Arts, Design & Media News

2014-05-01T08:54:00.001-07:00

BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design
Employability Trip - London 2014

Our trip began with a visit to London’s iconic fashion hub, Dover St Market, to see archival material from the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) curated amongst the many splendid clothes, shoes and accessories. Both students and staff enjoyed discussing the context of ‘art’ within a high-end fashion space, alongside comment with regards to how the archival material might be perceived differently there as opposed to in a gallery, for example.

Later that afternoon, we took a trip to SWD (Shaun Webb Design) in Soho. Enthusiastic senior creative, Kate Hill, showed the students a huge range of work from within the performance and theatre sector of the arts. It was great to see a relatively small studio thriving having built up a sterling reputation for quality within the community of the West End.

To top off our first day, we took the Victoria line all the way, arriving in Walthamstow. We had an appointment with Michael C. Place of Build. Michael kindly showed us around their beautiful studio space, before discussing project work with the group. Level 6 student, Lisa Dale, wrote about the visit: “It's difficult to say which studio I got the most from because they were all so diverse and offered different things but Build was a personal favourite because Michael C. Place was so humble and honest. I felt comfortable around him and slightly less on edge. I enjoyed seeing the future that I want. Every time we go to London I feel refreshed and committed - more ambitious and hopeful.”

Students at Build with Michael C. Place

Our second day included a visit to LittleBrown book group, based on the River Thames in the striking Unilever building. Senior creatives, Sean Garrehy and Hannah Wood, spoke to the students about their roles and the company as a whole before taking us around the space, later placing students into small groups to spend some time with a designer of their choice to discuss project work in more detail!

The afternoon saw 5 final year students present their work to a senior panel of creative, editors and marketeers, which marked the culmination of a collaborative year long project between LittleBrown and the College. Hannah Wood said, “We would like to reiterate how impressed we were with the students, it took a lot of courage to present to us and we hope that they found it a valuable and enjoyable experience.” Level 6 student, Becki Derbyshire, pitched her work to LittleBrown and said:

“Working with LittleBrown on the Josie Dew project was a really great experience. Being involved with the industry and having the chance to pitch your ideas to various sectors of the company is certainly something you don't get the chance to do everyday. It has been a pleasure to work with LittleBrown and definitely something I would do again as I enjoyed it so much.”

Lewis Hatton also pitched work and said:
“Working with LittleBrown on the Josie Dew project was a really valued opportunity. I personally found it to be a great experience as it opened my eyes to the world of publishing design, which was something I had never considered before. Working on the project provided by LittleBrown was great fun; they left everything open to us, which led us to produce our best work without being restricted by what we could or couldn’t do. They were also very easy to communicate with and very helpful in pushing our work forward to get the best possible outcome.”

Lewis Hatton's work for LittleBrown

Lyndsey Hall's work for LittleBrown

Jamila Hodges' work for LittleBrown

For the remainder of the trip, students visited Mortar & Pestle, founded by LCC graduates Daniel Camacho and Richard Knowles who graduated in 2009, followed by a trip to the V&A for an awe-inspiring tour of the ceramics gallery, alongside a Shakespeare exhibition designed by world-class designer, Jonathan Barnbrook. Last but not least, the students visited Browns / Jonathan Ellery. Level 6 student, Adam Bower, wrote about the visit:

“The studio visit I enjoyed the most was Browns / Jonathan Ellery. Jonathan's harsh approach at the beginning was somewhat of a shock but showed that he cared and took time to talk individually to each of the students. His professional advice was hard to hear initially but by the end most of the other students and I had a lot of respect for what he said and had learned a lot of lessons.”

In summary, our trip this year was a jam-packed 3-day tour of some of London’s finest studios and creative spaces. The student’s thrived on the inspirational practitioners that they met and their aspirations soared in light of their experiences. This is a key part of our vision for the course. Level 6 student, Adam Bower wrote, “The trip has given me a great insight into different kinds of professional practice and has aided my decisions about which kinds of studio I wish to pursue. Also, hearing from the designers themselves about how they started out has been hugely inspirational to see how far they have made it from a similar situation to my own.” Becki Derbyshire continued, “It was great to be able to get out of the college environment and travel at the same time as learning about the industry through visits and having a great time with friends.” Each year the employability trips go from strength to strength. Our thanks go to all of the studios who accommodated us.

BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design Student Work Promoting Local Project

2014-02-11T15:25:00.004-08:00

Ray Chan's winning poster

Artwork by Level 5 BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design student, Raymond Chan, is currently being used to promote The Growing Together Project in Stockport.

The Growing Together Project is run in partnership with Stockport-based charity SPARC (Stockport Progress & Recovery Centre) and Pennine Care’s Recovery & Inclusion Team. Once a week the Growing Together Project participants take part in the general maintenance of the allotment, which in turn aids their recovery from mental health challenges. The project also encourages a sense of community and social engagement. Ray's winning poster considers the collaborative spirit of the project alongside the metaphor of growth and development.

BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design students were involved in this green-fingered live brief last year, organised through Laura Murphy, responsible for the Stockport Olympic Legacy fund, at Stockport Council.

Ray Chan with Pennine Care’s Recovery & Inclusion Team

The project was an opportunity for students to literally get their hands dirty as they grappled with a design challenge. The brief was to design a series of posters that would be used to promote the Growing Together Project. At the briefing and ideas development stage, students worked on the allotment for an afternoon, digging and planting – truly hands on design research! They then returned several weeks later to pitch their work to the Growing Together project team.

Students mucking in during the project

The project was a great opportunity for all students to potentially have their work used commercially, in the real world, for a real client. Ray is thrilled to have been chosen:
"I feel really proud seeing my work in use to promote the project at SPARC. Thankyou to the team of choosing me!" Ray Chan

Graduate, Hannah McLennan Jones interview with #MCRSPOTLIGHT

2014-01-21T09:12:00.001-08:00

2013 BA (Hons) illustration graduate Hannah McLennan Jones has been interviewed about her work This is Not A Sex Shop for the online magazine, #MCRSPOTLIGHT.

Hannah talks about her passions, inspiration and the idea behind her brand and how she has started to create a name for herself as an illustrator/designer.

The interview also reveals the story behind how Kate Nash got to know about her work. Read the interview here.

Manchester & Salford Illustrated (MASI)

2013-11-28T03:22:00.000-08:00

Wendy Mallas

Sana Hanif

Level 5 students Wendy Mallas and Sana Hanif have had their submissions for Manchester and Salford Illustrated 2013 accepted for a larger exhibition. The brief was simply ‘Everyday Manchester and Salford’. Wendy's piece of work is titled "Panpipers & Pigeons in Piccadilly". Sana's entry is based on iconic features of the city, showing aspects of its history in vibrant colours and using shapes that connect to one another. Their work will be in an exhibition in Manchester with the opportunity for it to be sold to raise money for The Wood Street Mission. Wood Street Mission is a registered charity based in the centre of Manchester. They help children and families living in poverty in the Manchester & Salford area. Congratulation Wendy & Sana.

Paris Photo Study Trip 2013

2013-11-26T12:30:00.002-08:00

This year’s study trip was to Paris Photo and saw 30 students attending from all years of both the BA (Hons) Contemporary Photography and the Foundation Degree Commercial Photography.

The trip is a gift for all who are interested or involved in the subject of photography. As a subject, we are very lucky to have such a prestigious event which covers most aspects of how photography functions, not just in terms of the collector’s 'market', but also in terms of cutting edge contemporary world photography.

The main event is the show in the Grand Palais, on the Champs Elysees. There were hundreds of galleries from all over the world showing all manner of photographic work from vintage prints to the very latest digital photographic imaging.

We visited the Le Bal Gallery, a specific photography gallery in the heart of Paris, which was showing the work of American photographer, Mark Cohen. Unlike Paris Photo, this was a highly curated exhibition, centering on the photographer’s early street work accompanied by descriptive text.

During our second day in Paris we visited to the Pompidou Centre to view the show, Surrealism and the Object. Then to 'offprint', a festival of photography publishing in the afternoon.

The evening resulted with a meal with all the students in a restaurant on the trendy Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis.

Graphic & Motion Design Prague Study Trip 2013

2013-11-22T14:09:00.004-08:00

We had a really wonderful study trip to Prague this year. Following our itinerary were BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design, BA (Hons) Motion Design and FdA Graphic Communication students from across all three years. We were also joined by BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design alumnus, Radomir Mikulas, who (thanks to being Czech) was a wonderful help with regards to the planning and success of our itinerary!

Atelier 304, Prague

Our first stop on Monday was to Petr Babák's Atelier of Graphic Design and New Media at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and

Design - otherwise known as Atelier 304 or Treasure Island! A combination of BA, MA and PhD students showed a selection of their work, and also their working space, which was such a wonderful, creative environment. Level 5 Graphic Design students were so inspired that they have since returned to College and given their own studio a spring clean and a decorate, with posters given to us by Atelier 304! After lunch we travelled to DOX Centre for Contemporary Art for a tour, travelling there on one of the city's trams. It was great to get out to the 7th district and see a little of Czech suburbia.

Come the evening, we called in to meet a fashion designer and illustrator called Ros, recommended to us by Atelier 304. Ros runs a studio called GMBS based in a large artists' studio space close to DOX. For dinner, we met with designer Helena Jiskrova who provided an insightful outlook on the life of a young designer in the city. Helena also spent some time reviewing student portfolios which was a great experience for them.

Level 6 BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design student, Lisa Dale, said, "The main highlight of the trip for me was realising that there is life in design outside of Manchester, and in fact in the U.K. In many ways I wish I could go back already! Looking around the city of Prague, I felt like I wanted to be a part of it's future. Travelling really does broaden your horizons and I can't help but feel envious of the Czech Republic's particular contribution to design. Everyone we spoke to was so insightful, helpful and eager to converse with us. I feel very grateful for the opportunities that the trip provided for us as students. It has most definitely had an impact on my development as a designer."

Sedlec Ossuary

Throughout the rest of the week we visited a fascinating church made of bones called Sedlec Ossuary - students were amazed to see typography and heraldry made of human remains! On the flip side, a much more humbling experience was a trip to Terezin town and prison, used to during the Second World War as a ghetto and prison for both Jewish and other imprisoned people. Students' minds were opened to the importance of awareness when it comes to this all too present history. They also all realised how fortunate we are to live free lives - ones which are full of opportunity.

On Wednesday evening we visited Studio Najbrt, an internationally acclaimed graphic design studio based in Prague. Dita and Petr presented so many wonderful projects to us. Students were able to study several branding projects, as well as ceramics, style guides and book design. One of the most valuable aspects of studio visits is for students to see designers working for real clients, in real spaces - it brings their education and aspirations to life, which is genuinely priceless.

Terry Posters Archive

Thursday bought around the rather sad prospect of returning home, but not before a truly incredible trip to the Terry Posters shop and archive. We had a behind the scenes tour of 1000s of Czech film posters from the 1940s-80s, along with an hour's lecture on the history and wider context of the collection. It was so very insightful to see the collection en masse, and also consider the impact of communism on design.

BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design alumnus, Radomir, said, "From my point of view, of not being either a member staff or a student, I loved every moment. I enjoyed the fact that nobody complained about (fast and lot of) walking and a busy and hectic schedule! The only thing that annoys me is that it's over! The Treasure Island visit worked as a very good and useful intro for our creative adventure in Prague. The practitioners that we met were all so friendly and enthusiastic. It was also refreshing to get out of Prague and see more ordinary Czech places dotted with unique gems such as Sedlec Ossuary. I very much enjoyed the very honest and humane words of designer, Helena Jiskrova, which were not only helpful for students, but also for myself as a graduate.

Lastly, I'm also glad to have opened a door of communication with Studio Najbrt. However, as a visual and educational highlight I consider the visit to the Terry Posters shop to be at the top of the list. I felt genuinely touched and moved by the volume of the posters as well as the stories that the archivists had to tell. Overall, it was an amazing trip - thank you for the opportunity."

Overall, the trip was invaluable to both students, alumni, and staff. We so often take for granted the fact that these trips do literally open doors and opportunities for our students. We are so very fortunate to have the luxury of smaller tutor groups that enable us to carry on with the planning of trips each year. Long may it last…

Ian Douglas - Story Teller / Magic Maker

2013-11-22T14:00:00.002-08:00

Year 1 Illustration students were treated to a two-day workshop with the wonderful Ian Douglas. Ian is a storyteller who is based in West Cumbria. He has over 15 years experience of telling stories, performing and creating street theatre. He works in schools and at festivals all over Britain.

Ian is full of energy and captivated the group with his dynamic and lively personality. He uses games and performing activities to coax people out of themselves. Level 4 were fully engaged and he took them through a series of processes connected to communicating a story with a clear message. This culminated in each student being able to invent a story of their own based upon certain ‘truths’ within themselves or other members of the group. These stories will later be illustrated in the studio.

Malicious Film Premiere

2013-10-15T11:12:00.003-07:00

Paul Griffiths High Sheriff with College Principal Stephen Carlisle

The premiere screening of a local short film that highlights the dangers of hoax calling the emergency services has been showcased by The School of Arts, Design & Media.

The film ‘Malicious’ follows a central character - Jake - as he engages in his favourite pastime - making hoax telephone calls to the emergency services.

PC Kelly Jones & Laura Saidler
Youth Engagement Coordinator

The basic premise was to develop learning materials which could be taken out into local schools to highlight the dangers of involvement of making hoax telephone calls to the emergency services. Len Howarth, a local magistrate for seventeen years, was instrumental in the success of the project.

Given Len's senior position on the local bench, he secured co-operation from the Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), The Prison Service and the courts.
Foundation degree TV Production lecturer, Andrew Percival, said: “Students have been given a fantastic opportunity to make a real film which will exist in the real world. This is a project which is academically rich and theoretically robust, as well as having a currency with the general audience.

"It provides additional opportunities for cross-college collaboration: main characters and extras have been played by some of our students from Performing Arts and there is hearty involvement in the court and crowd scenes from our Law students”.

Paul Proctor, the Assistant Dean for The School of Arts, Design & Media said, in terms of making a positive contribution to the local community, what better example could there be than this collaboration between degree students at the College and the emergency services.

GMFRS’ Borough Manager for Stockport, Billy Myers, said: “The making of “Malicious” is a fine example of partnership working between many organisations including the emergency services, in a bid to tackle important issues and improve quality of life.

Everyone who has been involved in the 12 month project should feel proud that they will make a positive impact on the community by lowering the amount of hoax calls made to the emergency services each year.”

Chief Superintendent Chris Sykes, Stockport Divisional Commander, said: “Projects like this are a great way of making youngsters more aware of the consequences of actions such as hoax calling. It’s also an opportunity for them to understand the role of police and the problems they face on a daily basis while trying to carry out their tasks.

“We want this DVD to show youngsters the consequences of crime and the effect that it has on the community, the victims and those living with it.”

Graphic Design Student Sparkles at the YCN Awards

2013-09-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

Last night saw graphic design graduate, Dan Richardson, awarded Commended for his work for UK Greetings at the YCN Awards Ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London.

Dan graduated this year from the BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design degree programme, and previously studied on the UAL Art Foundation course here are Stockport College. Students, clients and tutors gathered for a wonderful evening of fine food, wine and conversation to celebrate each student's success. Dan's award winning work can be see online at the following address: http://www.danielr.co.uk/poppets

Accompanying Dan and programme leader, Lucy Brown, at the table were maker-duo Lord Whitney who have previously work with the School of Arts, Design & Media. Lord Whitney did a marvelous job of dressing the room and showcased a wonderful animation of their most recent work.

Dan said, "What a brilliant evening! I'm so proud to be here, and pleased my tutor, Lucy Brown, encouraged me to enter. I'm so busy at the moment with freelance graphic design work which is great having only graduated in June. I'm sure the YCN award has contributed my success. Here's to a bright future!"
For more information on YCN visit: http://www.ycn.org

Congratulations to the Class of 2013!

2013-07-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Class of 2013 Graduation ceremony at Liverpool cathedral

Today saw the graduation of our final year students at the graduation ceremony held at Liverpool Cathedral.

We wish all the graduates the very best for the future and we will take great interest in their careers as the develop over the coming years.

Bookbinding Magnum Style

2013-07-02T11:59:00.002-07:00

'Postcards From America' boxed series

We are delighted to announce that a student from the BA (Hons) Contemporary Photography course has been invited to join the Magnum Book Making Masterclass, an event organised by the global photography agency Magnum. Drawing on the initiative she created during a module on her course, Hayley Andrew secured a place at the event creating a book making workshop for photographers. This workshop is a prestigious event, and Hayley was employed to bring her knowledge of editing, design, book production and distribution to the workshop which ran over two day and then culminated in a symposium.

Fiona from Magnum Discussing the Exhibition

Hayley was part of a team which included the following professionals: Stuart Smith, Gordon MacDonald (GOST publishing), Harry Hardie of Here Press, Philipp Ebling of Fishbar and Magnum photographers David AlanHarvey and Susan Meiselas. The event was coordinated by Fiona Rodgers atMagnum.

Richard Mulhearn, course leader for BA (Hons) Contemporary Photography said, 'This is one of the successes of the course; that as result of encouraging professional collaboration whist on the programme, students learn what is required, they make mistakes, but these are what facilitate resilience and progression.'

Graphic Arts & Design Graduate to join Arighi Bianchi

2013-06-24T05:58:00.002-07:00

We work hard at Stockport College to ensure that our graduates are employable and ready for the world of work. This week, Katherine Smith, a graduate of the BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design course has landed her first job! Katherine Will begin work at Arighi Bianchi in Macclesfield shortly after the Travelling Degree Show at MadLab in Manchester later this week.

Arighi Bianchi, one of the North West's leading furniture specialists, contacted programme leader, Lucy Brown, in search for graduate talent. Of several graduates who applied for the post, Katherine was successful. She will join Arighi Bianchi's creative team as a junior designer full-time, working on the e-commerce arm of the business.

Katherine said, "I'm thrilled to have a job so soon after completing the course. I feel confident that I have the skills and professional ability to succeed in the world of work and have really enjoyed my time at Stockport College."

Here’s One I Made Earlier

2013-06-24T05:53:00.002-07:00

A project to find the next “Here’s One I Made Earlier” for the BBC’s Blue Peter has lead to Level 5, BA (Hons) Illustration student, Cathy McConnell to be asked to run workshops at the BBC’s The One Show Roadshow over the Summer.

Cathy McConnell

Cathy showed Assistant Producer, Michelle Ackerley a series of plasticine objects in bottles. Michelle thought that Cathy’s ideas for Blue Peter were wonderful and would suit an upcoming opportunity within the art zone to teach passing visitors how to create ships in bottles.

The event takes place on the 6th & 7th August in Weston Super Mare beach.

UNLEASHED: The Best in the North

2013-06-24T05:32:00.001-07:00

The School of Arts, Design & Media is pleased to announce that our BA (Hons) Illustration students have again been shortlisted for the annual competition UNLEASHED/ The Best in the North, a competition for final-year illustration students from Northern art schools.

Megan Thomas

The best artwork from the degree shows is featured in an exhibition and sale, at Mr Thomas’s Chop House in Manchester. The event culminates in a charity auction on the 18th July of the shortlisted and winning works. The auction money is split equally between the student and The Northwest Air Ambulance charity.

Bryony Hopkins

Two of our students Megan Thomas and Bryony Hopkins have made it in to the Top 25 Shortlist. Judges included Lise Brian, Creative Director at The Chase, and Illustrators Ian Whadcock and Rebekah Whitney.

RIPE Graduate Arts, Design & Media Shows 2013

2013-06-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

The Arts, Design & Media Graduate shows were again a huge success. The branding for this year's show was RIPE, which draws on the analogy of how the graduates have grown and their ideas and projects have come to fruition. Comments about the show this year include observations about how diverse the show is and it was a collective show of inviduals with their own ideas and approaches to their disciplines.

The opening night once again provided an opportunity to awards best incategory and best in Show. The judge this wasthe designer and Illustrator, Barney Ibbotson. The results were as follows.

Best of Category:
Illustration Megan Thomas
Graphic Arts Katherine Smith
Photography Edwina Cagol
Moving Image Luke Haslam
Design & Advertising Howard Marmion
Interior Design Yasmeen Chaudhary

The best in show was awarded to illustrator, Megan Thomas. Congratulations to Megan for a stunning show.

A selection of graduate work from the show will now be travelling to Mad Lab in Manchester City Centre and will be open to the public on 27th & 28th June 2013

Graduate selected for BJP Portfolio Review

2013-06-10T01:19:00.000-07:00

Susie Tsang, a final year student on the BA (Hons) Photography programme has been selected for a graduate project review in the British Journal of Photography (pp21/22). Susie shows some of her latest work in a double page spread in the journal which is published both nationally and internationally.

In her project, What’s Left is Unsaid’ Susie explores her relationship with her mother and her Anglo-Chinese identity through a look at her family photograph album, her final book brings together both British and Chinese ways of writing alongside images which have been partially destroyed though a number of both natural and artificial processes. Susie was inspired by the photographic work of Dinu Li, another graduate of the BA (Hons) Photography course at Stockport.

Susie’s work will be on Show alongside all the other graduate photographic work in an exhibition of work titled, 'The Sum of All Parts' at the Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester from the evening of Wednesday 12^th June through to Sunday 16^th June 2013.

Growing Together Project selected artwork

2013-06-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

On the 25th April this year we blogged about the Growing Together Project, a collaborative initiative between the School of Arts, Design & Media, the Recover and Inclusion Team (R.I.T) and Stockport Progress and Recovery Centre (SPARC) with the aim of improving mental health in the area, through an engagement with nature. The project is based at White Hill Allotment in Reddish, Stockport.

We are pleased to announce that Artwork by Raymond Chan, BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design has been selected. His poster draws together the collaborative spirit of the project with the metaphor of growth and development.

Artwork by Raymond Chan, BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design.

D&AD and YCN Graphic Design Award Winners 2013

2013-06-06T11:52:00.003-07:00

Two students who will graduate from the BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design course this year have received awards for outstanding graphic design work.

Dan Richardson has been awarded Commended for his UK Greetings work entitled Little Poppets, at the annual YCN (Young Creative Network) student awards.

In addition, Dan Lane has been awarded Best of Year for his It's Nice That promotional work, at the annual D&AD (Design & Art Direction) student awards.

Little Poppets by Dan Richardson

Not only is this a great achievement for these two students, it is a great achievement for the course. Programme Leader, Lucy Brown, said, "We are extremely proud of the two Dans! These awards are a springboard into their creative futures and will stand them in good stead. Student award briefs are a part of the Level 5 and 6 curriculum each year, and we hope to build on the successes of 2013 over the coming years."

It's Nice That Promotion by Dan Lane

Dan Richardson's full portfolio can be viewed online at: http://www.danielr.co.uk

Dan Lane's full portfolio can be views online at: http://www.dnylne.com

For more information on YCN visit: http://www.ycn.org

For more information on D&AD visit: http://www.dandad.org

CLEAR, an interim exhibition of photographic work.

2013-05-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

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Last night marked a successful end to the second year photography student’s busy academic year. The ‘CLEAR’ exhibition of photographic work, which is totally organised and funded by the students themselves, opened in Piccadilly Place in Manchester City Centre.

This interim photography show features the work of 15 second year students on the BA (Hons) Photography course and displays a wide range of personal projects and conceptual approaches demonstrating an eclectic mix of individual photographic work. Paul Proctor, Assistant Dean for the School of Arts, Design & Media said,

‘it is a credit to the staff and students on the course that they have managed to create such an astonishing 2^nd year exhibition of high quality work. Many photography courses at this level would expect this work to represent their degree show. They have achieved beyond all expectation and I’m already looking forward to seeing their final degree show exhibition next year.’

The show at Piccadilly Place, Whitworth Street, Manchester M1 3BN will be open to the public until 25^th May 2013.

After Hours: Lost & Found Manchester Museum

2013-05-20T08:07:00.005-07:00

Over the past three years, the School of Arts, Design and Media at Stockport College has forged a reciprocal relationship with Manchester Museum, taking creative inspiration from its rich resources and producing visual material for display in the museum and beyond.

The work included in this After Hours event, by students, an alumnus and a member of staff from the BA Honours Contemporary Photography course, was originally a response to the theme of biodiversity, but has since evolved along a variety of related themes. Each artist has provided a brief account of his or her project overleaf.
After Hours: Lost & Found 16th May 2013
Artists’ Projects

Alex Keep

The mechanics of nature so often goes unnoticed. Photo Synthesis explores the secret life of a plant, its cyclical forms evoking the proliferation of life on many levels, as well as its inevitable decay. The work acts as a living image, a visual metaphor for the continual redistribution and degradation of bio-matter.

Breed is a different kind of living image, based on bacteria. Bacteria are truly omnipresent organisms, inhabiting every corner of human existence, thriving under all kinds of conditions. This piece is an active sampling exercise, exploring growth, change and metamorphosis.

Alex Lawler
In a city, nature is often forgotten and neglected, pushed into sanctioned spaces such as parks and gardens. We forget about the persistence of nature, overlooking or destroying the plants that encroach upon our urban environment. This project celebrates these plants, recording them temporarily using the pre-photographic process of anthotypes and using the conventions of the museum to catalogue and display them.

Eleanor Mulhearn
Eleanor has an ongoing interest in drawing and memory. For this piece she has collected people’s memories of plants, birds and insects, producing interpretative drawings of these life forms in a way that reflects their absence. The project forms part of a wider body of work called The Cabinet of Conversations.

Michele Selway
A bridge can be more than just a link between two physical points. Castlefield viaduct has a rich history, representing both Manchester’s industrial heritage and, in its state of dilapidation, the uncertainty about the city’s post-industrial future. The structure has many echoes, posing many questions and stimulating debate. It can be represented from numerous perspectives - artistic, botanical, architectural and historical amongst them. It leads to unknown places, occupying a liminal space between what it was and what it might become.

Jana Smoca

Jana’s project explores the biodiversity of one particular tree and the area around it. It reflects the artist’s connection with forest environments, based on her personal experiences and cultural heritage. Alternative photographic processes have been used to create a poetic record of her findings and observations.

Jen Dimelow
Jen’s project, entitled Hidden, explores the metaphoric properties of natural forms. Focusing on moth cocoons, she uses innovative photographic techniques to take the viewer inside these capsules, creating images that evoke the transformational processes that they conceal and protect. She also considers this in relation to human psychology – how facets of individual personality can develop over time.

Adam Swindells
Adam’s work draws on Zen Buddhist ideas of interdependency and equivalence. Through photographing cosmic scenes and microscopic natural forms, he encourages us to reflect on the relationship between the two, and on the common origins of all matter.

PUSH blog interviews graduate

2013-05-03T10:41:00.003-07:00

PUSH, is a collective formed of student photographers from all over the south west. Their aim is to collaborate on inspiration and to showcase new, exciting work in many formats.

Richard Higginbottom, a graduate of the BA (Hons) Photography programme at Stockport has recently been interviewed for the PUSH blog. Richard talks about his influences, his photographic work and offers advice to students on how to survive after college. To see the full interview click here

And the winner is.......

2013-05-03T10:28:00.001-07:00

The annual 'Context Quiz' was won by first year undergraduate student Alison Smith. As an Illustration student she 'wrestled' (not literally of course) the title from Graphic Arts and Design who won it last year.

Alison scored an excellent 31 out of 45 and reassured me that most of what I try to impart actually go's in!. Questions ranged from subjects as diverse as The Enlightenment, Friedrich Nietzsche, Emile Zola and 'the Belly of Paris', Dylan Thomas and alliteration, Picasso, Velasquez, artistic purity versus commercial pollution, David Hockney and A Rakes Progress and contemporary 'Renaissance man David Shrigley.

Great fun! Well done Alison. Gary Spicer

TechHub Design Collaboration

2013-04-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

TECHHUB – Design and installation by Richard Raby & Lisa Dale

Five 2^nd year BA (Hons) Design & Visual Arts students were involved in a live collaborative project with TechHub in Manchester this month. Becki Derbsyhire, Lewis Hatton, Adam Bower, Lisa Dale and Richard Raby were asked to consider several spaces within TechHub, a new co-working space for tech entrepreneurs in the Northern Quarter, Manchester.

Richard Raby & Lisa Dale

Their brief was to inspire members through typography in the meeting room, kitchen and other spaces on the ground floor. The students did an incredible job. TechHub founders Doug Ward and Shaun Gibson are thrilled with the work.

TECHHUB – Design and installation by Richard Raby & Lisa Dale

Founding TechHub member Stephen Biggs said, “I’m so impressed with the work that the students have done this week. They’ve bought the kitchen, lockers and meeting room to life in an inspirational, fun way. All of the students were a pleasure whilst working in the space – they did their course proud.” Not only have the students impressed TechHub, they’ve also been commissioned to do the same job elsewhere via the sharing of their work on Twitter. Overall, it was a very successful live project, one that we will be glad to repeat next year with other organisations

Growing Together on the Allotment

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Adam Pilkington, Harley Del Rio and Ian Parkin working on the allotment

First year BA (Hons) Graphic Arts & Design students were involved in a green-fingered live brief this month. The project was organised through Laura Murphy, responsible for the Stockport Olympic Legacy fund, at Stockport Council and saw students working with the Growing Together Project, based at the White Hill Allotment in Reddish.

The Growing Together Project is run in partnership with Stockport-based charity SPARC (Stockport Progress & Recovery Centre) and Pennine Care’s Recovery & Inclusion team. Once a week the Growing Together Project participants take part in the general maintenance of the allotment, which in turn aids their recovery from mental health challenges. The project also encourages a sense of community and social engagement.

White Hill Allotment, Reddish

The project was an opportunity for students to literally get their hands dirty as they grappled with a design challenge. The brief was to design a series of posters that will be used to promote the Growing Together Project. It was also a great opportunity to potentially have their work used commercially, in the real world, for a real client. At the briefing and ideas development stage, students worked on the allotment for an afternoon, digging and planting – truly hands on design research! They then returned several weeks later to pitch their work to the Growing Together project team.

All fingers are crossed now for the winning idea. Well done to all students who took part.

LOVE, The Chase and Textbook Professional Practice

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Stockport College School of Arts, Design & Media HE students studying on the BA(Hons) Graphic Arts & Design course have recently been involved in several studio visits in Manchester.

Studio visits are organized throughout the 2^nd and 3^rd year of the course to enable students to contextualise their practice professionally, and also to inspire them and enable them to imagine themselves actually working as a creative practitioner, in the real world!

2^nd year students visited Taylor O’Brien, LOVE, Textbook and the Chase. The visits were such an eye-opening experience for them. Each of thestudios were diverse in their own way. Helen Taylor of Taylor O’Brien presented the strategic element of their brand work, whilst also discussing how they acquire new business. Stephen Owen and Patrick Harvey of LOVE spoke of their creative passion for ideas, which bridges a range of disciplines. Lise Brien of The Chase introduced the students to several of their current interns and junior designers to hear their stories to date, which was wonderful. Lastly, Textbook – alumni of the course, showed students around their second, new, studio in Islington Mill, then took everyone off to the local pub for a catch up. Overall it was a wonderful, insightful day for all.

3^rd year students Phil Earnshaw, Paul Muray, Rachel Wilmott and Cat Egan visited Grant Windridge of Hemisphere in the Northern Quarter. Phil said, “The visit went really well. We had a good conversation with Grant, Kat and a junior designer called Nick. I'm just emailing Grant now to say thanks again and hopefully arrange a portfolio visit. I really enjoyed learning about their practice – it inspired me with regards to my personal aspirations.”