Last Friday was the John Leggott College Foundation Diploma In Art & Design's End Of Year Exhibition.
The students had been raising funds all year to pay for the venue, materials and refreshments for their show.
We were so lucky to have the whole top floor of
Cafe Indie for the social event of the year!
There are eighteen students on the course, and each of their projects are so different, as the group comprises of fine artists, fashion designers, digital and graphic designers, photographers, textiles and surface pattern designers.
I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of the students and I feel privileged to be part of the team who support and tutor them.
I'm going to have to split this exhibition write-up into two or three posts as there is so much to see!
So, make yourself a brew, start humming the 'Take Hart' theme tune and let's begin...
Estrella is a fashion design student who re-interpreted the 'Wizard Of Oz' film.
What I love about Estrella's work is that she can mix humour and melancholy in her designs, as the film could be viewed as Dorothy's journey through childhood, whose magical adventure has to end when the realities of adult life catch up with her...
Estrella has also demonstrated a real talent for fashion photography, visual display and styling.
Love these shoes so much!
Leo discovered his love for fashion during the course, and had never sewn anything before he joined us this year!
This capsule collection explores the sometimes over-protective nature of a mother's love, the impending sense of independence on the onset of adulthood and that sickly combination of wearing your favourite Disney Princess dress to a party and eating too much cake!
Leo has a real flair for combining seemingly random contextual references, (such as children's birthday parties and a scold's bridle!) and unifying them into garment designs.
There is a sense of 'edginess' to his work, and the fashion world had better watch out for this new talent!
Lewis is a graphic designer whose work is based on the American cult 'Jonestown' that was led by the Reverend Jim Jones in the 1970's.
Beautifully designed and illustrated, the work is imbued with hidden messages and warnings that create a deeply sinister quality.
For example, this poster, when viewed through the red 'decoder', reveals the hidden warning:
'Don't trust in Jim Jones'.
Lewis' zine is also filled with these hidden messages and clues.
Paulius' graphic design project explores the way Western society bombards us with news about international atrocities everyday, so much so we become 'immune' and de-sensitised to it.
However, if you buy this new 'wonder' product or just simply ignore what is happening around you, 'everything will be ok'...
There were so many elements to this installation, comprising of graphic design, film and 3D.
The private view was a huge success, thank you to all of you that showed the students such support.
Sam is a fine artist who is deeply concerned about the issue of child labour, something that, as consumers in contemporary society we should be very aware of.
Sam researched the ethical sources of all the materials he used, highlighting how difficult it is to actually find the facts behind the manufacturing methods of everyday items that are essential in our lives.
As well as producing a series of stunning paintings, he created a film warning about the treatment of children in the Third World, set in the not too distant future.
Alex is a concept artist/ illustrator for game and film design who created a 'science fiction space opera about a crew of bounty hunters travelling worlds ruined by industrialisation, war and natural disaster.'
You can see how Alex's talent for fine art, digital painting, illustration and sculpture have all merged together to create this amazing concept and series of work.
(I have to admit to being very little help indeed when it came to the digital aspects of Alex's studies, not that there was any cheeky banter about my 'skillz' in that area!!!!)
Can't wait to share the next part of the exhibition with you, all the students did so well and achieved well deserved, brilliant results.
