyer Galleries.

Design Council competition winner is UCA graduate Danielle Marsh, along with other UCA alumni from the Interior Architecture & Design degree have come together to form CID, an interior design consultancy. They have worked on some high profile projects in recent years and have ambitious plans for their current work and for the future.

Currently the CID team are working on a range of exciting projects, including a hotel refurbishment project in St Lucia, large new build developments across London for some of London’s top developers and various FF&E schemes for show flats. Our key current projects are:

Danielle told Creative Update a little more about the company. She said: “CID Interior is a fresh, new and unique interior design consultancy who specialise in creating elegant and luxurious high end interiors for residential, hotel, hospitality and commercial projects. Although it is a small company it is involved in some of the biggest and most prestigious projects in London. The company’s skills range from design concepts, project management through to completion, visualisation, technical drawing packages and FF&E.”

•

375 Kensington High street: CID Interior are working on one of the most prestigious developments in London

•

190 Strand: Another luxurious and prestigious development in the heart of London

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Wellington Gate: Located on the former Atkinson Morley Hospital in Wimbledon, SW London

•

Greenwich Wharf: new-build residential site in Greenwich.

CID was formed in 2009 by directors David Ferns, BA Interior Design 1997, and Kevin Fox, formerly directors at Scott Brownrigg Architects.

The CID team includes designers Marcus Crees David Ferns, BA Interior Design 1997, Emma Nelson, BA (Hons) - Interior Architecture and Design 2010, and Danielle Marsh who all graduated from the UCA in Interior Architecture & Design.

Danielle Marsh BA (Hons) Interior Architecture & Design Graduated 2010

David and Marcus met at UCCA and graduated in 1997.

Although going their separate ways in the design world, Marcus joined CID in 2011 as associate designer. Marcus has had over 14 years in the design industry working on a range of projects from hotel and residential to leisure and commercial.

advice

Jaakko Mattila BA (Hons) Fine Art Farnham 2001

Alumni come together for exciting Interior Design Consultancy

Emma & Danielle also met at UCCA and graduated from the same course in 2010. Both gathering a range of experience from set design and private residential to exhibition, retail and design co-ordination.

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Creative Update | Jaakko Mattila | Community Art

Interior Design | Danielle Marsh | Creative Update

29 25

Advice

Advice

” Andrew

Candy

[mine] a gallery for the community

Why did you choose to come to UCA and what have you done since graduation?

I was aware that college was becoming more progressive and expanding, the strength of design courses on offer was attractive plus there was the convenience of location.

After graduation I worked in London for an integrated design and marketing agency, Skidmoore Turnbull, then moved on to Roger Felton. Then I moved to Sphere Communications and finally, Flagship Consulting which incorporated a Public Affairs team.

Alongside these latter jobs I set up my own company and started working for a range of private clients and eventually I left Flagship to work from offices at Waterloo.

I became a partner and joint owner of Tentacle Limited working from offices by the Thames in Greenwich. We moved the business from Greenwich to Carshalton in 2008 with a view to setting up my own gallery business at some point in the future.

This has now been achieved with our gallery - [mine].

How did you feel when your gallery opened?

Mixed emotions really. My partners and I moved from Greenwich at the end of 2008 but discovered in

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Creative Update | Andrew Candy | Gallery

early 2009 that we had been mis-sold an Interest Rate Swap Agreement by our bank when we took out the mortgage on the commercial property in Carshalton. The effects of this product have had a hugely negative effect on the business and prevented us from moving the business forward.

We have spent the last 4-5 years battling with the bank, the Financial Ombudsman and the Financial Services Authority to get our case heard. More info available on www.bully-banks.co.uk

This has been an unexpected and huge task to take on given that all I wanted to do was design and create for a living... it probably demonstrates that you need to be adaptable and to enjoy a challenge and develop a full range of skills if you want to run your own business.

Tell us about your plans for the Gallery It is the intention to make [mine] one of the largest and most diverse galleries in Surrey and South London supporting the arts and artists as well as helping to economically regenerate the local area. The gallery has been set up to provide sustainable and cost-effective rental spaces for exhibiting and selling creative work including fine and applied art, craft and design.

Andrew Candy BA (Hons) Visual Communications Graduated 1997

Display shelves are available to hire and we have been running solo and group shows since March 2010. 2013 is the first year that we will be hosting three Open exhibitions, including a Festival En Plein Air.

Can you give a brief history of your career and major projects from graduation to date?

Other than the jobs that I have already listed I have been fortunate to have worked on a number of major projects which include: Rosetta Communications We produced a brand identity and marketing communications project for Rosetta Communications, a significant defence satellite contract bid by a consortium of British Telecom, Lockheed Martin and British Aerospace. The styling for this campaign was subsequently used quite heavily for the consumer facing O2 brand when it was first launched.

Pemberton Greenish I carried out a complete rebranding and associated communications plan for a 225 year-old property specialist law firm when it changed from Lee Pembertons to Pemberton Greenish. The firm includes the Earl of Cadogan among its clients.

Bankside Means Business We worked with Southwark Council’s economic regeneration team to create a range of branding and marketing materials that set out the council’s vision for sustainable neighbourhoods in central London. Their aim was to provide a unique, creative and dynamic environment to live and work in. The campaign was instrumental in raising the profile of Bankside in its infancy and attracted a significant level of inward investment.

Alec Stewart OBE Testimonial Year We produced identity and marketing materials for all the events held during the course of 2003 for Alec.

Creative Maidstone We worked with Maidstone Council and the Arts Council to produce the branding, brochures and billboards for this campaign to create economic regeneration through the establishment of an Artists Quarter in the town centre.

How did UCA prepare you for this project?

Being taught by working professionals enabled me to get a good idea of what was expected of me in the real world. Having said that, two to four weeks for a single project would be a luxury these days.

What’s next for you?

Resolving the bank situation and building the gallery business is the priority.

Alongside this I am developing an art book publishing service which we have kicked off by helping design, print and sell the paintings of John Stillman, which is the artist’s first book. I am also continuing to work on a consultancy basis on design and branding projects for private clients.

What advice would you give to a student or other alumni who would like to get their work exhibited?

Well if they are really good then they can give me a call and send me some examples of their work... If you don’t ask you don’t get anywhere these days.

Ultimately be confident in your work and your abilities and work hard and network as much as possible.

What advice would you give to a student or alumni who is thinking about working in galleries as a career?

Hard to say really as the gallery concept I am running here is not akin to a regular gallery or a gallery with a budget and a curatorial strategy. Work smart and work hard were some words of advice given to me when I first started out and you can’t go far wrong following them.

Gallery | Andrew Candy | Creative Update

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Advice

What’s next for you?

I would like to move into the business side of the industry and concentrate more on a new business. Watch this space!

Sullivan Gardner Sulli graduated from Surrey Institute of Art and Design (now UCA) with a BA (Hons) Degree in Graphic Design, but the road to that first illusive design job was a long and bumpy journey…

Especially back in his home county of Cornwall!

After a considerable amount of time freelancing as a graphic designer alongside a low paid full-time construction job, he eventually landed his first junior role at Century Print, a design studio on the outskirts of Falmouth. The role involved designing printed literature and corporate identities for small local businesses and charities. This ‘foot in the door’ job soon led to a position within the Marketing and Communications team at Truro College. Sulli became responsible for the print and production of educational literature and also got involved with marketing campaigns.

In 2008 Sulli joined Seasalt, an ethical clothing company based in Falmouth. Working within the Design and Production team, he was responsible for producing clothing catalogues, in-store graphics, tee-shirt prints and online updates. Shortly after taking on this role it became clear that in order for his career to take a huge step forward he would have to venture outside Cornwall, so he headed up to Bristol to see what opportunities a city would bring.

After spending a few months freelancing in the city centre, he landed a Print Designer role at City of Bristol College. Sulli was responsible for the design and production of all major publications produced by the college. He remained in this role until he was headhunted by an external design agency that the college had commissioned on a project.

For the past two years Sulli has been a senior designer at Pencil Studio, a small multi-disciplinary design agency, based on the outskirts of Bath.

Pencil’s all-round creative communications expertise has given Sulli the perfect opportunity to work on a whole range of design projects from retail packaging to website overhauls. The past year has been a great one for the small team at Pencil.

They’ve not only seen their Watmuff & Beckett packaging hit the shelves of supermarket giant, Asda. They’ve also picked up a couple of national design awards for their recent project with the National Trust, which Sulli was heavily involved in.

Sulli was also responsible for the design and launch of the new company website earlier in the year.

Sullivan Gardner BA (Hons) Graphic Design Farnham 2004

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What advice would you give to students or other alumni?

I think it’s important to value yourself. When starting out try and cover your basic costs at the very least. Designing stuff for friends and family is a great way to get a real life working portfolio together (university projects are good but don’t always carry enough weight).

Make sure you get yourself out there early! Knock on design agency doors if you have to and eventually someone will give you the break you need/deserve!

Sulli Gardner Q&A: Why did you choose to come to UCA and what have you done since graduation?

I chose SAID/UCA because it had good links to London whilst also having the small town feel I was used to in Cornwall. It made the transition from country to city living very smooth and comfortable. I’d also read great things about the course, its lecturers and the social side of university life.

How did UCA prepare you for your career?

We were always given projects that carried some sort of real life perspective. We were given lots of freedom but at the same time we had to think about the functionality of what we were doing/designing. This kept our feet on the ground and helped with the jump from the classroom to the work-place.

Providing a work experience module in our final year also helped realise our potential and show the final destination after three year’s hard work.

What if they want to work outside London?

The further from London you go, the less money you’ll get (but not by much). If London isn’t your thing, there are plenty of great agencies dotted around the south west and further up the line. It’s all about your work/ life balance. London is great when starting your career even if it’s for one or two weeks work experience (it carries a lot of CV clout). Working outside the city has many advantages and you shouldn’t consider it as a second-rate option. I work for a small design agency in Somerset and we’ve won a few design awards recently, beating off the London competition!

It’s not where you work, it’s how you work! A good, positive attitude will take you far in life.

A little fact that might warm the heart is that Sulli married Freya after meeting on the same Graphic Design course and they have a little baby girl, Bonnie.

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Advice

Advice

Queen Fit for a

Ivonna Poplanska writes for Creative Update.

Ivonna Poplanska is from Riga in Latvia though now considers herself an acclimatised Londoner. She has recently designed a brooch that was worn by Her Majesty the Queen.

I chose UCA as I particularly admire Stephen Webster’s eponymous couture jewellery, and he was a UCA graduate.

Also, knowing the fact that UCA has won the College Trophy at the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship and Design Awards 20 times in the past 22 years was encouraging.

UCA graduates design is worn by Her Majesty the Queen

Ivonna Poplanska BA (Hons) Silversmithing, Goldsmithing & Jewellery Rochester 2009

advice 34

Since graduation I have mainly concentrated on commercial work, which I often can’t speak about. One I can tell you about is a range I am designing for Samara James. It’s an expansive luxury range and part of a great relationship I have forged with the company after meeting its owner at a diamond trade fair in Antwerp. Most of my career opportunities have come in this way. In business you really have to market yourself to get noticed.

Creative Update | Ivonna Poplanska | The Queen’s Brooch

In my niche the Queen is the ultimate client. When the BJA announced the nationwide competition to design a Diamond Jubilee brooch for her, I thought it would be wonderful to get involved in such a project. I spent three weeks designing and working on the concept and tried my hand.

It has been an incredible journey.

the project I liked the idea of the dove taking off from Charles II’s Sceptre after 381 years and landing on the Queen’s lapel.

The silhouette of the dove is adorned with the four national flowers of the United Kingdom to represent the unity. Doves are also symbols of spirituality and peace, which I see as being an important element of monarchy.

I am currently working on new collections for prominent jewellery houses who have hired me to design their luxury jewellery collections. I hope to continue doing just that as well as creating bespoke pieces for my own clients. Perhaps one day I will create a luxury jewellery collection under my own banner. Watch this space!

When I saw the Queen was wearing my design it was very flattering. For me as a designer it is a huge deal. It means that Her Majesty really likes it.

Like it’s progenitor, my design symbolizes the spirituality of the monarchy. As such, it was really fitting that Her Majesty chose to wear it to church.

It’s a luxury doing what you love and feel passionate about. Being a creative is a lifestyle choice and becoming successful in your area requires a lot of dedication and hard work. There’s a lot of competition, so you must continuously evolve and refine your style.

I had a great time studying at Rochester. I was an overseas student who didn’t speak much English when I first arrived.

Everything was new to me.

I had fantastic tutors who really cared about my progression.

The biggest inspiration was my course leader Brian Hill.

He would stay late with us every day and make sure he saw everybody’s designs.

He really cared. That is rare and I hope all students can have truly inspiring tutors too.

The brooch is inspired by an existing crown jewel ‘Sceptre with dove’. When I visited the Tower of London to research

The Queen’s Brooch | Ivonna Poplanska | Creative Update

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50

Update

years on

“

What a wonderful re-union we had

Medway College Reunion

in Rochester. Being together where we spent our time

Had the group of art students who attended Medway College of Art in the late 1950s and early 1960s come across another group of former students from 50 years earlier, they would have been astounded to realise that the group in question had been students before the Great War and before the first flight across the English Channel and before RMS Titanic had been launched.

as art students was very special

update

Sybil Wheelerw

Update

�

On 14th September 2012, former students descended on Rochester to mark the passing of 50 years since they had left the college to make their way through the world. During those 50 years man had landed on the moon, motorways had appeared in the United Kingdom and the world had become digitised.

Armed with a National Diploma in Design, signed by the Minister of Education, they left the Medway Obituary Michael S. Debell ARCA sadly passed away in London 23 January 2013. He attended Medway 1958 - 1962 and he went on to the Royal College of Art. Five of his classmates attended his funeral in East London on 8 February.

College of Art gratefully aware that they had been privileged to have undergone superb training provided at minimal cost by a government which could differentiate between the price of education and the value of education.

With the passing of the years very much in mind, 24 former Medway College of Art students, together with spouses and guests, were very kindly welcomed and entertained to an afternoon reception at the Rochester Campus of the UCA. Surprisingly the alumni staff of the UCA had unearthed a scrapbook of happenings from their days at the college. Yellowing and showing signs of the passing of time (the items in the scrapbook, that is) to amazement and delight the pages revealed so many young faces and memorable events recorded and preserved from those far-off days.

The group of veterans explored the former Rochester Museum building at Eastgate House and the former Medway College of Art building. This particular visit stirred up clouds of nostalgia and reminiscences. The day was rounded off with an evening buffet supper in one of the Rochester High Street Hotels.

Considering the Medway College of Art was only one of several small art colleges and schools of art in Kent, it was very satisfying and surprising that so many former students managed to come together, indeed, many had travelled considerable distances, and one crossed the Atlantic especially for the occasion.

The reunion was organised

by Leonard McDermid.

Leonard McDermid Intermediate & NDD Rochester 1962

Medway Reunion | 50 Years | Creative Update

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Update

Update

Alex Lampe

Alex Lampe BA (Hons) Graphic Design Epsom 2000

Design Council competition winner is UCA graduate Alex Lampe, who studied BA (Hons) Graphic Design at UCA Epsom, was lead designer on one of the five winning projects set the task of bettering the lives of dementia sufferers and their families in a competition by the Design Council and Department of Health.

Alex, founded brand consultancy A+B Studio, and his team’s winning idea is a web-based service called ‘Trading Times’ which helps family carers find flexible, paid work with local businesses.

These opportunities help them to earn money and stay connected with society.

Alex said: “The competition was a great experience.

We worked with the team to help give them more of a design-lead ahead of their pitch to the judges - a week later it was announced that our project had been selected, so we were delighted.

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Creative Update | Alex Lampe | Graduate Update

Alex Mattsson Fashion graduate displays collection in Selfridges window

“Aside from the financial advantages that our project gives carers, one of the most powerful things that hit me was the sense of isolation that they experience, so being able to participate in employment for a few hours a week connects them back to society and an enormous sense of self-worth.

“One of the carers we spoke to said that working on a Deli counter for a couple of hours was the highlight of their week - these are the opportunities we want to create.”

Last year the ‘Living Well With Dementia’ competition was created by The Department of Health. The Design helped to bring about new ideas and practical solutions for those living with the condition.

Each selected idea won funding and support through early development, and is now showcased on a dedicated website, with promotional films created by influential design agency Why Not Associates.

UCA Epsom Graphic Design lecturer Mike Nicholson – an experienced illustrator/storyboard artist and one of Alex’s previous tutors – was brought in to help bring these films to life.

Mike, said: “Many people believe that design is only about commercial ideas and making money but initiatives like this show the public that design can help facilitate important social change and help make our lives better in other ways.

“The Graphic Design course at UCA Epsom always promotes the social potential of design, so it’s fitting to see this on a large scale, and especially with a former student playing such a key role in one of the winning projects.”

For the videos, and more about Trading Times and the other winning projects, visit: www.livingwellwithdementia.com

Alex Mattsson BA (Hons) Fashion Design Rochester 2007

One million people a week are seeing the work of a fashion graduate from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) at Rochester having been given his own window display at a world famous department store.

Alex Mattsson, who graduated in BA (Hons) Fashion Design in 2007, is one of 15 emerging designers recently named one of Selfridges Bright Young Things for 2012.

As well as showcasing his collection in the famous Oxford Street windows until the end of February, Alex has also been given the opportunity to sell his work in store and via Selfridges’ website.

Alex, who is from Gothenburg, Sweden, said: “I feel very privileged to win this amazing talent project.

“The purpose of the Bright Young Things project is to give young designers like me a big break and to help raise our profile - I now have my collection being seen by millions in the windows of one of the world’s best-known department stores as well as on sale in the shop and online.

“The publicity has already given me a huge boost – just days after I was announced a winner, I had a doublepage spread in The Metro, which really shows the scale of this project and the potential benefits involved.

Alex plans to continue developing his own fashion label from his East London studio with this new exposure but remembers where he learned his craft.

“During my degree at UCA, I went from knowing nothing about garment construction or design, to making a graduate collection which I’m still proud of. The guest tutors we had were really inspiring and part of the reason I have got to where I am now”, he said.

You can see more of Alex’s collection on his website www.alexmattsson.com

Graduate Update | Alex Mattsson | Creative Update

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Update

Hilary Champion

Hilary Champion BA (Hons) Fine Art (PT) Farnham 2009

Ronnie Bowers & Victoria smith A big congratulations Congratulations to Ronnie Bowers and Victoria Smith both Alumni from UCA Farnham who have recently got engaged. They met at UCA and became good friends.

Recycled Military Equipment Used For Orchestra Old military equipment has been harmoniously recycled into musical instruments. Fine Arts graduate, Hilary Champion BA Hons Fine Art 2009, performed with her ensemble, The Post War Orchestra (PWO) at the Orchestra in a field festival, at Glastonbury Abbey.

The PWO signifies Hilary’s artistic response to the wars, conflicts and violence prevalent in the world today. Hilary said: “Several years ago I began imagining a utopian era when xenophobia, warmongering and terrorism had ceased and weaponry was therefore no longer needed. I thought about how the military artefacts could be recycled and came up with the idea of turning them into musical instruments. All civilisations from time immemorial have had some form of making music and it is something which every race, creed, culture and age group enjoy. As Longfellow said, music really is a universal language.”

They became a couple in May after getting back in contact via Facebook. They have chosen May 2013 for their wedding and are getting married near Farnham. They will start married life together in Oxfordshire, on the RAF base at Benson where Ronnie is based.

Soni Marquez BA Fine Art 2009

Creative Update | Hilary Champion | Graduate Update

Soni said: “I knew my dream was to set up a print studio, but I didn’t think it was going to happen so quickly.”

With the help and support of this family, friends, and technicians, Soni opened his fully equipped screen print studio in Peckham Rye in June 2012.

The instruments were displayed as an installation at a recent degree show.

40 40

Sonsoles Marquez was accepted on to an MA Printmaking course at the Royal College of Art the same year he graduated with a BA in Fine Art from UCA Canterbury, 2009.

Last year, whilst working in a clothes shop near his home in Essex, Soni started researching how to set up his own business. A few months later, he paid a visit to our Canterbury campus and met up with Pete Goddard, a UCA print technician.

Offering his help and advice, Pete encouraged Soni to pursue his dream.

During her Fine Art course in Farnham, Hilary created her ensemble taking Lee Enfield rifles and turning them into Native American flutes, or making a lyre from a WWII steel helmet and field radio components.

She brought new life to a rocket launcher which now acts as a theremin, and constructed a percussion section from shell cases, steel wheels from an army lorry and ammo boxes.

To contact the PWO and Hilary please visit: www.thepostwarorchestra.co.uk

News

He says:”We are ready to welcome anybody that wants to learn how to screen print or who wants to join us as a member and use our facilities.”

Soni Marques BA (Hons) Fine Art Canterbury 2009

Graduate Update | Ronnie & Victoria + Soni Marquez | Creative Update

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Bob Godfrey MBE

Search the Alumni Directory for: • classmates • friends

Manage your personal profile: • view the information that we have for you • publish a brief description about yourself and what you are doing now • upload and publish images of your own artwork • publish your professional details and career history

The Exclusive Online Portal For UCA Alumni

Visit the alumni-online pages to request your account login details. www.ucreative.ac.uk/alumni-online

Your full name Postcode Date of birth Email address

If you are not registered with the Alumni Association you can do so at the website.

alumni news

Future Plans In the future we are planning to launch an online Professional Mentoring programme later this year.

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You will be able to search an online directory of alumni who are prepared to offer advice and mentoring in the creative industries.

• • • • •

personal details contact details education details professional details password

Creative Update | UCA Online Portal | Alumni-Online

Despite his success, he found the time to teach and established the BA (Hons) Animation course at UCA Farnham, then West Surrey College of Art & Design, in 1972. His interest was not for the purely industrial process of animation but in encouraging the curious to break down barriers.

How to access the site To get your login details you will need to be registered with the Alumni Association.

• • • •

You will also be able to book events online and make secure payments.

The Development and Alumni Relations Office Team would also welcome your comments on the Online Community site.

Email us at: alumni@ucreative.ac.uk

skills to future generations of animators. We are proud that his legacy will continue through UCA’s animation degree.”

Bob produced scores of critically acclaimed animated films but was best-known for the children’s classics Roobarb and Henry’s Cat in the 1970s.

The Development and Alumni Relations Office has launched a new web-based service exclusively for UCA alumni – “alumni-online”

All you need do is provide us with:

Update your:

Known as the Godfather of British Animation, Bob Godfrey was Britain’s first Oscar winning animator (Great, 1976).

Dr Simon Ofield-Kerr said: “We are all saddened to hear of Bob Godfrey’s passing.

“He was not only a talented, ground-breaking animator but a passionate educator who wanted to pass on his knowledge and

He also presented The Do-ityourself Film Animation Show for Children’s BBC with guests including Terry Gilliam and Richard Williams. The series has been acknowledged by a generation of animators, including Nick Park, as a significant influence on them making animated films.

1921 - 2013

Obituary

Following the closure of his studio, Bob loaned his collection of artwork, cells, storyboards and films to UCA Farnham. It includes 419 boxes of original artwork and artefacts that illuminate the creative processes of pre-digital animation processes.

The physical materials in the Bob Godfrey Studio Collection reveal the artistic spirit and essence of a witty, rebellious and ground-breaking animator.

Bob was awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bradford Animation Festival in 2007 in recognition of his distinguished career. He was co-chairman of the Education Commission and a director of the executive board of the International Animated Film Association.

He won a total of three BAFTAs and was appointed MBE in 1986.

Bob Godfrey MBE, born 27 May 1921, died 21 February 2013.

...................................................................................................................................

David Wentworth David Wentworth an alumnus of the part-time Fine Arts course died in October 2012 after a short illness.

David was a successful artist, selling and exhibiting his work at many exhibitions - solo shows and the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea, for example. He shared studios in Chertsey. His work was mostly painting, and he showed drawings and 3-D work as well. After UCA, he went to Wimbledon for an MA, and then trained as a teacher while working at Send Women’s Prison, where he worked with the therapeutic groups.

1942 - 2013

Sandra Monks, David’s sister said, “David’s funeral was held at Woking Crematorium on Friday 2 November 2012 and afterwards at No Naked Walls (formerly Windsor Street Gallery) in Windsor.

David loved his work at Send prison who opened the chapel so that people could light candles.

At one point the queue stretched right around the building. The governors closed the education department so that staff could attend the funeral.

The prisoners held a service at the same time as a tribute to a very special person”

Obituary | Bob Godfrey & David Wentworth | Creative Update

obituary

Alumni News

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Merchandise

alumni-online

The alumni association merchandise range.

You can buy a selection of mementos from your time studying at UCA. The range is sold through a university clothing specialist and some of the items can be customised.

The exclusive portal for UCA Alumni. Logon now! www.ucreative.ac.uk/alumni-online

The range includes t-shirts, mugs, jumpers and graduation teddy-bears.

To view the full range visit: www.ucreative.ac.uk/alumni/merchandise

Read it and Tweet We have a dedicated alumni Facebook and Twitter account posting University and alumni news.

Why not join us and tell us your thoughts on the latest edition of the magazine?

C

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Share your news Do you have any stories or news to share?

Please email alumni@ucreative.ac.uk or call 01252 892736 and you could feature in the next magazine.

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