ART & DESIGN
FOUNDATION
2018
INTRODUCTION
Contributors: Will Howard-Jones Catalogue Design Joe Baker Exhibition Photography
The student body this year have been a fantastic group of students who have shown commitment and enthusiasm in their learning. It has been a privilege to be part of their journey and a pleasure to guide them to their next destination. The works this year are diverse in both subject and media . There are many responses to the challenges society faces today, demonstrating great problem solving, critical awareness and creative imagination. We have works exploring the cult of celebrity, the gut micro biomed, the rise of consumerism , the housing crisis and many more interesting projects. The students studying on the Foundation Diploma are all progressing to a range of diverse degrees such as; Architecture,
Design,Graphic Design, illustration, photography, fashion design, Fashion Communication,Textile Design, Fine Art, and many more. Myself and the team wish the students the very best of luck and am sure they will all have great careers ahead of them. Louise Williams Course Leader Foundation Art & Design
ABI RATOFF Destination: University of the West of England BA (Hons) Illustration
My final project was inspired by the three or so weeks I spent in Australia with my family over Easter. I had decided to use this trip as an opportunity to document my experience of the country. While there, I became fascinated by the aboriginal culture and especially their artwork as I love the patterns and colours that they use; I decided to incorporate these into my illustrations. The aim for my pieces has been to capture my favourite moments rather than just recreating photos from the trip. It has become important to me to bring light onto a vivid style of artwork that is less talked about while remaining sensitive to the beliefs and customs of aboriginal culture. Instagram: @artyabrat
AMBER JACKSON Destination: The Working World
What happens to all those silly selfies we send our friends that are inevitably screenshot and shared on social media? What if those ridiculous, extreme expressions you made were caused by something real and physical? In my surrealist FMP project, I investigated various ways the human form can be manipulated and distorted, while also allowing all the silly little daydreams in my head to take control for once. As Sarah Britten-Jones so nicely put it, “They’re like sophisticated emojis!”
AMY ATTRILL Destination: Loughborough University BA (Hons) Graphic Communication and Illustration My FMP project was inspired by the 100 year anniversary of women’s suffrage and International Women’s Day. After visiting the Museum of London and buying votes for women playing cards, I decided to design my own pack of cards of fantastic empowering female achievers (FEFA) - successful women who have achieved greatness in varying categories: politics, business, sport and science, plus two special cards. The cards are informative and educational collectible cards, showcasing influential women that will inspire a future generation of girls to have great aspirations and view these women as role models.
ANDREW SIMON
Destination: Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver Master of Design
Why did you choose to take a foundation year? As a mature international student coming back to school after a long practicum as a teacher, I found myself needing some more support in my technical skills before pursuing a masters program. I also was in need of a more robust and “traditional� portfolio, so this foundation course offered exactly what I needed. Did you know what area of art and design you wanted to study and did this change once you were studying the foundation? I have always been a designer, but my area of focus has shifted now moving into my masters program back in Canada. Since working on projects with the Natural History Museum and the Design Museum London, for which my work was shortlisted, I have realised that my design can actually have great impact on the world around me. Coming from the Theatre, I have always known how my work may impact the audience, but the tangible change promised by designing products with the environment in mind has really helped me shape my focus. Describe your experience of the foundation year. It has been exceedingly more challenging than I had expected, but has offered great growth, leadership opportunities and has rewarded my hard work unendingly. I have been pushed, both by more supervisors and by my peers to continue to create, to grow and to excel, and with their
support, I have found myself at award ceremonies in London, pitching products to buyers and creating work I never would have had the chance to build. What has been the most challenging part of the course? The things I have struggled with most have been more mental than physical. Putting aside my ego, being vulnerable, and being reminded that even after years and degrees and hours spent tirelessly practicing, I will never know it all. There will always be some part of my practice that will need shaping and honing and reforming to remain relevant and engaging. While this is not new, it also has proved tough. As said earlier however, when I was finally able to be open, to ask questions, to try something new, it lead me down wonderful and exciting paths. Tell us about your final major project. The works I have created attempt to remind the viewer of the nature of political discourse and explore the modes and methods we use to communicate political thought. In today’s very divisive and, at times volatile, political climate, it is important that we remember from where and from whom the ideas our politicians purport, arrive. Many of the ideas in current political thinking can be traced back centuries, and I hope to draw the viewer’s attention to this fact. The portraits themselves sit upon pages of text, writing and dialogues
written by or about the subject, and their subsequent predecessors and successors. The works are also mounted in such a way that your voice will bounce back and echo off the paintings. This is meant to be a comment on our increasingly smaller and more tight knit political communities. The works create both a metaphorical and physical echo chamber, allowing the viewer to hear exactly the kind of political discourse they want to hear, usually just confirmation of their own biases instead of challenging their opinions and ideas. Do take a minute or two to inspect some of the writings and passages, they have been carefully selected after scouring dozens of texts, articles and books. What advice do you have for anyone considering a foundation course? A year spent honing skills and exploring media will never be wasted. Having the benefit of a few years distance, it is always nice to see my peers, fresh off their A Levels, coming into their own as artists and as people. The first year of university can prove challenging, as it did for me, and having the support provided in a foundation year would have helped immensely. I have seen a great amount of growth in my practice, in my peer’s practice, and in all of our ability to collectively, collaboratively and to grow together as we navigate the minefield that is academia. Instagram: @andrewjessesimon
ANNA MACDOUGALL Destination: University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Illustration Since the beginning of the Foundation course my approach to, outlook on and opinion of art and the things I can do with it has dramatically changed. Over the past two parts of the course I have found my feet; completely changing artistic route (from Fine Art to illustration.) Prior to the Foundation course I thought that Fine Art would be the subject I would carry on into further education due to my various painting skills and classic media and methods however I forever struggled with the futility of art and felt that it lacked any purpose or worthwhile effects. Therefore the aim of my Final project is to promote, in a (hopefully) humorous and controversial way, how obsessed with technology and social media we are, thus exploring an important issue of society today. My animation uses the Easter story as a vehicle to promote our obsession with technology and what we could miss because of it. I hope it entertains and provokes some thought. Instagram: @annamacdougallart
ANNA MUDDIMAN Destination: Gap Year
The idea for this piece originated initially from my previous exploratory work into the significance of churches in our modern day society. I wanted to focus on both the fragility and evolutionary side to religion. I’ve created the church out of water soluble fabric, a discovery I made through researching textile artist Amanda McCavour and fashion designer Jef Montes, whose work also has a level of performance to it. There is a certain theatrical element to my piece, as it is suspended from a grid from which the strings hanging are almost reminiscent of puppetry, hinting at the level of corruption and conformity prevalent in such large organisations. Blog: annamuddiman.wordpress. com
ANTONIA KANELLAKI Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design In Greek mythology, Gaia was Goddess of the Earth, a primordial deity who is now regarded as Mother Earth. My project explores natural textures within our environment and how to imitate these using textiles. Predominantly I have used weaving, knitting and crochet as fundamental techniques in recognising the complex relationship between fashion and nature. I have further experimented with how to implement organic resources within textiles, specifically using fruits and vegetables as dyeing methods, as well as investigating the impact that Mother Nature has on man made materials, such as the natural process of rusting. Blog: niakanellakiart.wordpress.com
BENJI JACKSON Destination: University of West of England BA (Hons) Illustration
I wrote this story a year ago, and ever since then I have been dying to illustrate it. It relies heavily on scene description to create a dark, gloomy atmosphere, so I wanted the illustration to reflect this. I made everything in this book, from writing to binding, and it has been a very rewarding experience. I created each scene from scratch, and illustrated them to be exactly how I pictured it while I was writing, using a running theme of the boy’s figure throughout each illustration. The white text on black pages are used for night, and the black text on white is for daytime. I used scraperboard for the first time for this, and absolutely loved it, even if it is fiddly and took longer than pointillism. Instagram: @benjillustration
BREESHA MADDRELL MANDER Destination: University of the West of England BA (Hons) Animation
This animation is my interpretation of the story from one of my favourite books, ‘The Wasp Factory’, written by Iain Banks. It tells the story of a young disturbed teen called Frank who finds a closer connection to nature compared to his dysfunctional family. My goal with this animation was to be able to convey strong visual storytelling without having to use many words. Using digital 2D animation I am trying to capture the romantic atmosphere of rural Scottish nature as well as the more surreal abstract parts of a person’s subconscious. The process overall has been very enjoyable.
CAITLIN DUNCAN Destination: Kingston University Fashion Design BA
“The Great Deception: An Incomplete Existence” Incomplete Existence is an unconventional self-portrait. Produced using mixed media to map the effects of people upon the brain and illustrate the culmination of personalities that come to create a single subject. It explores the idea of being “yourself” as a deceptive concept demonstrated by the collective body of people within the piece, reflecting the infinitely regressive impossibility of individualism as well as the paradox that is being unique.
CECILY CRAWFORD Destination: Loughborough University BA (Hons) Textile Design/Textiles: Innovation and Design My collection of fabrics is inspired by my visit to a fish shop in Oxford, where I was shocked by the huge number of beautiful tropical fish enclosed in small glass tanks. During my research I discovered the colour changing behaviours of fish in aquariums due to the changes in water temperature - a sign of an unhealthy fish. This inspired me to experiment with the colour changing properties of thermochromic heat sensitive ink, as I wanted to communicate the impacts of human activity on wildlife. The vibrant colours and patterns of the fish I also could see as part of a fabric collection.
CHARLIE MYHRE Destination: Kingston University BA (Hons) Graphic Design
For my FMP, I wanted to develop a visual technique for describing news stories. One that would make them easier to understand, giving just the key details, looking to engage those who are less likely to read or watch the news. When starting the project, one of the headlines was the scandal surrounding 87 million Facebook profiles being shared with the firm Cambridge Analytica, allegedly to be used to help the Trump 2016 Presidential Campaign. I thought this would be an interesting topic to tackle as by using of graphics, a complicated story can be more easily understood.
CICELY PEERS Destination: Manchester Metropolitan University BA (Hons) Three Dimensional Design
As a millennial child, I’ve always had doubts about my self-esteem which in turn came hand in hand with social anxiety. Inspired by Simon Sinek’s video on - ‘millennials in the workplace’, I discovered social anxiety to be more common in my peer group than any other due to the world we have been brought up in. I wanted to make a difference with my project, to create a calming object to help with those feelings. My Clay ‘pocket calmers’ are tactile and sensory, small enough to fit in pockets - designed for on-the-go relief.
CLAUDIA LAMBERT-NG Destination: The University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Photography
The project title I decided upon was ‘Distorted Landscapes’. As a photographer, I didn’t want my FMP to be just taking photos; I wanted to do something interesting with them, and experiment with different overlaying techniques. I ended up burning holes in my landscapes to create a distorted and quite aggressive effect, and then I stitched over the holes with thread. I also scratched into my landscapes to destruct the scenery, and used water to create an interesting distortion over my landscapes. I chose to exhibit four A2 prints with burning and stitching, and then a series of smaller prints (7x5 inches) each worked into with a mixture of burning, scratching, and water-related effects.
COSMO BARRATT Destination: Oxford Brookes University Business and Marketing Management BA (Hons) For my FMP I made an installation and some posters about the imminent possibility of world conflict today. I depicted the Earth as a grenade and came up with a Jamie Reid inspired slogan. Then I did a spray paint of the earth hand grenade on a wall. Then I sprayed the slogan onto the globe to finish the piece. After, I created models by using a stress ball and an altered spring clamp. After this I put the models in a grenade box with head shots of current and past world leaders who have been close to or caused conflict.
DAISY HANNAM Destination: CondĂŠ Nast BA (Hons) Fashion Communications
My project looks at a autism and how people with autism deal with clothing. My project specifically looks at showing people without autism what it is like. My top is made of multiple seams, metal and labels meaning it is extremely uncomfortable and impossible to wear.
DAISY NESS Destination: University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Illustration
For my Project, I have created 10 illustrations for Angela Carter’s novel ‘The Bloody Chamber’. The novel is made up of 10 short stories, which are retellings of traditional fairy tales, with a feminist perspective. As the stories are so different in subject matter, to make them work well as a collection I chose a colour scheme that would link my 10 illustrations. My aim was to have a collection of work that visually depicts the author's use of bold imagery within her bizarre and fantastical stories.
DANIEL FEGALQUIN Destination: Gap Year
The style of Art Nouveau, particularly by the works of Alphonse Mucha, led me to look classical mythology within art. This project focuses on the theme of empowerment, and I decided to focus on this because I was inspired by the idea of mythologies being representations of humans’ desire for power. I became more interested in the mythical hybrid creatures in Greek mythology which I interpreted as human expressions of jealousy, who crave to have the power and superiority of nature. Hybrid characters from Greek mythology including the Gorgon Medusa inspired these three illustrations each acting as allegories of three different themes: authority, freedom, and strength. Instagram: @hesitant.donatello Blog: danielfegalquin.wordpress.com
DOMINIQUE WARREN Destination: Internships/Travelling
Three canvases showing three of Britain’s most guilty fast foods - a BigMac, Doner Kebab, and Subway sandwich. I wanted to create a juxtaposition on how the media and the food corporations present their food to be a thing of beauty that we crave but in reality, they aren’t. Below each canvas shows three glass breakers showing the true salt, sugar and fat quantity per item, forcing the viewer to be confronted and hopefully put off of the food.
ELLIE CRAWFORD Destination: University of the West of England BA (Hons) Graphic Design
My final major project looks into the idea of protest and how it has become bleak, generic and more of a fashion statement rather than something with true meaning. I wanted to show how it’s been appropriated, in the same way that political art has also been appropriated.
ELEANOR DALY Destination: Goldsmiths, University of London BA (Hons) Fine Art
The death of a celebrity is the death of yourself. When we take time to mourn a celebrity we indulge in self-pity, mourning the parts of us we emulated from that person. I have used celebrity culture as a vessel through which to comprehend what I look like and throughout this project I have discovered that when I change myself not only can I see myself but I like what I see. There is no greater change than death. This funeral is my ultimate transformationyou cannot speak ill of the dead and so I have never been more beautiful. But even when it’s all about me it’s all about you. Instagram: @eleanord_art Email: elliehdaly@gmail.com
ELINOR SOLLY Destination: Gap Year
My performance intends to play with our relationship with childhood toys. As a child, ‘playing life’ is a game which we mimic and dream of; marriage the winning prize. In reality, is it all as shiny and perfect as it seems in Barbie’s dreamhouse? Using our relationship with the toys we leave behind and the ever-growing disenchantment as we journey from the fantasies of adolescence to the realities of adult life, I wish to parallel the temporary nature of the lives of our toys with the temporary nature of real-life happiness. I invite you to partake in this ceremony of love and pure joy through a shiny, pink veil of discomfort and comedy. Instagram: @_yllosronile Blog:redlorryyellowsolly.wordpress. com
ELIZABETH PRICE Destination: University College London BA German and History of Art
The aim of ‘Tip of my Tongue’ is to promote the beauty of individual languages, illustrating foreign words which have no direct English equivalent. The trip to Berlin inspired me to investigate the relevance of being multilingual within our society, as well as Britain’s resultant monolingualism. Whilst in Berlin I noticed that in public spaces (e.g. galleries), all information is displayed in both German and English. English has become the accepted language middle ground across the world – it is the language of the internet, of popular music, finance, and much more. If this carries on, almost all of the 6000 languages worldwide will become extinct by the end of the century, leaving only a couple hundred left. More and more languages are adopting English words – so why don’t we as Englishspeakers start to adopt foreign words into our language? Blog:elizabethpricefoundation. wordpress.com
ELLEN CLAYTON Destination: University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Architecture
My project is an exploration of what privacy means to us in the modern age. Everyday we willingly give away vast amounts of personal information on the internet, which is so often abused and exploited, and yet this still does not deter our desire for connection and openness online. My sculpture is a physical manifestation of the idea that privacy is becoming increasingly less valued in our society. An individual can stand within the sphere under the illusion of being in complete solitudeall they can see is a blurry reflection of themselves. Meanwhile, surrounding observers can see clearly through the sphere, they have a 360 degree view of total transparency. Like many of us online, the individual within the sphere is completely unaware of these watchful eyes.
EMMA HAWKINS
Destination: University of Oxford BA Experimental Psychology
Why did you choose to take a foundation year? I chose to take a foundation year because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I left school. I did know though that I’d eventually want to go into a creative career, and so an art foundation felt like a good opportunity to explore my artistic side. I also wanted to spend a year focusing solely on art so that I could develop my artistic skills and techniques. Did you know what area of art and design you wanted to study and did this change once you were studying the foundation? I thought that Fine Art was probably the pathway I’d choose as I love working with a range of media and making work with a strong concept behind it. That said, I really enjoyed the exploratory stage of the course, especially trying out fashion and vis com projects which pushed me out of my comfort zone. I ultimately chose to go with Fine Art as my pathway though as I wanted to work on projects where I could work with all kinds of media and work with my own concepts. Describe your experience of the foundation year. I’ve really enjoyed this year. I’ve loved having the freedom to choose projects and the time to explore them in great depth. I’ve also loved the academic aspects of the course – going to art history lectures and writing the extended essay. These
have developed my contextual awareness of art, made me more critical of my own work, and have overall improved my art practice . What has been the most challenging part of the course? For me the hardest part has been deciding whether to go on to an art degree or to stick with my psychology offer. All the tutors were really supportive with this, and whilst I’ve loved the opportunity to focus on my art this year I’ve decided to go onto psychology for now, and to return to art later. The work style of the course has also been something to get used to. Unlike A levels you’re mostly left to get the work done in your own time. This has made me a lot more self-motivated and has taught me to organise my time, which will be really useful for my upcoming degree. Tell us about your final major project. My FMP began with research into the 1980s AIDS epidemic in New York, looking into the physical, social and political impacts it had on the community. After watching ‘The Inheritance’ at The Young Vic I was inspired to explore theatre as a medium to express my thoughts and findings on this piece of history, and thus my work takes its form as a piece of original, interactive theatre. This work aims to educate and enlighten people about the epidemic and the people who lived through it. By involving the
audience in the piece, they are immersed into the world of the three characters and are encouraged to momentarily experience their lives for themselves. What advice do you have for anyone considering a foundation course? I’d say go for it, even if you’re not sure whether it’s for you you’ll learn a lot. This year I’ve met amazing people, learnt valuable skills and spent a year doing something I love. Even though I’ve decided not to go into art right now, I know that everything I’ve learnt this year will be really useful for the future. I’d also say give it your all and throw yourself into every project. That way you’ll make the most of your time and get the most out of the course.
ELLA MCGHEE Destination: Oxford Brookes University BA (Hons) Fine Art
My work is a portrayal of the colour yellow and its presence within our daily lives. It is a reflection of its psychological impact, the connotations associated with its bright and cheerful appearance and its inclusion within society. The wall hanging aims to transgress all conventions of the aesthetic and consider more colours than yellow, for the sake of comparison, while the film demonstrates the introspective research which fuelled the dissection. My aim is to contrast the happiest reflections of the colour, with its obnoxious tendencies to disrupt the human psyche and subtly initiate control within society.
ESTHER STRONACH Destination: Northumbria University Design for Industry BA (Hons)
Living in the countryside has put me in touch with nature. This awareness was the inspiration behind my final major project. Moving to Oxford for this foundation year and going on regular visits to London has made me realise how much of an issue litter is. Visually I want to communicate the types of things you would typically find on beaches in the UK and potentially around the world today. Where I live in Cumbria I am surrounded by vast coastline and this was the site of the majority of my research. I recognised that plastic was one of the main substances causing the majority of the pollution, as well as killing the nature and wildlife surrounding these areas. My final outcome is a collaboration of several conflicting ideas that will hopefully enlighten people about the plastic epidemic and the horrific effects it is having on the world.
EVA KARKUT -LAW Destination: Manchester School of Art BA (Hons) Fine Art and Curating
‘’Mothers Thighs” explores gender and sexuality through text. Using a quote taken from Angela Carter’s “The Passion of New Eve”, the banner forces the audience to confront the words by passing through the doors underneath it. The text provides a sense of female strength and counters the biblical shaming of female sexuality stemming from so-called ‘original sin’ providing an empowering feminist alternative to the narrative. The piece was designed specifically for the space because I wanted to create a message that the audience was forced to see in order for them to even enter the exhibition. Instagram: eva.kl_art
GEORGE DUGDALE Destination: University of the West of England BA (Hons) Fine Art
‘Getting to Know You’ is an installation involving a part-handmade, part-built gym locker/wardrobe and surrounding work to encapsulate my mind and how I spent the time period of my FMP. It consists of six main components: an outfit that I have made/adapted, photography of mine, some inspirational posters or reference points, a selection of things that are a part of my day to day life, also it contains an old television sitting on a set of drawers. The work surrounding the wardrobe is a washing line full of hung up collages made to look like a dark room for developing photography, a waste paper bin containing works and the walls display some accompanying collages reflect the idea that the mind is completely engulfing. Instagram: @george_dugdale @gd_art1
GEORGE ROBSON Destination: Nottingham Trent University BA (Hons) Fashion Management
This project was an opportunity to create a world of my own. This world is related to real current affairs, and I see this world as a possible outcome of the present conflicts. It is a combination of costume and fashion design, depicting my impression of a new world fashion style. The characters are based on the people around me and have traits, which together, make a very normal, slightly dysfunctional family, that control the new world. What could go wrong...
GEORGIA BRADFORD Destination: Falmouth University BA (Hons) Illustration
My FMP is a reimagining of the EP covers for the indie-alt band ‘Oh Wonder’. Initially the band released individual songs however, they all had the same album covers which were extremely minimalistic making it look dull and somewhat belittled their talent. I decided to take 3 songs from each album and individually design covers for those songs based on their meanings to me (an audience member), the band’s inspiration, and which symbols or colours that can be associated with the song. Blog:georgiebradfordsblog. wordpress.com
GEORGIA HUGHES Destination: Chelsea School of Art, UAL BA (Hons) Fine Art
My project here aims to show the audience with a visual representation of the liminal space between life and death. This space is full of energy, in this case, energy of the living trees and the movement of the dead wood. The use of photography is very important to me - being able to capture a moment or in this case around 30 seconds is an important tool in creating artwork. I’m very excited to see where my art will take me next! Instagram: @georgiahughesart Blog: ghugsblog.wordpress.com
HANNA CROSBY Destination: University of the West of England BA (Hons) Fine Art
‘While you are walking, smile and be in the here and now, and you will transform that place into paradise’. The product of my project includes sketchbooks and accompanying pieces which focus on minimalist architectural compositions. These drawings, collages, paintings and 3D works aim to invite the audience to appreciate smaller components of architecture that they might observe through their daily lives. This was inspired by the Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh who said, and teaches that pure happiness is simply the result of true appreciation of life and your surroundings. I then researched further into why we enjoy aesthetics and which aesthetics do people enjoy the most. The Professor Art Shimamura claims that ‘knowledge drives aesthetics’, and so I have included candid video evidence from my life in my installation in order to provide information on me and the background behind the art. @hannacrosby_art
HANNAH SWAN Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Visual Communications
The gut microbiome is such a significant part of our health and wellbeing. Recent studies show it’s just as major an organ as our brain. In fact, there are ten times more bacterial cells in your body than human cells – you are only 10% human. The food we eat, the lifestyle we lead and the medicines we take all have an enormous impact on our gut. The microbiome affects our susceptibility to depression, anxiety, obesity, IBS and more. My FMP aims to enlighten people as to the importance of a healthy gut. As well as the consequences of a neglected gut microbiome. Instagram: @hannxh_art
HARRISON BESWICK Destination: Falmouth University BA (Hons) Drawing
My Final Major Project is based around the theme of Spirituality and Psychic Abilities. I have always been drawn to the unexplainable and mysterious and I felt that this project would be a perfect opportunity to explore my curiosity surrounding this topic. I explored many sub topics within the parameters of the theme including the use of Tarot cards “commonly used to measure potential outcomes and evaluate influences surrounding a person an event or both�. In many of the tarot card paintings I situated my characters in natural settings as I wanted to communicate the strong connection humans have to nature. I then looked at flowers and the symbolic meanings behind flowers, in particular, roses. The main use being healing powers.
HEDY ASH-DIXON Destination: De Montfort University BA (Hons) Contour Fashion
In this project I explored the fragility of life. I did extensive research into the ‘Circle of Life’ and the idea that ‘nothing lasts forever’. I wanted to create something which showed the transformation of both life and death; everything in our world is constantly changing and eventually ends up in the ground decomposing. I have used a mixture of biodegradable and nonbiodegradable materials to create a growing piece of experimental fabric. I have also touched upon climate change and sustainability by weaving in a combination of different plastics which take an extremely long time to decay compared to natural organisms and therefore symbolises that when we die we leave behind over 400 years’ worth of waste
HENRY WILKINSON Destination: Gap Year
I have grown up playing sport with my brothers. We have had a particularly close relationship with our village cricket team, with the pub acting as a central focus for celebrations. I wanted to bring together the key elements of my family and the village club culture. I felt the best way to develop this theme was to create a beer brand; naming each variation after one of my brothers, reflecting their individual character. I feel the end project encourages prospective customers to buy into that ‘family, village, personal’ culture where they are effectively being invited into the pub. I have enjoyed the challenge of taking my idea from the early stages through to the end product.
HERMIONE BURRELL Destination: Oxford Brookes University BA (Hons) Fine Art
I have based my FMP on the subject of prostitution. I wanted to explore the real, gritty side of prostitution, rather than that of a beautiful woman draped in silk, that we seem to see in art today. I have done extensive historical research into the topic and I came across ‘Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies’ which is essentially a ‘Yellow Pages’style directory of all the prostitutes in London in the 1760s. The descriptions of the ladies are both humorous and frighteningly graphic. I have used one of the descriptions of a woman called Nancy Jones to inspire my artwork. Throughout this project I have bought her to life; I have created her, given her a personality and built a life for her based on historical research and artefact’s.
HOLLY HOLLIS Destination: University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Illustration
A hundred years ago or so, the green light was given to doubt the existence of God. According to current predictions, in 2047 we will have invented A.G.Is - omnipotent, omniscient, debatably omnibenevolent forms of artificial intelligence (sound familiar?). Years after killing God in cold, existential blood, we’re resurrecting him digitally. What happened then in that brief God-free era? History ever repeats itself - rather than vanishing, he was dissolved into a myriad of people, places and things which we lay our faith in informally. In my FMP, I explore how we create our realities in this vein. Instagram: @holly.hollis.art
HOPE JONES Destination: Birmingham City University BA (Hons) Design for Performance
The miniature set I created for my final major project has taken on many elements of a dystopian world where fantasy and reality collide, creating a harsh but truthful message about our current society. The increasingly prevalent issue of American gun culture has been merged with the USA’s historical obsession with cowboys and the old west. As someone who is pursuing design for performance next year I wanted to incorporate current affairs with a theatrical backdrop.
INDIA ROSS Destination: University of Edinburgh MA Fine Art
Through researching into the charity ‘Childhood Eye Cancer Trust’(CHECT), who have supported my family and myself throughout my own life, I have felt the urge to give back to them in some form. I began my FMP with the main intention to produce a series of portraits. However, my direction changed when my Aunt ran the London Marathon for CHECT. I felt a connection to the photographs I had taken and so using my embroidery skill I had learnt in my earlier projects, I decided to develop these and produce mural designs for Children’s Hospitals. Only 50 children a year are diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, therefore charities like this one rely on awareness and fundraising. For my final outcome I have decided to exhibit a portrait of my former oncologist Dr Judith Kingston. I have combined this with my mural design, which connects photography and interactive embroidery to engage children in a paediatric hospital environment. Instagram: @indiarossart
INDIA PRESTON Destination: University of Brighton BA (Hons) Fashion Communication with Business Studies My project explores palimpsest and graffiti fashion, in order to translate interesting layers of collage and photography into wearable garments. The word palimpsest is defined as a multi-layered record and something altered but still bearing traces of its earlier form. After collecting photographs of the palimpsests formed through the peeling away of posters and graffiti on the streets of Berlin, I was keen to explore how these strange combinations of imagery could be printed onto fabric. Through fabric manipulation and print, I aimed to create layered and distressed garments which resembled these posters, using my own collages and photographs of street art. My final fashion photographs demonstrate how the collection is put together, and how the garments can almost become part of the graffiti depicted in the background. Blog: indiaprestonfoundation. wordpress.com
IZZY ARGENT Destination: University for the Creative Arts BA Hons Animation
After going to Berlin I was inspired by the Homosexual Memorial to create an animation that had the same format of hiding away, with a narrative. Here the audience is confronted with frame by frame stills of two boys kissing, with fish swimming in front of them to obscure the intimate moment and also to symbolise themes in their relationship and in lgbt history. I also took meanings that Koi fishes have and applied to the fish- The end still where two fish become one dragon fish represents overcoming struggles while becoming stronger for it, something that is part of lgbt culture and lgbt relationships. instagram- @izzyartgent
ISABELLE FINDLAY Destination: Oxford Brookes University BA (Hons) Events Management
ISABELLA VON SCHMIDT Destination: Wimbledon College of Art, UAL BA (Hons) Production Arts for Screen
My FMP project ‘Red Queen’ is the costume, set design and construction for a possible screen adaptation of the fantasy/dystopian book ‘Red Queen’ by Victoria Aveyard. On the costume, I have combined different fabric manipulation techniques and other processes as a way of subtly depicting armour - an important element for the character I am designing for. The set design has been made up of different architectural features from different cultural backgrounds to help create and depict the fantasy world of the book. Instagram: @issyvsart
ISABELLE MACCALLUM Destination: Camberwell College of Arts, UAL BA (Hons) Photography
Human beings crave and desire emotional intimacy on both conscious and subconscious levels. It is fundamental for our psychological wellbeing. Increasingly as a society we are replacing our most intimate human relationships with machinebased interactions. What will happen to us as individuals and as a society as human intimacy declines? Through experimental film and sound installation, incorporating elements of performance and surrealism, “What is Humanity Without Intimacy?” explores an unsettling vision of the future, examining society’s rapidly evolving relationship with mass digitalisation, technology and human dynamics. Instagram: izzymaccart Blog:izzymaccartfoundation. wordpress.com
ISABELLE QUILLE Destination: Pinewood Studios London - Film Design International Art Direction Course for Film and Television My final major project is an attempt to change a person’s perspective on food and how we see certain things. When a person is suffering with an eating disorder or a mental illness such as Body Dysmorphia, their perspective of themselves and of food is completely distorted. In my project I wanted to focus on making an outsider feel as though they are seeing things from the perspective of person suffering with Body Dysmorphia. By creating my tiny models of food and blowing them up to a large scale, they become terrifying and overwhelming, as if they are consuming you; distorting your perspective. The concept of the spoons alongside the food is a way of manipulating our reflection. When we look into one side of a spoon, it is convex and the other concave; these two sides completely alter the way we look. Hence I wanted to capture this aspect as it warps our perspective and could perhaps mimic how somebody suffering this way may feel whenever they see themselves. Blog: isabellequille.wordpress.com
ISOBEL PHELAN Destination: Leeds Arts University BA Hons Illustration
My final major project focuses on the instant gratification culture we are immersed in every day. Growing up in the age of social media and next day delivery, it is easy to get whatever I want whenever I want, with little or no effort. With global businesses such as Amazon, Spotify and Deliveroo, anything is available almost instantaneously. Has value depreciated now that everything is on demand. If getting from A to B is virtually effortless, is the end reward really worth as much. I am interested in visualising this journey and how easily we can become caught up in the rat race.
JEMIMA MILLS Destination: Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Graphic Design "Hook the Duck", clickbait style is an interactive piece and 3D visual representation of what happens online. By transferring the digital to the manual, I am hoping to highlight the ridiculousness but also dangers of Fake News. My project is aimed at teenagers, who are often more susceptible to clickbait and are also increasingly spending more time on social media sites. The design process was largely traditional, with a more organic and rough style, in order to create a stark contrast between the visuals of my work and the problem I am aiming to tackle. Humour can be a powerful way of making change and also appealing to young people. Hopefully this is reflected in my work.
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JEREMY NEWMAN Destination: University of Edinburgh BA (Hons) Graphic Design
For my FMP project I thought I would go for something that I really enjoy doing, surfing. The main idea was to create a surf brand that was unique, because there are so many out there already, meaning it would have to stand out. Therefore, I opted for a British surf brand, incorporating the colours, weather and style into the brand. Steering clear of any cliques of California’s bright blue skies or curling waves, but more towards the bitterness and cold weather and waves we have here.
JESSICA BRAUNER Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Fine Art
My final major project can best be described by the origins of the folk dance: the Tarantella. In Italy, the disease “Tarantism� emerged between the 15th and 17th century. It was characterised by hysteria and thought to be caused by the venom of a tarantula bite. It was believed that the venom of the bite could be sweat out of the body if one were to engage in frantic exercise through performing the fastpaced dance: the Tarantella. My project follows an autobiographical thread and a theme of shoes as symbols of female confinement. It has been my hope that by means of frantic creativity, I might dance the poison from my soul.
JESSICA HOWARTH Destination: Camberwell School of Arts, UAL BA (Hons) Painting
INDIVIDUAL explores identity. I question how we identify ourselves. Is individuality just a capitalist myth? Is it possible to fully understand oneself? Gathering online data is a current method being used to define individuals. By gathering my own data I came across a list of my ‘interests’ according to twitter. I was intrigued by how this list understands me in contrast to how I understand myself and this poetic structure reoccurs throughout my work. In my film and paintings, I explore how unsatisfactory attempts to define oneself can be, by attempting to depict some vivid individuality and truth. My success or lack thereof is another layer to the idea of individuality. Instagram: @jsshwrth
JESSIE SEAR Destination: Bath Spa University BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
For my Final Major Project I have created seven illustrations for the novel ‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett, inspired by my favourite quotes from the book and the multiple gardens I visited for research. Four of the illustrations are reduction lino prints, a process which I love, and the remaining three are acrylic paintings. While there is a contrast between these two methods, all of the illustrations are connected by shades of green, the theme of growth and a sense of nostalgia, drawing them together to create a picture of how I would imagine ‘The Secret Garden’.
JOSEPH BAKER Destination: London College of Communication, UAL BA (Hons) Photography
I wanted to look at tattoos from a photographer and tattoo artist’s point of view. Throughout my final major project I have photographed a wide variety of characters, all of whom have different styles of artwork on their bodies. From taking photographs I have branched into looking at the application of tattooing and attempted a few designs of my own. Whilst doing this project I met some of the most interesting characters; I photographed a civil war survivor who uses yoga to escape the chaos of everyday life and has free hand tattoos of roses for her grandmother in the war. I met a graphic designer who has a peach tattooed on his arm to remember the homeless when he peeled peaches at a shelter. Tattoos have personal stories no matter how small. Through this project I wanted to document some of the most memorable pieces on my journey. Instagram: @_JSBPHOTO_
JULIET BAUERMEISTER Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Illustration
I AM MY OWN PERSON. My FMP is about people - celebrating people as individuals not just as members of social groups society tells us to put them in. Instead I want to promote getting to know one another and letting US decide who we want to be. I also want to inspire people to talk to others, listen and take the time to care for the world. A conversation goes two ways and it’s amazing who you can meet and where you can go with a simple hello. Don’t just be a label. Be YOU. Start a conversation with a smile and watch as you shake the world and give them something to talk about. Instagram: @juliet.k_art
JULIETTE WELLS GRAY Destination: Kingston University Fashion Design BA
The Rose of Jericho has been the inspiration for my Final Major Project. It is a plant which opens and closes when exposed to water and can survive without for hundreds of years. This means, it is virtually impossible to kill which has interested me by how it is able to survive and its process of curling up/uncurling. I have been exploring print and pattern as well as the idea of opening out and creating a garment which can close and move on the body. Instagram: @juliette__fashion
KATY TONGE Destination: Nottingham Trent University BA (Hons) Animation
My animated short film, ‘Have I Got Booze for You’, explores the culture of student drinking. Through a series of interviews with my intoxicated friends, I explore the importance of social drinking for young people. Approached in a (hopefully) comedic way, we explore those messy nights out and why we put ourselves through hangovers on such a regular basis. Why do we rely so heavily on drinking? The light-hearted film subtly mocks our drinking culture, but not so much to be hypocritical, because I can readily admit I can be just as bad as my friends.
KEZIA ROSENBURG Destination: Nottingham Trent University BA (Hons) Textile Design
Today, many people think of a trip to the supermarket as a hectic, stressful chore – this is not my view. For my project, I have created a homage to the everyday realities of the supermarket, whilst showing the joy within the mundane. I have created a range of knitted textile samples which aim to capture the bright and bold atmosphere of the modern-day supermarket. The source of my colour palette is based on random receipts found in supermarkets. Each knitted sample is an abstract of one of these receipts.
KUMBIRAI DHLIWAYO Destination: University of Glasgow MA Geography
With the influence of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, my piece explores the theme of racism from a stimulating perspective. Racism is seen as ignorance which in turn is perceived as blindness. The refusal to acknowledge black people — not as stereotypes — but as individual identities renders them invisible. My piece takes the unspoken truths of racism and makes them physical. Black charcoal on black wood, offers a physical obstacle in order for people try and see beyond the surface (stereotype). In contrast, the painting is clear, because people choose to see him, he is visible because he is white. Black identity is not the black stereotype; what will it take to be seen for one’s individual character? Instagram: @kumbirart
LILY JEAL Destination: Manchester Metropolitan University BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation
A Taste of Honey: Bees in Culture. Bees and honey have played a huge part in culture, medicine and history. Honey has been used in ancient Greek, Egyptian, Indian and Islamic medicine and still plays a huge part in many cuisines. For thousands of years honey has been called ‘the food of the gods’ and named ‘liquid gold’. Honey has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and has been found to regenerate tissue. As well as this, having lived in a Muslim country for two years, I wanted to bring a positive light to both honey and Middle Eastern culture and what they have taught us as recently strong negative stigmas have arisen around Islam. My FMP aims to educate viewers on how vital honey has been for medicine, cuisine and culture, as well as bringing a positive outlook on Middle Eastern, Greek, British and Japanese culture. instagram: @goldenneedles blog: lilyjealartfoundation.wordpress. com
LLEYTON JAMES Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Illustration
I wanted to test how well I could portray a narrative, without using text to support it, and at the same time depict my fascination with the supernatural. To do this I experimented with different media in order to explore their varying effects upon a narrative. I wanted to mix the modern with the traditional. And I did so, using hand drawn sketches, woodcut prints, brush inking and Photoshop, to depict my own handcrafted story. Instagram: @artnerdlj
LOREN DAVIES Destination: Gap Year
Self-reflection is a behavioural act that we as humans are encouraged to perform- to challenge, understand and better ourselves. Nevertheless, as artists and creatives, we have a higher tendency to do so but this process, as I have found from my research, often inspires negative feelings relating to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. I have transformed this intangible concept into a physical entity through creating an immersive installation that encourages the viewer to interact with the environment as they would do in a state of contemplative self-reflection. I have implemented a plethora of symbols to add depth to the introspective narrative; themes of decay, deterioration and the act of reflecting on the past are palpable within the piece. I have incorporated various paraphernalia to create a familiar setting, reminiscent of my own bedroom yet manipulate my use of media to create a sense of illusion. Blog: lorenartfoundation.wordpress. com
LUCY GREEN Destination: Manchester Metropolitan University BA (Hons) Fashion
My project is about going out, going out on the town, going out on the lash, hitting the clubs. As an experienced partier myself, I can vouch to it being a rare sight to see a sober youth in a club on a night out. The binge drinking culture of today’s young people is out of hand. There is no glitz in vomiting on the street; there is no glamour in consuming a takeaway kebab and there is certainly no fun in forgetting the whole night the morning after. Bring back the old partying. Bring back disco!
MARIEL GANE Destination: Gap Year
My project explores the growing issue of coral bleaching that is affecting many areas of the world particularly the famous Great Barrier Reef. Coral bleaching is caused by the rising temperature of the seas and the increase of carbon dioxide in the air. The more carbon dioxide there is, the more acidic the water becomes, dissolving the coral reefs. As someone who thoroughly enjoys the sea and all its beauty, I felt this problem was an important one to highlight. Throughout this project I was also able to discover a skill of crocheting.
MATHILDA TAYLOR Destination: Goldsmiths, University of London BA (Hons) Design
My Final Major Project, named ‘Unanswered questions’, is a film to be used as a resource for learning. The film encourages an inclusive and accessible approach to learning for adults, to reaffirm that after all, life is just one big learning curve and so a lack of knowledge doesn’t mean inferiority, instead it’s an opportunity to grow. Hopefully this film will comedically reawaken its audience’s wonder and inspire them to ask questions, stay curious and never feel inadequate. Blog: mathildataylor.wordpress.com
MEGAN SIMPKINS Destination: Kingston University BA (Hons) Fashion
The aim of my project is to look into the transition from childhood to adulthood and the importance of retaining childlike curiosities and qualities when entering a more mundane adult world. I think that the rise in social media is causing youth culture and more childlike qualities to slowly disappear. I therefore wanted to highlight the importance of everybody’s inner child: their creativity, curiosity and playfulness. I have distorted some classic clothing items associated with adulthood and the female form by combining colourful prints, patterns and textures associated with childhood.
MOLLY BEARDALL Destination: Falmouth University BA (Hons) Illustration
My idea for my final major project is a self-exploratory self-portrait or assemblage of all of the factors that make up my personality and aesthetic. I have been inspired to create such a piece by Grayson Perry’s six-piece tapestry series ‘The vanity of small differences’. The series documents the character Tim Rakewell’s journey from working-class beginnings to death by Ferrari. The details in these tapestries, whilst being typically Grayson Perry, are also very reminiscent of religious paintings and remind me of maps and ancient Egyptian pharaoh tombsrammed pack full of odds and ends all connected by the meaning they hold for one individual. Furthermore, my piece will be a compilation of things that are personal to me, including places, family and friends, and material items. Instagram: @molly_beardall_art
MOLLY SHERLAW-FRYER Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA (Hons) Illustration
My FMP project presents the horrors and cruelty of border control through the innocent appearing illustrations of anthropomorphic characters. It combines the style of a children’s picture book with an adult theme and was inspired by art and literature with the same concept, such as Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and Art Spiegelman’s ‘Maus’. It furthermore presents the power of art itself, and in my story, shows it to be what brings the wall down and thus ends the oppression of the people.
NAOMI PHILLIPS Destination: London College of Fashion BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear The aim of this project is to is to create a wearable sculptural piece inspired by and confronting the issues of obesity in today’s society. Given the complex, inter-related causes of obesity I feels it requires a multi-pronged approach including fashion and art. What I have done with this project is celebrate the different body shapes and remove the discrimination against them, looking at the beauty but also showing the public the truth of what can actually happen. I want to create an honest campaign This could be considered very controversial as it may be seen as an attempt to try and normalise being overweight. But instead I just want to promote the right and uncensored version of what could essentially affect everyone. This creates not only a physical awareness but will hopefully also reduce the risk of mental health issues from fat shaming. Instagram: @whatnaomiwheres Blog:naomiphillipsfoundations. wordpress.com
NATASHA DODWELL-ADAMS Destination: University College London History of Art
A Fall From Grace is an audio-visual film piece exploring themes related to the seven deadly sins, with reference to surrealist and experimental filmmakers. With a largely abstract narrative; the short film focuses on creating an unsettled atmosphere in which the viewer finds themselves lost in a stream of their own consciousness. The combination of both classical and religious symbolism evokes questions of human morality. This is portrayed through the three central themes of Lust, Envy and Greed - personified in forms such as a tattooed lemon, a peacock feather, a knife, yellow tulips, a cloaked figure with an eye for a face and edible flowers. The film also seeks to unravel traditional techniques of filmmaking by including abstract and close-up shots of moving image as well as a haunting audio performance with extracts from Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita and Shakespeare’s Othello among many.
NATASHA WALKER Destination: Gap Year
In 1918, Parliament passed an act granting the vote to women over the age of 30. Although this was a milestone in the feminist movement, inequality in pay between the sexes is still something that is prominent in today’s society. In my opinion, Art and Design is one of the things in our world that I believe can have a powerful and direct impact on society’s views and opinions and therefore for my final major project I decided to focus on the topical issue of the gender pay gap. Using data obtained from the Office of National Statistics I have created a hybrid jacket made from 60% of men’s garments and 40% of women’s garments with a literal gap between the two, illustrating to the audience the impact of the pay gap. Blog: tashawalkerartfoundation. wordpress.com
OLIVER ARNOLD Destination: Canterbury Christ Church University BA (Hons) Film, Radio and Television with Drama As personally I love classic traditional English fashion, I believe that the leather jacket and more specifically the cafe racer should be in every man’s wardrobe. This project is about how a leather jacket makes you feel. Its history and purpose transfers onto the wearer and gives them a sense of pride and power. I hope to convey this in my film.
OLIVIA CLEGG Destination: Kingston University BA Fashion
For my final project I looked at how toxic masculinity is affecting male suicide rates. I have explored a wide range of media including learning how to use the knitting machine, screen printing and embroidery. These all contributed to creating my final piece (a jacket), with my personal print designs on, in order to express how men in this day and age should be celebrated for being more open with their emotions. This project was challenging but has helped prepare and give me a taster for what is to come in the near future. Instagram: @ocartpage98
OLIVIA HUMPHREYS Destination: University of Bristol BA (Hons) History of Art
My concept for my final major project was influenced mainly by watching people in galleries talking about artwork, I found it incredible that one image could produce so many opinions, descriptions and explanations. In the 18th century, the philosopher Immanuel Kant argued that when looking at anything we never have true access to the ‘ding n sich’ (the unfiltered ‘thing in itself’), suggesting that once our senses had provided the means of getting the information in, they had very little to do with what is then experienced in perception. I wanted to somehow present a physical manifestation of the different ways people perceive the same piece of work, illustrating how although we see the same piece of artwork, we perceive it completely differently.
OLIVIA VAN DE VELDE Destination: University of Brighton BA (Hons) Fashion Communication with Business Studies ‘KNOCKERS’ is a magazine I have created to target women with a fuller bust. It is aimed at a younger audience who look at magazines which only presents smaller chested models with little to no variety in body shape. Rather than aimed at the plus-size demographic, I have included brands that work well for fuller bust girls who often struggle with ill-fitting garments. I wanted to design a magazine more inclusive for this tribe of women to empower them and help normalise body shapes that are largely disregarded in the fashion industry. Embrace your knockers. Instagram: @vdvoa
PLOYD ROJCHUPHAN Destination: Unknown
For my final major project, I wanted to do something that really relates to me. I originally come from Thailand although I have never actually experienced life in Thailand as I was brought to England at a very young age. Hence I decided to look at traditional Thai costumes and transform it to something that I would wear. I took inspiration from the intricate patterns on the costume, the jewellery, the colour combinations and the techniques and processes used to create the garments.
POLLYANNA KILLINGLEY Destination: Gap Year
My project started with looking at Ancient Greek sculptures to inspire print and homeware design but instead has turned in to an exploration of subverted beauty. I have chopped up a mannequin to reference the classical sculpture we see today, and then put a mirror ball on her head to subvert her. The idea comes from the way I find irony in classical sculptures because they were often the made to represent an ideal form of beauty and are still regarded in this way today, even though most of them have lost their arms or heads. I find it interesting how these sculptures are seen as incredibly beautiful but society tends not to glorify amputees in the same way. I’m not saying that classical sculptures aren’t beautiful and I’m not trying to make something look ugly, I just wanted to explore the irony in the way beauty is understood.
POPPY KING Destination: University of Sheffield BA (Hons) Architecture and Landscape
In my FMP I explore the relationship between architecture and science. By using the themes of discovery and curiosity as the basis of my project, I combined this with scientific context in order to design a pavilion. I investigated waves in various forms, taking inspiration from how they undulate and fluctuate. The use of a pavilion allows me to play with the concept of negative space. The space I created is designed to incite curiosity within a person; to allow them to explore the structure and consider the space around them.
RINA FUSA Destination: Undecided
The role of the arts is to connect heaven and earth. People use logical, scientific, universal codes of thinking characterised by mathematics to offer order to a chaotic world. The heavens are an abstract idea, one we cannot imagine. However, the idea of the heavens offers something important: an aim to move towards. Change is inevitable and aiming for something pure and great is what prevents nihilism and incites transcendence. The arts offer a way in which we can use earthly mechanisms to achieve something that provokes emotion; an uncontrollable, abstract and even heavenly concept.
ROSAMUND LANE Destination: University of Westminster BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Promotion Body art has always been used as a form of communication. Recently I have become interested in the reasons as to why we may feel the need to express ourselves in this way, permanently on our skin, in the form of tattooing. Tattoos have become a mainstream phenomenon in recent years however new scientific studies have revealed that there are links to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. I wanted my Final Major Project to explore the ways in which tattoos are seen, and how they have been linked to social psychology, self-confidence and mental health.
RUBY-ANNE GREENAWAY Destination: Unknown
For my final piece, I wanted to explore ways in which emotional memories and feelings could be made into something more tangible. Gaining some inspiration from how Wassily Kandinsky associated colour with geometric shapes, I decided to try and channel my personal struggles with anxiety through the use of colour, in particular concentrating on the colour yellow. I chose the colour yellow, as for me, I feel it best describes the feeling of anxiety, as yellow can be alarming, bright and invasive. Being the most fatiguing colour on the eye, I think some of these things can be connected to the feeling of anxiety quite well. After much research and development work, my final outcome has resulted in producing a 3D sculpture, showing expression and focus of colour.
RUMAYSAH MAHMOOD Destination: University of Westminster BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
Hospitals can be a daunting place for a child where there are strange noises, smells and sounds. Therefore, for my FMP I have looked at children’s hospitals and how to make them inviting and fun for a child. Responding to my research, I have designed three multisensory corridors that each have a theme: Relaxing, Activity and Learning. Looking at how a material can give a suggestion of a word I have also designed some interactive typography to go with the three corridor designs. Exploring both interior and graphic design, I have seen how different elements of design come together when considering public spaces.
SAM COLDICOTT Destination: Newcastle BA (Hons) Architecture
My FMP is a reaction to the homeless situation in Oxford. After budget cuts to homelessness and closure to shelters in Oxford, the homeless population has doubled in the last two years. My building replaces a shelter due to be demolished, improving on what was there before. The form of the building maximises square footage allowing more guests with more privacy. The elongated form provides outside space in the form of a courtyard and roof garden, while the beacon acts not only as a greenhouse to grow vegetables, but also as a symbol of hope and safety when lit at night. Instagram: @samcoldi
SARAH SHURMER Destination: Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles Why do people join gangs? My FMP was an attempt at answering that question, although after all these weeks of doing it I still don’t have a definitive conclusion. It is definitely a nature/ nurture issue as well as definitely being something to do with Masloe’s hierarchy of needs. In the end I decided 72 hours of crocheting circles was the best way to go. Something to do with the lifecycle of it all. It was also kind of maddening; less so than reading how many 16, 17, 18 year olds die as a result of gang violence every year, but it took my mind off it for a bit. I think people join gangs and die for gangs because the world can be a bit shit and I don’t think 72 hours of crocheting circles is going to fix that but I do hope it will make people think.
SHANAYAH DADRAL Destination: Chelsea College of Arts, UAL BA (Hons) Fine Art
My project was inspired by my fascination with the impact of social media on young women and how they perceive their own appearance as a result. Considering how often we find ourselves mindlessly scrolling through social media every day, it is no surprise that many of us are in danger of becoming desensitised to the imagery we see online of perfectly edited ‘Instagram models’. This series hopes to expose the female body in a more honest light. Having seen how the infamous ‘Kim Kardashian curves’ are popularised by social media - with many celebrities surgically enhancing their bodies to achieve a tiny waist and a curvier bottom– there is an increasing pressure on girls to follow the trends. The PVC transparent outfit consists of a corset top – to cinch the waist in and exaggerate this ‘Kim K figure’– and a tight fitted pencil skirt to show off the bottom. Whilst the outfit itself was designed based on the overexposure of this ‘Kim K figure’ online, the transparency of the material allows for the true female form to be exposed beneath.
SYRIE TORDOFF
Destination: University of Westminster BA (Hons) Fashion Design
Why did you choose to take a foundation year? I chose to do this course to have the opportunity to learn about different disciplines within art and to try it all! I thought it would be good to take this course as a step in-between school and university; I believe it has made me feel ready for whatever university will throw at me. I hope so anyway! Did you know what area of art and design you wanted to study and did this change once you were studying the foundation? I felt pretty certain that I wanted to study fashion when I was at school but I had never been given the opportunity to explore this and make sure it was something I wanted to do. By doing this course I have been able to explore lots of different options but found myself constantly coming back to fashion and trying to weave it in to the projects that weren’t even fashion based. This course has been really great in solidifying my choice of wanting to studying fashion. Describe your experience of the foundation year. My overall experience of this course has been really great but of course a little bit stressful at times. We began the year off by exploring different disciplines and then we got to specialise in whatever we wanted. I was very lucky there weren’t too many people who wanted to do fashion and so I think
we all got a more concentrated time with our tutor. The tutors have all been really welcoming and helpful whenever they can be. The facilities that are given to you at Brookes are amazing, much better than anything at school and I feel I made the most of them whenever it has been appropriate. What has been the most challenging part of the foundation year? I think I can speak for most people when I say time management was one of the most tricky things. Especially when we were having to create portfolios so that we could get into universities for next year and be trying to be successful with the fast pace course on time and not get behind. It was so important to get the balance right. I think also the fact that the mark schemes are very loose and it is quite hard to interpret what tutors and examiners want and you can’t really go to other students as everyone is doing completely different things makes things a bit more challenging. At the end of the day you want to get a good grade so you can go on to do what you want at university. Tell us about you final major project. I began this project with the pretence of studying androgyny - a fashion movement I always thought was liberating. However in my research I have discovered androgyny itself is a label and it
puts people in a box. Humans are complicated creatures and such boxes have served to restrict our creativity. We are all individuals and we should all dress as such. I have tried to express this in my work, allowing everyone the ability to dress how they want in my world. I wanted to represent individuals as themselves, so what’s better than getting real people to do so! What advice do you have for anyone considering a foundation? You barely need to think about it, it is the right choice, just do it! It makes it so much easier to get into a creative course at university and it is appreciated in whatever field you will go onto pursue. I have found it a really enjoyable experience and it has really pushed me further as an artist and designer. Instagram: @idxntity_crxsis
TASHA CREASEY Destination: Arts University Bournemouth BA Modelmaking
With my project I aim to bring awareness to the health issues in many pedigree dogs and make people question whether it is worth breeding dogs for an aesthetic when essentially it brings the animals pain and suffering. I focus in on flat faced dogs such as pugs and bulldogs particularly as they have risen in popularity hugely over the past few years. The shortening of the skull causes so many issues I couldn’t write it into one page but I hope my illustrations have given people a chance to sympathise with what is a common problem for these dogs. #breedtobreathe
THEO LAIRD Destination: Goldsmiths, University of London BSc (Hons) Digital Arts Computing
Here, I use my own hair to create a metaphor of the Western intervention in Africa. I am Africa- my hair and its people- and the viewer, the West. However, I have rewritten the narrative. We cannot change what has already been: the actions of our ancestors are not the responsibility of the present-day individual. However, we can control what happens now- the integration of members of the African diaspora within the Western world is entirely in the hands of current society, and society is entirely in the hands of the individuals who make it up. In signing the contract before taking an egg, the individual is reminded of their personal control. I chose to base the theme of the piece around adoption and maternity in order to tap into basic maternal human nature. I also felt a connection to the theme of maternity in relation to my identity as a mixed-race woman being raised by a white mother. Thus, my maternal environment is distanced from a significant part of my cultural origins, which I find to be an interesting metaphor for myself as a member of the African diaspora.
VICTORIA FRENCH Destination: Leeds Art University BA (Hons) Graphic Design
My project is about body positivity in women who are going through or have been through cancer. I created a gift box called Bright Box which is designed to make the experience of being in hospital a better one for the patients. I chose my target audience to be cancer patients because their bodies change dramatically throughout the treatment process, from hair loss to weight gain and also surgery. My gift box is designed to bring some enjoyment and some energy to the women. Then can open the box and have a Bright Box experience. Each item in the gift box has been carefully selected and designed to help each women who receive a Bright Box in some small way. Also friends and family of the gift recipient have the opportunity to create a box suited to their loved one’s preferences by the addition of products like skin care and food items. Bright Box a gift to brighten up any moment. Blog: fmpbyvictoria.wordpress.com
WILL HOWARD -JONES Destination: Northumbria University Fashion BA
My project is an ode to Skateboarding and its roots in Dogtown, California. The pieces take heavy inspiration from the film ‘Lords of Dogtown’, which depicts the pioneers of skateboarding, and their roots in Californian surf culture. I decided to upcyle denim and vintage t shirts for an individual DIY feel. This allowed me to capture the grunge style associated with the culture. It also fits with the theme as these skaters made a lot of their clothes themselves, even starting there own branded teams. For my project I used a variety of techniques including illustration, painting, screenprinting and photography. I branded the collection ‘Burnt Palms’, a name which comes from the way your skin on your palms burns when you fall on them. I also liked it as there is iconic imagery of burning palm trees back from the Californian surf riots in 1986. The pieces are now exhibited to appear like a complete mini collection. Instagram: @willshj
ZAHRA KHAN Destination: Newham College Fashion and Tailoring
Having been interested in tailored clothing, I began researching Savile Row and a brief history of men’s fashion from 15th century to the present day. Upon realising that men’s clothing used to have more colour and involve a greater range of garments such as: tunics, breeches and dress type items, I decided I wanted to create a bespoke, high end skirt with an English identity. Further research has shown that it is only the western world which frowns upon men in skirts, as there are many countries in which males wear skirt-like garments, such as the sarong, sulu and kilt. I hope that these two men’s skirts will become a natural alternative to men’s trousers, for wearing in a formal setting.