Fine ART
2020 ARTISTS Rouslan Aboutin Albert Bennett-Cowell Linda Candler Loren Carr Bethany Coyles Amelia Clark-Sutton Rachel Davison Penny Evans
Karine Jay Karl Jeffery Kristina Kolimechkova Sam Leatherbarrow Natalie Martin Caitlyn Prudhoe Natalie Purvis John Raine
Lauren Everitt
Holly Richardson
Shannon Ferry
Hannah Robinson
Chloe Hamilton
Harris Scott
Elizabeth Handy
Katie Stewart
Andrew Hodgson
Ellie Taylor
Wendy Hodgson
Stuart Teears
Douglas Hughes
Beatrice Thompson Nicole Tyrie
LOTHAR GOETZ
Beyond Lockdown When thinking of this year’s Degree Show it is impossible not to think about it in the context of the current Covid 19 crisis. With no physical Degree Show and attendant Private View one has to come up with a different way to celebrate the completion of the course and to mark the start of a new chapter in life for those graduating. During lockdown we all had to adapt to new ways of communication and making, turning kitchen tables or garages into studios and discussing the progress of working on various online platforms. Adding to this the insecurities, anxieties, restrictions and possible loneliness this has created for some, it’s been a great achievement to fulfil ambitions and stay positive about the future. One thing which again became very clear during these difficult times was the healing power of creativity and art and the enormous richness it can bring to our lives. What would we do without the arts during lockdown? Artists constantly respond and reflect on life, current affairs, be it political events or private matters. This can be responding to things one sees, hears or feels – which can be joyful or painful and in doing so, artists play their part in shaping the society we live in.
Studying Art does not only prepare you for a job but for life and comes with the responsibility to play a vital role in democracy. The course delivers the tools for this and the Degree Show marks the point of transition for testing it all out in the world and starting the excitement of an artist’s life. The lockdown reminded us of the importance and uniqueness of these skills and what a hugely positive impact they can have on our life and the community. It is the Arts which keeps us sane. Fine Art at Sunderland University follows a teaching approach which is tailored towards each individual student with the aim to offer graduates superb employment skills, intellectual rigour, originality and confidence as well as fun, supportive community spirit and fulfilment in life. Inclusive and engaged, it offers an extremely useful tool for the future life and ambitions of its graduates. Every year it is a great joy to accompany each student’s journey and to see what we have achieved together. Choosing art as your profession is brave, a lifelong challenge and excitement. Congratulations to everyone and all the best wishes for a very happy and successful future.
Rouslan Aboutin Inside my mind there is a hidden world. A world that often manifests in my thoughts, dreams and visions. A world that still remains unexplored. “Journey� is a project of experimentation and self-searching that simultaneously attempts to take the viewer on a trip of inspiration and creative motivation. A journey into the world that is inside my mind. In my work reality and dreams are intertwined, feeding off each other to create surreal, psychedelic realms where everything becomes a possibility. These realms of infinite possibilities are depicted as planets within the same universe, waiting to be explored through their landscapes, depicted by paintings in oil, acrylic and pastel, mixed with linocuts and digital manipulation. My work is influenced by many late 19th and 20th century artists, including but not limited to: Wassily Kandinsky, Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Giorgio De Chirico, Leonora Carrington and Max Ernst. Other influences include Greek mythology and ancient civilizations.
Omen oil paint on canvas 80 x 100 cm
Albert Bennett-Cowell email: albertsartemail@gmail.com
Recently I have been looking at Postmodern and western art theories and figuring out how to translate these ideas in my own practice. I’ve looked briefly at several examples of the aesthetic western approach; the Romanticists, the Impressionists, artists like Jaoquin Sorolla and Michelangelo and I have also returned to several theoretically opposed contemporary artists I have looked at in the past such as Julie Mehretu, Judy Chicago, and Joy Labinjo. I’ve also briefly looked at Dadaism. Practically I have been producing small scale paintings, illustrations and plans for larger pieces once the Coronavirus quarantine is over; portraits, figure studies, observational studies and abstract mark making using coloured brush pens, pencil and paint. I hope to combine abstract techniques with more classically inclined imagery and studies by mashing the two disciplines together in a more Dadaesque Postmodern fashion, maybe minus a bit of the absurdity at first. I have been gathering readymade objects and sculptural elements from my home to continue my work with when I am able however due a lack of workspace and material in my home my practise has been somewhat de-railed and so my current body of work is on a smaller, manageable scale.
Dissertation Title Aesthetics vs Ethics: Looking at the role of the modern western gallery space
Tyrannical Expression oil paint on canvas 30 x 20 cm
Linda Annette Candler My artwork developed from my diagnosis of breast cancer. I want to share my journey through my paintings, considering the mental and physical changes taking place. I develop my ideas through a range of both, sculpture and painting. I mainly use acrylics, mixed from a wide range of carefully chosen tones. For me, colour is everything, that will make the canvas great and I use a wide range of brush strokes when applying the paint, to create my abstract designs. My work is a story about survival, well-being and empowerment. The figures within my paintings are strong, beautiful women and provide an insight into the deepest thoughts and feelings that breast cancer evokes. I hope to provide a relationship, with the viewer, a conversation that needs no words. It is important for myself, that my paintings are aesthetically pleasing and stand alone as a painting, whilst, creating an awareness and positive understanding of breast cancer.
Dissertation Title Disability as a starting point in art
Staying Beautiful
acrylic paint on canvas 59 x 84 cm
Loren Rebecca Carr email: lorencarrart@outlook.com Instagram: lorencarrart
My practice is an exploration into abstract painting, focusing mainly on the materiality of paint, its substance and physical qualities. I am interested in what paint can do and in manipulating the paint to push boundaries. There is an element of chance in my work as the pieces I create are experimental and the outcome is unknown. Painting in the expanded field has been an interest in my work; experimenting with the paint itself and with mediums such as heavy structure gel to create impasto paint sculptures. Acrylic paint is the main medium; its qualities are an important factor like fast drying time. I have created paintings on canvas, board, material and created sculptures using the paint solely, all on different scales. The tools used are palette knives, different types of paint brushes, pouring and squirting paint from the tube. Colour also has an important role in my work, examining the push and pull pictorial quality of colour. My work questions what a painting can be, appreciating the paint for what it is literally.
Dissertation Title How and Why Contemporary Painters Explore the Materiality of Paint.
Untitled
acrylic paint sculpture 5 x 21 x 3 cm
Amelia Clark-Sutton email: ameliaimogen99@gmail.com Instagram: @artsy_amelia
My practice dwells on the concept of narrative art and is fundamentally influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites; especially their use of symbolism. Unlike their conventional portrayal of women as delicate damsels, I reimagine their classic visuals to create portraiture of strong female characters of modern film and literature. Initially I was inspired by Millais’s Ophelia, 1851-52; he used floral symbolism, also known as Floriography, to describe Ophelia’s character and narrative. I am also inspired by Evelyn De Morgan; who challenged women’s roles by being a successful feminist artist during the Victorian era and depicted powerful, spiritually enlightened women by embedding alchemical colour symbology. My work also links to contemporary female artists Anj Smith, Yana Movchan and KariLise Alexander, who use natural imagery to adorn and describe their feminine subjects. I acknowledge these artists within my paintings by incorporating floriography, entomology and colour symbology. I intend for my work to appear ethereal yet include a feeling of female empowerment to appeal to modern-day feminism while also referencing “goddess imagery” from 1970s feminist art. My ambition is for people to contemplate and unravel the visuals and messages within my work in order to convey a brief sense of escapism and liberation. Dissertation Title Is Pre Raphaelite use of symbolism still relevant in Narrative Art today?
Ivy
acrylic paint on canvas 50 x 50 cm
Bethany Coyles email: bethcoyles@gmail.com facebook: Bethany Coyles Art website: bh15sy.wixsite.com/bethany-coyles-art instagram: @BethanyCoyles_Art
STAN: a crazed or obsessed fan. The term comes from the song Stan by Eminem. The term Stan is used to describe a fan who goes to great lengths to obsess over a certain celebrity. In my current practice I am combining my styles of abstract painting and figurative line drawings, to show how in modern society we are worshiping celebrities to a similar extent to how people worship religious deities. The media causes us to worship these celebrities and want to live like them despite their wrongdoings in life. Within my current work I am looking at these celebrities with controversial backgrounds and displaying them in a religious context. Non-traditional materials and mediums are commonly used throughout my work and how they work with each other really interests me. Besides acrylic, wall emulsions is the main medium for my painting and using print processes with found objects such as bubble wrap has been a developing skill in my current work. David LaChapelle, Julian Opie, Kurt Schwitters and Frank Stella can all be seen as important influences upon my ideas and practice. Dissertation Title How do artists use religion within their work to cause a reaction?
STAR
acrylic paint on canvas 70 x 70 cm
Rachel Davison-Emmott email: thecrazylittlebeelady@gmail.com facebook: Crazy Little Bee Lady instagram: @crazy_little_bee_lady
“The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams” – Henry David Thoreau (19th Century American Transcendentalist). I am a beekeeper and an artist who has spent several years working closely alongside her own honeybees, appreciating the complexity of their everyday lives, inner workings and perfect architecture. My art pieces are designed to form a small body of work that represents the past, present and future of bees and apiculture as well as give an intimate and close view of the insects as individuals, highlighting their own unique features and ecology. Through doing this she hopes to dispel some of the myths and anxiety surrounding the insects and offer new perceptions with an opportunity to gain better understanding to the beautiful and complicated world of honeybees, their life cycles, and their influence on humanity. Dissertation Title Nature, the environment, and their possible uses in art; A Beekeeper’s point of view.
Untitled
honeybees on canvas 89 x 89 x 3 cm
Penny Evans My project is my twin daughters. I chose them as my subject as they are a massive part of my everyday life and I enjoy drawing and photographing them. My work started with simple acrylic painted portraits, but I soon started exploring more things that I could do with my work. I started manipulating my images in Adobe Photoshop. At first, I tried many different looks from the filter gallery but then found a filter called Torn Edges that I really liked and could use with a large amount off my photographs. I enjoy the process of working with different styles and using a digital filter image which always comes out black and white when printed off. I think this is great, because I can then draw and trace the black parts of the image onto white paper and manipulate them further. This allows me to explore a range of colour and size by projecting and then painting the acrylic images onto a large size canvas. I then decided with my images being on a larger scale I would put down the brushes and try painting with my hands and fingers, which is fun, but also gives the painting a different look about them. I have been influenced by many artists whose work has given me inspiration, whether it be in how they manipulate photos, or just using a variety of bright colours. The three artists who have particularly stood out and caught my eye are Katie M Berggren with her intimate moments of motherhood paintings, Amanda Greavette’s birth paintings and Iris Scott who gave me the idea of painting with my fingers. Dissertation Title Pop Art Portraits Untitled
digital image dimensions variable
Lauren Everitt
email: lauren.jade1234@hotmail.co.uk blog: laureneverittart.wordpress.com instagram: laurenjadeeverittart
Within my work I create Neo-expressionist paintings. The subject is usually based around abstract figurative images of people and animals. I base my work on things I know and feel. My work may sometimes be disturbing, and verges on dark humour. I use a mixture of mediums within my work for example paint, pencil, pens, ink, oil pastels and collage. Within my work I try to evoke an emotional force and morbid beauty towards strange things. It is important that my emotions try to come across in my paintings to the viewer. As an artist I like to express my feelings rather than demonstrate them. My work is highly influenced by artists such as Laurie Vincent, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Pablo Picasso. My work is also influenced by street art and street culture. Dissertation Title Themes of Death within Damien Hirst’s work.
“What’cha looking at?” acrylic paint on canvas 76 x 60 cm
Shannon Ferry email: shannonferry99@gmail.com
The current theme and concept of my work is based on exploring forms of popular culture such as fashion, feminine aesthetic and personal styles within my artwork. As a result of my last project, where I explored the importance of social media in modern day culture, I became interested in some of the products social media promoted, such as fashion etc. My current work also displays the idealistic distortion of figures through popular media and the role of aesthetic in modern identity, through paintings of unrealistic figures and materialistic items. I create acrylic and watercolour paintings on canvases and watercolour paper or wood, but I have recently been experimenting with digital illustration. I find that my ideas develop every day although I tend to be a slow worker as I spend a lot of time developing ideas and perfecting details, however developing work using digital media tends to makes the process faster for me. Dissertation Title How does social media affect consumers, businesses, and mental health of the public, and how do artist use social media as a platform?
1999
digital illustration 3708 x 2970 px
Chloe Hamilton Instagram: chloehamiltonart email: chloehamiltonart@gmail.com
Throughout my time at university and previously, I primarily focused my art practice on surrealism, so in my final year I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and produce artwork that is a mixture of cubism, surrealism and perhaps a slight touch of abstract, while still maintaining my love of portraiture. I continued the practice of painting in my work as whether it be with oils or acrylics, it has always been a passion of mine as it allows me to be freer and messier with my artwork, along with using colour theory as a contrast to make aspects of my work stand out. In this project I was inspired by various artists, the first being Pablo Picasso for his distorted faces and the inspiration of the cubist approach in my work, Michael Lang for his composition and elongated aspects of facial features and Wassily Kandinsky for his use of colour theory. I believe this piece ‘Gloria’ is a perfect example of the ideologies. This piece pushed me out of my comfort zone to produce a piece of artwork that consists of a balance of cubism, surrealism and cubism while also maintaining good colour theory and composition. Dissertation Title Neo-Pop Now (And how the internet changed Painting).
Gloria
acrylic/oil paint on canvas 40 x 40 cm
Elizabeth Handy email: elizabeth_handy@icloud.com website: elizabethhandy.wixsite.com/mysite
My recent practice has been heavily influenced by Brutalist Architecture whereby I combine photography with mixed media including paint and textiles to create handmade and digital collages. Working with realistic imagery as well as brightly coloured pattern often natural in reference allows me to explore my interest in the crossover between art and design. In relation to this Henri Matisse has influenced my most recent works immensely, aiding my understanding in how colour and form can completely alter an environment. I have recently began examining how natural and organic forms can have an effect on architecture whether this be modern, abandoned or decayed buildings which leads me to the notion of the sublime. I explore the former topic through printed surface pattern design and digital imagery installed in site specific places in order to portraying the power of the wilderness and the human imagination today. Dissertation Title How do Artists and Architects impact on the Social and Environment Issues within a community?
Untitled
mixed media collage 150 x 100 cm
Andrew Hodgson email: hodgsonandrew8@gmail.com Instagram: andrewhodgson33
My work is produced with an aim to capture realism, character and emotion using the traditional pencil portrait. The work strives to highlight individuality, framing the subject upon a white background. This composition, individually or part of a greater collective, allows the characters to be amplified as the focal point. The work aims to draw the viewer to the character, the history of their life, facilitating a conversation about the work. I use my art as a talking point, rather than a platform to make statements. I value constructive conversation as an important skill that we are slowly losing as a society due to social media. My work is influenced by the studies of Jonathan Yeo. I use my art as a facility for people to discuss the featured individuals for who they are, what they stand for and what they may become rather than enforcing an agenda. Dissertation Title Power, Politics and Art
The Face of Consumerism graphite on paper 29.7 x 21 cm
Wendy June Hodgson email: wendyhodgson1@outlook.com facebook: @WendyHodgsonArt
I am fascinated with the human personality, and strive to capture the very essence of the character of an individual in my work. Working from digital images, I use graphite pencils to produce my portraits, and pursue the portrayal of realism. I place emphasis on accuracy, seeking to capture not only skin texture, and bone structure, but also the wisdom, knowledge and life experiences etched into the face of the subject. I have widened the range of materials I use to include pastels, oils and acrylics. Although I am influenced by realism I do not feel restrained to create an absolute likeness of the subject, in fact I believe that the eye of the artist can bring something to a portrait which offers an independent interpretation of the spectrum of character, ranging from arrogance to vulnerability. That is why I feel that a portrait can offer so much more than a photograph. Like Jonathan Yeo, I prefer to concentrate on the features of a subject with less emphasis on hair, clothing or background. I value the precision of the work of Stuart Pearson Wright, an artist who captures personality, and also a certain vulnerability in the sitter. Dissertation Title Examining the place of Traditional Portraiture Techniques in today’s Digital world.
Dame Maggie Smith graphite on paper 29.7 x 42 cm
Doug Hughes email: doug_hughes@yahoo.com
As the world celebrated on New Year’s Eve 2019 who could have imagined what the coming year would bring – so suddenly and so devastatingly. Writing these words now on 1st April 2020, it is still difficult to comprehend the situation we find ourselves in, virtual prisoners in our own homes. All my plans for large kinetic sculptures (made from my favourites, recycled wood and metal) have gone out the window as I remain confined in my meagre garret, with very few of my tools and materials. For me, one of the great strengths of an artist is the ability to adapt and improvise; to take someone else’s cast-offs and make them into a thing of beauty or merit; to confront any problem and turn it into an advantage or talking point. With this thought in mind, I decided to make use of whatever objects and materials I found lying around my apartment; but I also wanted to reach out beyond these four walls to construct virtual artworks with the aid of the internet and digital graphics. If you know the 1954 Hitchcock film Rear Window, I guess I felt a little like James Stewart’s photographer … just without the broken leg.
Dissertation Title An Exploration of Max Ernst’s Celebes
First Sight of Sky - 91 Days After the Missiles Came (detail) mixed media 85 x 59 x 5 cm
Karine Jay
email: ejay.art13@gmail.com facebook: EJArt instagram handle: @ejinx_0615
“Magic is not a practice. It is a living, breathing web of energy that, with our permission, can encase our every action” ~ Dorothy Morrison. As a Pagan I want to show my opinion on the modern visualization of what people express as witchcraft. I want to inform people about this subject through my artwork, rather than voicing it too much and going over the top, as I have seen people do with other religions. I make art pieces about certain topics and then let the audience decide what they think. I then like to answer any questions people might have about the subject when seeing my work. The pieces in my current work however have taken a different style, showing a darker and creepier vibe to it. I have taken the subject of dreams and tipped them into another direction. I have also taken other people’s dreams, and slipped in some of my Pagan interests, referencing the history of Pagans and the Salem Witch Trials. Through my art I hope to let people understand that Pagans and Wiccans are not what a lot of people believe them to be, and this can help them to learn, instead of assuming that they are all Satanists. Dissertation Title Within the world of Heather Phillipson and the cultural Issues.
Untitled
acrylic paint on wood 34 x 14 cm
Karl Jeffery
email: karl@karljeffery.co.uk website: https://www.karljeffery.co.uk instagram: @karl.jeffery facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarlJefferyArtist
I utilise the joy of colour and the geometry of simple shapes to distil my concept to its simplest form. I combine art with my spiritual practice, the essence of which revolves around Meditation, Taoism, and Zen. I also bring ancient wisdom and spiritual concepts into the present era, finding they are just as relevant today. After researching the spiritual and symbolic significance of the circle, I discovered the hidden powers that circles have. I have created a fully digital exhibition with interactive elements which encourage a visual discourse between the circle and the soul of the viewer. This is in keeping with the heart of my practice, which is on creating elevated states of consciousness within the viewer, so that my work has energising and uplifting effects on their wellbeing and mental health. My creative practice employs the use of digital processes and traditional methods. Working digitally allows me to create art which can be projected to a much larger scale, and transform my ideas into film and sound art. I enjoy experimenting with other evolving technologies, and have created a series of augmented reality artworks for the exhibition which come to life when viewed with the Artivive app. Dissertation Title The circle: Its context in Fine Art in relation to its symbolic and spiritual significance. Gratitude Swirlcle
dimensions variable augmented reality art please view using the Artivive App available for free from the App Store or Google Pay
Kristina Kolimechkova My practise recently has been mainly based around colour theory, pattern and mark making, and the human form. More specifically I have been looking at overweight women and the unique visual relationships their bodies provide. I’ve been basing my figure studies on this idea; looking at the contrasting forms of these bodies and trying to figure out how I will use my colour and composition skills to show this. I used imagery given to me by friends whose bodies are considered to be “too large” or simply not the norm. I have struggled a lot with my body image and this project has taken an almost therapeutic role for me. It made me challenge the unrealistic expectations I often hold for myself and giving me a broader perspective on this issue. Now that we are in quarantine and I have limited supplies I’m planning on using my body as a surface to paint on, maybe as a performance peace. I will take photos of a painted part of my body where you can see more folds and rolls and paint on it by using the same or similar techniques for colour and form as I have on my canvases. Dissertation Title Looking at Colour Theory Through The Work of Yayoi Kusama, Damien Hirst, Francis Bacon And Wassily Kandinsky
Untitled
acrylic paint on canvas
Sam Leatherbarrow (Scythmedia) email: samleatherbarrow@mail.com
As an artist I investigate the links between visual and audible pieces. I try to create a platform to display a translation of how I process certain songs. I work graphically mainly, fusing 3D sculptures and textures within my work. I like to use photography and illustrations and merge these into my pieces based on the emotive I characterise each piece with. For example some pieces would categorically fit with other pieces better to make a more accurate representation of the song. My studies surround the condition ‘Synesthesia’ and how a synesthete may be able to perceive a song through other sense such as visualisation. I personally believe I can visualise a song and therefore I use my medium of choice to display (as literally as possible) how I view a song. For example, I have created album art for various Soundcloud artists. I have also produced my own songs and responded to them in the same way. Dissertation Title An exploration of Synesthesia in art with selected case studies.
BLOODSHARK digital image dimensions variable
Natalie Martin
email: nataliemartinart@gmail.com website: www.nataliemartinart.com instagram: @nataliemartin_art facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nataliemartinart
My practice is heavily influenced by the human condition, specifically ideas explored in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave as well as the concept of the uncanny. The Allegory of the Cave explores human perception, that we cannot comprehend what exists outside of our five senses. This inspired me to create works that do not use a traditional perspective and also include familiar elements of modern-day life such as architectural and figurative objects. Everything in the compositions are distorted yet recognisable consequently evolving an odd semi-surreal psychedelic environment. My interest in the uncanny was brought about significantly in my consideration of the ‘unknown’ as a human being, particularly mortality, which is perhaps the greatest unknown. This led me to research Catholic relics, objects of sacred beauty yet simultaneously unnerving confirming the certainty of death. I explore such ideas in both painting and sculpture: illusionary environments are juxtaposed with brightly coloured metal, plaster and clay sculptures of body parts, flora, fauna and everyday objects. Inspired by pieces from contemporary sculptor David Altjmed. They appear as though they have come to life and stepped out of their original psychedelic origins into a pseudomuseological cabinet of curiosities, pausing momentarily considering what to do next. Dissertation Title Sex,Subservience and Sacrilege: An Analysis of the Relevance of Christian Art from the Renaissance to the present day.
Untitled
acrylic paint on board
Caitlyn Prudhoe website: https://caitya.wixsite.com/cait-art
From a young age, I have always loved to paint. I remember getting so excited as a child on Christmas morning when receiving art-related gift sets. I was a very troubled child and used to take my anger out on my artwork, and ever since then, art has been a coping strategy. When I paint or draw, I can express myself, and aid my mental health, as I feel ‘dark’ and ‘clouded’. My work has always had strong themes which are often taboo topics, as I enjoy the feedback and attention that I get from people questioning it. I produce woks such as expressionism and abstraction within my paintings. I also focus a lot on portraiture because I feel as though you can capture a lot by exploring the human face, it can show emotions. I use mediums such as acrylic paint and oil paint to produce my work. I have decided to name my project ‘REALITY?’, which will feature many themes of taboo topics including cancer, pollution, overpopulation etc. I aim to make people question my work and question their own perceptions of what is happening in the world right now.
Dissertation Title How has Vincent Van Gogh’s Art work been influenced by mental health issues?
REALITY?
acrylic paint on canvas
Natalie Samantha Purvis email: info.natalie.purvis@gmail.com
“Being an artist and mother is not a fixed identity,� Sokolowski. Producing sculpture from available materials, my practice explores the complex intersections of my experience as an artist and new mother. My work has become a reflection of a transitional time of personal discovery. Metaphorically conversing the abundance of words, emotions, milestones, choices, vulnerabilities, decision making and questioning that comes with becoming a new mother. Initial works were literal and manifest the copious amounts of childhood and domestic materials I found myself fully absorbed in. Finding my way through materials and choices led me to an impasse - as I had also in my role as a new mother. I began to question where myself as an individual being fit into this new world of parenthood and how this new being was fairly represented in my work. I began to search for this through producing more abstract figurative pieces to arbitrary constants. Producing works such as Absolve as a metaphor for freeing myself from any obligation or guilt to define my choices as a mother and as an artist. Taking everyday objects through a process and emerging in a new state. In searching for my new balance I found most comfort in the use of available and recognisable materials as a language showing a shift in environment, form and identity. Current works continue to explore this intersection and sense of limbo/inbetween.
Application Title The Ashley Foundation Application
Lore
buggy, spraypaint, steel chain, garden brackets, brick 160 x 210 x 110cm
John Raine
email: john.raine15031977@ icloud.com
I work in a variety of media ranging from large acrylic paintings on canvas to pen and ink. I am currently listening to psychedelic music while I work. The music puts me in a trancelike state, opening me up to subconscious expression. There are a number of motifs in my work, there is a duality to these; a snake may be a sperm and an eyeball an egg. My work is a surreal response to living in my home town of Peterlee. Many of my figures are unmistakably human while not conforming to traditional representational convention. I like my images to be the busier the better so the spectator has a lot to take in. I use a fast and free approach to perspective to lead the viewer around the image. My main influences are Hans Rudi Giger, Hieronymus Bosch, Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí. Bosch’s, “The temptation of Saint Anthony”, is for me an iconic work. Although I do not try to emulate them too closely; Bacons savage colour palette, Dalí’s “Paranoid critical method” and Giger’s dark imagery all have their influences on my working practice.
Application Title A Proposal To Take Art Into Mental Health Wards
Safe as Milk
acrylic paint on canvas 200 x 200 cm
Holly Richardson
email: hollyrichardsonart@hotmail.com website: www.holly-berries.wixsite.com/art380 facebook: www.facebook.com/hollyrchart instagram: @hollyrchart
The nucleus of my practice explores the human form, primarily the differing views we hold on the body and the role it plays in our identity. I intend to portray sociological and psychological issues of vanity produced by social media and its projection of ideal body image, whilst reflecting on my own experiences of body dysmorphia and anorexia. My processes and aesthetic translate such issues; my photography dissects and highlights the body producing fragmented compositions and my application of paint manifests physical layers that are akin to the human body. Additionally, my mixed-media approach: painting on unconventional materials such as mirrors, glass and fabric enables me to manifest a variety of views and contexts we view the body by. Influenced by Cubism, my fragmented composition allows analysis and layering, portraying all angles of the body. Alongside this, Egon Schiele’s stylization of the body offers me an opportunity to view emotion translated into physical form, encouraging my own manipulation of the body executed in a more expressive palette. Lastly, contemporary influence appears as I reference Jenny Saville’s work within my practice; oil paint washes, free brushstrokes and impasto used to convey mine and the worlds ambivalent views of the body. Dissertation Title How do Artists explore Body Image and Identity within their work?
Bodyroots
oil paint on canvas 60 x 50 cm
Hannah Robinson email: hannah_robinson98@hotmail.com
Throughout my studies I have always been drawn to Abstract art, researching artists who have produced art to inspire young artists and developing my own work within the movement. Over the years I have always made progression within my work, and finally I am now happy with the work I create from my sub conscious mind and feelings. The work I will show in my final exhibition will be art I have created and worked with from the past months leading up to my final exhibition. All work is showing bold and bright colours with an Abstract Expressionism twist. Being able to use my studio space throughout university really enabled me to create work I didn’t think I’d be able to achieve, and show in my final Degree Exhibition.” Dissertation Title How did Abstract Expressionism originate?
Untitled
89cm x 115cm
Harris Scott As an Artist, I am essentially interested in creating artwork that has figurative, Expressionist and Neo-Expressionistic characteristics. In my art I like to draw people and objects in ways that are seen as unorthodox and different from others. Nearly all my work is done using a wide range of mediums, usually on large scale canvases and cardboard box sculptures, that allow me to express different ideas and feelings. I do sometimes include text in my art but I’d rather the drawing or painting put across what I am trying to say. Recently due to the pandemic situation and working at home, I have been using oil sticks and coloured pencils to try and convey emotions through colours instead of acrylic paint which I normally use. The main technique I use when drawing people is to hold my pencil like a child would and draw freely, just letting my mind draw on the page. The people I draw can be manifested from real people I see on a daily basis or they can be completely imaginary. Dissertation Title Expressionism Then and Now.
Cooch
coloured pencil, collage 89cm x 115cm
Katie Olivia Stewart
email: katieostewart@hotmail.com instagram: @katiestewartmadworld website: https://katieostewart.wixsite.com
I present abstracted narratives, which make the viewer question their ideas of portraiture. In my work, I am enamoured with the concept of capturing the edge of a scene. This is in order to reveal the role that context, the presence of and the lack of, has in our lives and how it influences our perceptions and perspectives. I hope to encourage people to be more open-minded through my amalgamations of collage and painting with a focus upon similarities and juxtapositions existing in a large and absurd universe. Often, I amalgamate these compositions with aspects of colour, in vibrant blocks or in abstracted expressions. Alongside collage, this allows me to enact a concept of doors and windows as a metaphor for the human condition and psyche. This is furthered through my practice of layering not only collage and paint but automatic drawings and writings too. This is an exploration of the unfathomable depth of contextual forces surrounding us with an idea of delving deeper whilst also being able to step back or look out at a bigger picture. Dissertation Title How Has the Medium of Collage Formally and Conceptually Influenced Our Perceptions and Perspectives in Fine Art?
These Lights Will Live Longer Than Us acrylic paint, collage on cardboard 75 x 73 cm
Ellie Taylor It is my aim as an artist and environmental activist to explore innovative and creative ways to get my concerns about climate change and pollution across. The relationships and connection between art and activism include building an audience and engaging their emotions and to convey a message of concern about rising pollution levels and the negative impact climate change is having on our planet. Through my art I aim to push the current conversation about climate change and to express the urgent need to act now. An essential aspect of my practice is to work with volunteers of different gender and age to highlight how the whole population is destroying the world, not just one individual. To develop the scale, ambition and outreach of my practice I involve increasing numbers of people to contribute to the creation of the work. I use a wide variety of materials that we are distributing in a harmful way towards the environment and I employ strong metaphors such as death masks to symbolize decay and extinction. I create multi-layered images and space filling installations that echoed the critical state of our environmental and the complexity of correlations. Dissertation Title Artists and the Environmental Crisis – Case studies of Many Barker and Helen Pailing
Silhouette off Suspicious
ice, red food colouring, collected plastic 20 x 16 x 21cmÂ
Beatrice Thompson email: beathompson97@yahoo.co.uk
My practice focuses on expression around the human body, exploring the relationship between perception and person, how our thoughts and emotions can change how we see ourselves. I am fascinated about the attitudes towards our body and how these can change on a daily basis. I incorporate the use of nylon tights and thread over a canvas to create a series of images of various attitudes towards my own body and self-image. This year I have continued to explore the relationship between the media and the impact it has on our body, the way it controls how we think and the impact it has on our mental health. My aim is to show positive and negative views that we have about our body on a day to day basis. The purpose is that it is normal to feel negative at times even when we are positive. Mixed media techniques have been an essential part of this series. It shows how feelings about the body are complex and various elements are needed to explain different aspects. Colour has been added to not dominate and evoke an emotional response but to educate the whole view of what body image is about. Dissertation Title How do Artist Explore the Complexity of Gender and Identity in their work?
Context and Contemplating
arcylic paint, polyester thread and nylon tights 40 x 50 cm
Stuart Teears The coverage in the media of volcanic eruptions and extreme weather phenomena in various forms in photo journalism have directly fed into and influenced my work. I am working in a variety of mediums ranging from acrylics to watercolour and drawings made in inks. I particularly enjoy working on large primed canvases, but have now adapted my practice to work on a smaller scale at home, drawings and painting more on paper due to the current pandemic situation. I am strongly influenced by practitioners of the Sublime and the way the subject matter of the genre is represented, my main traditional influences are Joseph Wright of Derby and J.M.W Turner and as a modern proponent David Hockney, in particularly his “The Grand Canyon� paintings, some of which I was fortunate to see at the 2017 retrospective at Tate Britain. Their techniques and use of colour have been a great influence on my painting practice. Dissertation Title Is The Sublime Still Relevant to Contemporary Landscape Art?
Eruption
acrylic paint on canvas 153 x 92 cm
Nicole Tyrie
email: nicoletyrie99@hotmail.com instagram: @nicole_tyrie_art facebook: nicole_tyrie_art
Throughout my relationship with the art world, I have discovered a fascination with the human form – particularly the facial features. This year, for me, has been about discovering my passion for artistic versatility, through my love of portraiture. The introduction of paint to my practice, to display this versatility, was key. Paint allows me to work more freely; less confined to one type of work. As an artist, I have always been one to experiment, rarely sticking to one style, in order to satisfy my creativity. For this project, I was inspired by a range of artists, who all have vastly different types of practice. Loribelle Spirovski, influenced my attention to the use of space and composition, Pablo Picasso, inspired the Cubist and more experimental aspects of my work and Dana Schutz inspired my interest in artistic license; the idea that my pieces did not have to be ‘pretty’ to be effective. ‘A Deconstructed Crowd’ best sums up these ideologies for me. It is a blend of abstraction and realism, beauty and ambiguity, separation and cohesiveness. It allowed me to be versatile with my style and pushed my creative mind, making its complexity a perfect summation of my practice. Dissertation Title Keeping Arts Education Alive.
Untitled
arylic paint on canvas
Fine Art at Sunderland Fine Art has been studied in Sunderland since the 1860s. This long tradition gives the programme a rich inheritance and association with the proud history of art education in the UK. The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art has a fifty year history in Sunderland and has recently opened in a brand new space in the University. The a-n Artists’ information company started in Sunderland as The Artist’s Newsletter, more commonly known as “an” magazine. The University of Sunderland was one of the pioneers of Practice-led PhDs in the UK, with a strong cohort of art and design PhD students who are today creating new knowledge and ways of thinking for contemporary practice. Previous Lecturers and Alumni include; Robin Crozier - the internationally recognised Concrete Visual Poet and Mail Art Network artist; the nominated Turner Prize Fine Art graduate, photographer Richard Billingham, renowned sculptor and Emeritus Professor of Fine Art, Eric Bainbridge, and the painter Virginia Bodman. The current Fine Art staff have a wealth of national and international exhibiting professional practice and subject expertise, which includes the painter Lothar Goetz, Associate Professor and Reader in Fine Art and Professor Mike Collier artist and curator. Contact us... BA Fine Art Programme Leader: peter.wolland@sunderland.ac.uk MA Fine Art Programme Leader: j.a.hutchinson@sunderland.ac.uk Admissions tutor: marcia.ley@sunderland.ac.uk
FINE ART
2020 Cover and page 2 image by Karl Jeffery