university of chester art and design degree show 2016

University of Chester Art and Design Degree Show

Catalogue designed by:

Michael Paul Holden (Team Leader)

Lisa Algawi

Laurie Edmondson

Julia Harper

Paige Tayla Slade

Laura Taylor

Collective

University of Chester

17th - 22nd June 2016

University of Chester

Faculty of Arts and Media

Department of Art and Design

Kingsway Building

Chester CH2 2LB

www.chester.ac.uk/art-design

First published June 2016

© University of Chester, Department of Art and Design

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means

without, the prior permission of the publisher.

Professor Neil Grant

Head of Art and Design

Welcome to the 2016 University of Chester Art and Design Graduation Show. This is

the annual career launch event for new artists designers and photographers. The work

represented here and presented in the exhibition celebrates the achievement of the students

after three years of study in their chosen disciplines. A particular feature of the experience

at Chester is the facility for students to combine courses providing unique interdisciplinary

outcomes across fine art, photography, graphic design and in some cases journalism

and education. The graduation exhibition is regarded as a key event in presenting the

enthusiasm, drive and talent being nurtured in the art and design department and a fantastic

opportunity for the public see the potential available. The students and staff are keen to

contribute to cultural development locally, nationally and internationally therefore, the

exhibition is an opportunity to experience the product of three years of imaginative work

and speculate on the contribution these graduates can make to enriching our lives.

The University of Chester has a growing reputation for the employability of its graduates

and the impact they can make to the cultural and economic development of the region. The

ethos of the department is that the study of art and design is a culturally and economically

significant pursuit, that is intellectually challenging and emotionally rewarding. The

disciplines studied within the department foster freedom of expression and the development

of innovative ideas into objects and experiences. We particularly encourage experiment and

generating creative surprise. We aspire to be creative, unconventional and professional.

I am confident that these aspirations are evident in the work and attitude of the students

represented in the exhibition and this catalogue. It shows the great potential and creativity

of the students that I’m sure will be recognized and appreciated.

Acknowledgements

Professor Neil Grant

Tim Daly

Bernadine Murray

Fine Art

Dr. Jeremy Turner

Maxine Bristow

Steve Carrick

Alexe Dilworth

Lesley Halliwell

Maggie Jackson

Dr. Tom McGuirk

Graphic Design

Dr. Alan Summers

Kevin Furlong

Andrew Hooper

Elizabeth Kealy-Morris

Michael Moore

David Nicholls

Photography

Dr. Cian Quayle

Steve Clarke

Dr. Tracey Piper-Wright

Tom Wood

Technical Support

Chris Bebbington

Greg Fuller

Tom Hignett

Tabitha Jussa

Chris Millward

Administration

Sarah Buckle

Clare Dickens

Head of Department Art and Design

Deputy Head of Department

Deputy Head and Programme Leader BA Graphic Design

Programme Leader BA Fine Art

Programme Leader MA Fine Art

Programme leader MA Design

Programme Leader BA Photography

ELFA

Art and Design courses

FA

FAES

FAFr

FAGD

FAPh

BA (Hons) English Literature and/with Fine Art

BA (Hons) Fine Art

BA (Hons) Fine Art with Education Studies

BA (Hons) Fine Art and French

BA (Hons) Fine Art and/with Graphic Design

BA (Hons) Fine Art and/with Photography

GD

GDFA

GDPh

PhFA

PhGD

PhJo

BA (Hons) Graphic Design

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and/with Fine Art

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Photography

BA (Hons) Photography with Fine Art

BA (Hons) Photography and/with Graphic Design

BA (Hons) Photography with Journalism

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic [email protected]

Jason Adjapong

The aim of this entire project is to reach

out to all football lovers in the UK who

feel that football as a whole, is simply not

interesting enough. Along with the issue

of there not being an uplifting, tremendous

atmosphere when going to various stadiums

to rally behind their respective teams,

this has lead too many supporters to watch

games at pubs or even in the comfort

of their respective homes. My project

focuses on key things such as the passion,

love, religion & unity that exist with the

fans while getting behind their teams.

For this degree show, I am exhibiting a

3D promotional billboard, which will

communicate through fan chants in

type manipulation all in the style of

the artist Edward Fella and also through

the inspiration of Bauhaus. The billboard

will again communicate through chants

of what it is like to be at a stadium and

experience the euphoria that grips football

fans. I also decided that the specific team

this work will focus on is Chester FC as I

am currently based here.

ELFAGDPh

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and [email protected]/in/lisaalgawi

Lisa Algawi

I love the creative world I’m in and

I dream big! I believe that if you work

hard for the things you want in life then

you will live the life you dream of and

you will succeed.

I take photographs wherever I go and

I would say my style is predominantly

landscape photography. Most weeks

I take myself off and usually travel

to Wales. I have noticed that the focus

of my recent photography work is based

on the Welsh countryside, even though

it had been unintentional at the time.

I therefore thought it would be a good

idea to create a photo-book documenting

my travels through Wales.

I would describe myself as quite a

hands-on designer. I much prefer to draw

or paint designs on paper first and then

develop them on the computer. I feel that

by working this way, it helps to achieve

the best possible creative outcome, and

most of all it’s a great way of ensuring

any designs/artwork will always be

unique and original!

I also like to include my photography

in my design work when I can. I feel it

makes a project interesting by combining

two disciplines and this was the focus of

my recent graphic design project. For this

project I worked with Augmented Reality

software and used my own photographs.

The hidden message behind this particular

project, is that the history of towns and

villages is slowly being forgotten and lost.

I wanted to bring back history in a more

contemporary, yet fun manner. My love

of photography is based on being able

to capture moments that then become

memories… that then become a part

of one’s own history.

After seventeen years of being in education,

I am more than ready to enter the world

of professionalism, and I can say with such

enthusiasm, that I am really excited to see

what my future holds!

ELFAFAPh

BA (Hons) Fine Art and [email protected]: Cybil Blyth Photography

Cybil Blyth

It all began with social media.

I was drawn in, and I was inspired

The inspiration of my images stems from

the long-standing curiosity and interest

in the effect of people’s appearance

within the social media spectrum.

When surrounded by opinions of every

day people, this can effect people in a

drastic way.

I do believe that the creative use of layering

a series of images on top of one another

has the potential to promote new ways of

looking at the world without expressing

hurtful opinions upon the subject.

Rather, I like the unpredictability of

the outcome of layered pieces and the

inventiveness which is necessary to make

the piece look as realistic as possible.

My current body of work includes a series

of distorted subjects faces, with the theme

of emotions pushing through. My choice

of theme has been an ongoing idea in my

mind for many years as I personally have

been effected by people’s opinion on my

own appearance, but the reality is that we

are all the same, no matter how we look.

Change and transformation, is the crux

of my practice, which continues to develop

week by week. The theme will never

become stagnant. There is always going

to be another area to explore to consider.

ELFAFAGD

BA (Hons) Fine Art and Graphic [email protected]/benjaminbradbury

Benjamin Bradbury

The ability to create design enables us to

generate inspiration for others – this ability

is a privileged empowering skill, which

allows our work to speak out differently

to each individual. I chose to base my

final project as a fashion orientated focus

because of the impact of what fashion

creates. Fashion has similar qualities as to

what art achieves; which was the basis of

my work – conceptual fashion garments

with depth to the meaning. The area of

interest is centred around the theme of

well being and equality, which is conveyed

in varied abstract patterns and type

forms. This was an important decision

I made because I wanted the emphasis of

just how personal this project is to myself.

In the hope of conveying my passion for

both the practice and subject matter, I

have based my designs in black and white

to emphasise the theme of “darkness” to

the aura of my work in correlation to the

subject matter to support the importance

of the focus. Fashion design is a powerful

platform, which has a significant impact

on each and every individual and with

the technique of multi-mediums such as

screen-printing and embroidery – I have

worked towards achieving conceptual

garments that give integrity to the viewer.

The acknowledgement of classicism

and historical recognition within any

form of work is important to enable

us to understand and appreciate the

development, and roots of the area

of focus. Both sculptural art form and

figurative art are equally vital aspects of

historical significance in the history of

the art world; this has been the primary

focus of my project this year working

with both elements to create obvious

depictions but with a distorted visual

representation. Working in an abstract

medium exploiting the human form,

as a catalyst to convey the notion of

emotion has been the focused direction

of my work, achieving a dominating

presence that forces recognition. This

specific quality to the work of sculpture

is a significant component I identified

very early on in the project, which is

what I hoped to achieve through my work.

ELFAFAES

BA (Hons) Fine Art with Education Studies [email protected]

Joseph Brassington

Broadly, my practice investigates the

variety of marks that can be achieved

when using thread. Drawing with thread

has a delicacy and intimacy that I have

not found with more traditional drawing.

When drawing with thread, secondary

marks occur unintentionally on the reverse

of the canvas. Beyond representation,

these marks exhibit the process of

making. The knotted threads and loose

ends reflect the reality of work with thread.

Formed by chance, these imperfections

evoke more curiosity than the original

intentional drawing. Guided by research

this repetitive process and the uncontrived

marks that it generates have developed

symbolic significance for me. Each drawing

investigates the value of imperfection.

Displaying the reverse thread drawing

reflects an honesty with, and acceptance

of, these imperfections that can occur

when making art.

ELFAFAGD

BA (Hons) Fine Art and Graphic [email protected]

Jess Brown

The Villagers project started out with early

experimentation with acrylic paints.

I was doing a series of paintings using

a whole range of different colours. I

painted a portrait in green and blue and

it was from that one piece that this entire

project developed. Although the project

may have started out purely with acrylic

painting I soon saw the potential in using

a graphics tablet. Using a graphics tablet

allowed me to produce much cleaner,

effective portraits compared to that of their

painted counterpart.

I then went about creating the world,

from the people and buildings, to the

quirky colour pallet; I wanted the

illustrations that I was producing to be

eye catching and to stand out. All the

illustrations share the same limited colour

pallet consisting of greens, blues, yellows,

greys and reds. Using this limited colour

pallet gives the world a unique alien feel to

it, and prompts the viewer to look further.

All the illustrations I created for this project

are like snapshots from a movie, I focused

quite a lot on ways of creating work which

has a narrative and a deeper meaning.

Within the world, there is a corporation

called Villager Corp, similar to that of Big

Brother from George Orwell’s 1984 which

controls everything. Their logo is subtly

on everything, which the viewer wouldn’t

realise without finding out what the logo is

and the back story.

All the work is Vector based and

created on Adobe Illustrator CS6

using a graphics tablet.

ELFAELFA

BA (Hons) English Literature and Fine [email protected]

Victoria Bryan

The focus of my recent practice has been

on the exploration of the visual connections

that can be found between human, animal

and plant anatomy through the process of

drawing, and how each living structure is

subject to decay and death.

Although the relationship between

nature and anatomy is at the heart of

my artwork, there are other binary

oppositions I am embracing as a result,

including the real and surreal, life and

death, the familiar and the unfamiliar

and the natural and unnatural.

I am interested in still life artworks,

specifically vanitas, and how flora

and fauna can be used to demonstrate

mortality and the passing of time.

However, through my work I aim to

subvert this notion as, although I have

primarily experimented with traditional

forms of still life, I have also reconstructed

its distinctive subject matters in order

to modernise and challenge the

connotations surrounding them.

Through my drawings, I attempt to

communicate the notion of immortal-

isation, and demonstrate the ways in which

images can be made to give the illusion of

eternal life, despite the fact that they are

dying, whilst simultaneously conveying their

sense of fragility through the incorporation

of anatomy. By suspending my organic

imagery on a white background, isolated

from its original context, I am presenting it

in a timeless state, stabilising the decaying

process and creating the illusion that it has

been frozen in a stage of its life-cycle.

In mostly drawing from my own

imagination, I aim to not only retain the

investigative and instinctive properties

associated with drawing, but also inject a

fictitious aspect into my art, exposing the

viewer to a realm of nature that is both

beautiful and engaging yet, as the familiar

is rendered uncanny, is subsequently

disconcerting. The disjointed narratives

I produce are initially intended to appear

ambiguous; it is not until you look closely

that the anatomical associations begin

to emerge.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Design [email protected]

Rob Burgess

I’m a graphic designer by practice but my

passion is illustration. I’ve spent four years

trying to figure out what I want to be when

I grow up and I have less of an idea now

than I did when I started. Until I figure out

what I want to be when I grow up I’ll stick

with, my name’s Rob and I draw stuff.

“I’m totally confused with what I’m going

to do with my life”

- Bill Hicks

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Design [email protected]/garethchadwick

Gareth Chadwick

As a creative, I love design that is quite

simple and contemporary with branding and

advertisement being the things that I love

the most.

For my final project I wanted to make

something quite fun and different to what

you might see usually. For this reason, I

have created a new brand of beer based

around zombies. A different type of zombie

represents a different strength of beer, and I

have also created a range of different point

of sale materials to promote this. As part

of the promotion in line with the launch

of the new ‘Z’ beer brand, I have come up

with a zombie fun run that would take part

in a range of locations in different cities

nationwide that would get the public and

potential consumers involved in the action.

I have truly enjoyed the past 3 years

constantly learning and improving as a

designer which makes me look forward

to being a part of the industry. I am very

excited to see what the future holds.

“Design is thinking made visual”

- Saul Bass

GD


James Chapman

This brief was to create a series of stamps

based upon being British and what makes

us special as a nation. I chose to look into

events and clothing that is specific to these

events that only we have in Britain. These

included the Henley Regatta after party

were teams dress up in matching clothing to

represent the universities they come from;

Royal Ascot with morning dress attire; fox

hunting and general hunting clothing that

must be worn during hunts; Polo clothing

that must be worn while playing on the polo

field and the black tie suit that was invented

in the U.K. Creating a stamp collection

that is different to most stamps that are

currently used by using high quality images

with bold colour backgrounds made the

collection stand out.

Originally my final major project was

based upon cities around the world, with

New York being one of the main cities I

was going to do. During the experimental

stage of the project I started using a

machine called the risograph printer; I

was attracted to the different textures and

detail that couldn’t be produced through a

computer or standard printer.

After two years doing a foundation degree

at Mid Cheshire College under the

university and topping up to do my final

year it has been refreshing to come and

experiment in my final year working on

work and using materials that I thought

I never would. It has enabled me to develop

a solid base in graphic design which will

support my work in the future.

ELFAFAPh

BA (Hons) Fine Art and [email protected]://www.facebook.com/rachelcornishartwork/

Rachel Cornish

I have taken a very personal approach

towards my projects this year. My artwork

has consisted of locations that inspire me

along with places I have visited, particularly

New York and local places such as Chester!

My photography looks at the daily routine

of others around me, whether this is whilst

I am at home, or when I am studying

at university.

Colour is an important element of my

work, as well as the juxtaposition of images

which I love experimenting with. I have

a desire to manipulate images, filling

them with collaged elements including

photographs, tissue paper, scrap metal and

textured paper. New York has been a huge

influence upon my studio practice and

I have enjoyed combining different

cultures/cities in my work.

Photographing my home life and

student lifestyle has been the subject

of my photography practice. I work as

an outsider looking in on my subjects,

trying to capture features of everyday life.

These photographs could not be any

more natural, revealing the personalities

of my subjects, whether it is their facial

expressions and body posture, or the

objects and locations that surround them.

Seeing the contrasts between my family

home against my university home, helps

portray the idea of university students

as having a lot of freedom as well as

being messy. This subject matter is

rather humorous.

ELFAPhFA

BA (Hons) Photography with Fine Art [email protected]://www.behance.net/Georginacuthbert

Georgina Cuthbert

In my photography work I have captured

the strength of dancers. I photographed

each dancer whilst they moved to the

flow of the music. I was intrigued by

the concentration that went into each

movement, each dancer was able to be at

one with her own body, creating different

movements and pushing the body to its

limits by placing it in positions that to

others would seem impossible. I have

chosen to show my work in black and

white because it enables the viewer to focus

on the form and shape of the body.

In my fine art work I have been looking at

fingerprints and the patterns of the lines.

I have taken two different fingerprints

from two people and merged them together.

The fingerprints that I have chosen and

put together are from people that some

way are connected: that may include

being siblings, parents or partners, you

cannot tell just by looking at them.

The colours that I have chosen to print

the fingerprints in are colours that I feel

work well together after working with the

colours in experiments that I have done

to get to this point in my work.

ELFAFAPh

BA (Hons) Fine Art and [email protected]

Genevra Louise Dean

(Over 18, Please drink reasonably.

DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE)

Hesitation, Life and Journeys reflect on past

times or moments, places and objects that

have influenced my life, as well as my

connection with the present.

Taking into consideration the different

challenges that we have to overcome on

a daily basis - responsibility, choice,

morality, consequences and future

aspirations are often referred to as the

‘human condition’. As well as issues that

may lie beneath the surface, my work

challenges the audience to make decisions.

We make decisions on a daily basis, some

that seem quite insignificant, such as what

to watch on TV or what brand of shampoo

to buy, whilst others are more significant

such as our careers.

‘Do you, don’t you?’ is a daily conscious

and subconscious question, where the

wrong decision may effect any one of us.

With the consumption of alcohol, our

views and standards may become clouded

and compromised or indeed, change

completely. Do you act in the moment

and live with the results or make a more

informed decision, acting responsibly

and potentially missing out? Do you take

different substances, like alcohol or drugs

or dismiss them and put them aside?

Each decision we make creates a moment

that happened, recording a silhouette of

the event to refer back to at a point later

in life, a point where we may need to

make a similar decision.

ELFAPhGD

BA (Hons) Photography and Graphic [email protected]

Zee Dempsey

Shooting in black and white completely

changes the images look and feel,

becoming less about a straightforward

nude and more about the shapes,

textures, light and shadows.

GD


Connor Dickson

My name is Connor Dickson; I am a

graphic designer based in Cheshire.

My approach to each piece of work I

produce is to aim for high standards of

design, driven by bold creative thinking

to meet a clients needs. My work is

modern, exciting and extends to a range

of disciplines which includes branding,

web design and creative advertising.

I am passionate about design and draw

my inspiration from classical design and

by staying informed with contemporary

design and trends.

However, this does not condemn me to

the slavery of following trends. Instead,

I choose to follow the philosophy, ‘form

follows function’. I believe that the role

of a designer is to solve visual problems

by adding value and meaning to

information and by communicating with

clarity; ‘form follows function’ allows me

to achieve this role because I strive to look

for the essence of the problem and from

the solution the aesthetic can be achieved.

I try to question my work and myself at

every stage of the creative process. I ask

myself, can I make it ‘visually powerful,

intellectually elegant, and above all,

timeless?’ These principles are the words

of an idol of mine, Massimo Vignelli,

and I agree with him that great design

lasts forever and is timeless. When one

looks at the breadth of work of the

individual designers that I admire, such

as Vignelli, Paul Rand, Saul Bass, and

Alan Fletcher, you can see that their work

is good design and is timeless. This is one

of my underlying goals in life, to create

great design, which lasts forever.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Design [email protected]/graphic-designer

Geanina Beatrice Dragoi

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels.

The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square

holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re

not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the

status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them,

glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you

can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.

They push the human race forward. And while

some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think

they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

- Rob Siltanen

ELFAGDPh

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and [email protected]/photos/cdruryphotography

Christopher Drury

Within my design work I try to tackle issues

and show pieces that subconsciously work

on the mind. My work directs information

that is linked to topics that are impacting

the earth, the environmental and their

processes. I want the audience to figure

out what it is they are looking at so that

their own thoughts can slowly piece the

parts together for their own interpretation

and clarity. My method is to not shove

information down people’s throats in an

aggressive manner, as I feel this is not

producible. The information is there to

inform people and not to force my ideas

or views. It is all about the person’s ability

to problem solve and to be informed on

processes that they may not have already

thought about.

Within my photography I try to understand

interactions and the space between other

people through photographing them.

This enables me to progress towards

a better understanding of people, the

environment and of my own self as a

human being. The presence of space

through the un-seeable can be sampled

through our own human connection,

our emotions and our environment.

Concentrating on those aspects whilst

photographing my subjects brings me

closer towards a meditative state in which

the meaning of life can be made clearer.

My recent work displays two books of

which one is of 35mm black and white

film and the other as black and white

digital formats. Both of these books show

the differences between the speeds in

which I capture my work, whilst also

achieving similar results of interaction.

Personally, film slows everything down

and allows me to achieve a greater

understanding of this presence.

ELFAGDPh

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and [email protected]

Laurie Edmondson

Having grown up in a family of artists and

designers I was certainly predestined to

become a creative. I have had a passion

for art, and related practices, since a

very young age and have always known

that I would pursue a career within it.

I have been fortunate enough to study a

wide variety of creative subjects in order

to discover that Graphic Design and

Photography are my forte.

As a creative I always seek to try out new

methods, techniques and styles that I’ve

never experimented with before. Therefore,

within my final year I have researched and

developed new practices in more detail to

aid both of my projects in Graphic Design

and Photography. I have been particularly

interested in exploring typography, pattern

creation, and abstract compositions.

During this year, the focus of my work in

both disciplines has been light and shadow.

In Graphic Design I have been exploring

the use of light combined with negative

space within typographic artworks. The

focus of these artworks is the relationship

between written text and human persona.

I have produced three pieces based on

three individuals’ favourite Bible verses and

presented them in such a way as to portray

the specific person’s personality through

unique patterns and letterform layouts.

Within Photography I have been studying

the interesting formations of shadows

caused by natural light. I have created

a series of abstract compositions after

studying the arrangements of shapes and

patterns caused by natural light within

unaltered scenes, rather than being

artificially composed. This study has

caused me to pay closer attention to the

world around me and the way in which

artistic inspiration can be drawn from

naturally occurring details.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic [email protected] kayleighedwardsdesigns.wordpress.com

Kayleigh Edwards

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways

that won’t work. Our greatest weakness lies in

giving up. The most certain to succeed is always

to try just one more time. Genius is 1% inspiration

and 99% perspiration.”

- Thomas A. Edison

This quote by Thomas Edison has become

very relevant to me throughout university it

sums up how I like to think about designing

and how I approach a project or problem.

There is no right or wrong answers in

design, there are just ideas. Some work

better than others and some you find out

work great for a completely different project

than what they were originally designed for.

It’s OK if you don’t get the perfect solution

straight away; it’s not a bad thing some of

the best work takes time to get right.

An idea isn’t a failure if the client doesn’t

like it everybody has their own opinions

you can’t take it to heart when that

happens, as it will happen to every

designer at one stage or another and it

won’t be the only time it happens either

you’ll experience it many times in your

career. It’s how you deal with it and take

criticism on board is the most important

part this is something I have come to learn

and appreciate throughout the years of

studying graphic design here at Chester.

The key is to not give up and just keep

trying. You may come up with multiple

ideas that don’t work but all you need is

that one and you’re set.

ELFAFAGD

BA (Hons) Fine Art and Graphic [email protected]

Chelsea Elsdon

I am a combined Fine Art and Graphic

Design student. My Graphic Design project

is related around daydreams. Research

from my own particular daydreams and

research taken from others have been

gathered together in order to create

a motion piece. This motion piece is

designed to reflect around the aspects of

daydreaming. Not only has it been created

to describe daydreams but is designed to

enhance them. I wanted to demonstrate

the positivity these have upon us, how

they can bring out our creative side and

my aim was to take away this negative

approach people have towards them.

My Fine Art is based around unwanted

objects by taking them and reforming

them into something desirable.

My project started from throwing out

old books, which I felt were no longer

needed. This then brainstormed into

the idea of taking unwanted objects

and developing from them, which finished

with this final outcome. This process has

led me to experiment with many different

mediums and materials, which slowly led

to this transformation of rubbish in order

to create a piece of art. My work has taken

something we may see as trash and used

its form and structure to create these three

dimensional sculptures.

ELFAFAFr


Sophie English

The focus of my project is the architecture

and its contrasting elements I perceived

whilst living in France and Venice.

I am interested in the old, rustic and

historic buildings as well as the abstract

shapes, colours and lines found in the

more modern structures and street art.

My work intertwines these two ideas

to create new surreal and playful 2D

structures that become increasingly

abstract whilst also maintaining the

beauty and detail of the original

architectural aspects.

I am interested in the use of paint and

pencil and how both can be used to

create such intricate images but at the

same time can be used in a more

experimental way that allows the

development of personal style.

My images are designed and constructed

with precision, detail and measurements

when using pencil, almost as if I am

constructing the building itself on a 2D

surface. The colour and shape can relate

to a more modern society layering over

such historic buildings with vibrant letters

and shapes (street art and graffiti) in an

unintentionally exciting way.

My work plays with the idea that

anything can be ‘constructed’, whether

it is completely from the imagination or

taking real life structures, deconstructing

them to find exciting elements, and then

creating something new with them.

GD


Frazer Evans

Futsal a 5 a side version of football

is something that is close to me in

my personal life, I have been playing

football my whole life, but when I was

introduced to futsal, it has helped me

develop as a player and become more

passionate for football as a whole. Why

didn’t I learn this sport years ago?

Because futsal is not a common sport

in England!

The idea behind my design is to influence

people from a younger age to get involved

in futsal, and possibly begin to go through

the same progress as great players such

as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Futsal involves quick thinking and more

risk taking with the ball (as the pitch is

so small), but the beauty of the game

comes through the explosive pace and

high intensity when playing the game.

This will be demonstrated through the

pattern you will see continuously through

my work while you begin your path to

learning about this exciting sport.

ELFAGDPh


Katie Evans

If you were ever invited to a room and

opened the door to a strange, secretive

club, what would you do? My film “Flower

Arranging for Beginners” is set in 1950s

England. A dishevelled, young man down

on his luck called Sam Carrington stumbles

upon such a club. From this club, he is

transported into a world of murder and

mystery. Other main characters include

Miss Robin James, receptionist at a hotel;

Sam Carrington, a desperate, down

on his luck wastrel; Violet Wilkinson,

a charismatic flower arranging club

owner, and Hector Spector, an out of

town detective, whose suspicions are

running high. Filmed in a hotel that

gives off a 1950s vibe and atmosphere,

Flower Arranging for Beginners explores

the themes of a classic 1950s film that

spends the entirety of the film figuring out

who has committed a murder. So, sit back,

relax...or not. You may be on the edge of

your seat for this 1950s flick.

If your doppelgänger were to appear right

in front of your eyes, what would be your

first feeling? Fear, confusion? Or just plain

curiosity? This feature length commercial

advertises a spray that can help you

get rid of your doppelgänger, for good!

In this 1950s style commercial, along

with our host Jeanie, you too can learn

how to get rid of your annoying double.

The commercial that I created deals with

them in a completely different way to how

doppelgängers are perceived in urban

legends and movies, making them seem like

an unwanted house guest in your home.

A doppelgänger who wants to be just like

you, yet eventually wanting to overpower

you and replace you. Through my 1950s

commercial ‘Seeing Double’, you shall be

able to learn how to get rid of your double

with a spray, that had been produced so

you can easily buy it off the shelf in front

of you - shown off in a supermarket-like

setting. I’ve included a picture of twins

from the 1950s that represent the look

I’m going for in my commercial.

ELFAPhGD


Jessica Ferrara-Richardson

As a combined student, the areas of my

work are entirely different. My Photography

work is concentrated on my close-knit

Italian family, while my Graphics portrays

fairy tales in an Arthur Rackham/

Helen Musselwhite inspired dome

universe. I chose each of my ventures

purely on enjoyment and satisfaction,

who better to focus on than my family

and loved ones? Over a number of years

I’ve built up a portfolio of family ‘snaps’,

which have transformed into a substantial

and meaningful body of work. I’ve always

been interested and attracted to paper cut

artwork and the simplistic beauty of it.

I like to create work that is more hands on.

A physical piece has an edge which can’t

be achieved on a computer, hand crafted

works give a personal feel, impossible to

gain by any other means.

ELFAPhJo

BA (Hons) Photography with [email protected]

Jaydine Foley

Mental health, specifically depression

and anxiety, affects a significant amount

of people each year but it is rarely talked

about. I used this project as a way to

explore anxiety in a visual medium

and help start the conversation.

With anxiety, life can feel fleeting and

many people feel out of control or like

they are spiralling downwards. To express

the intangibility of these feelings, I used

long exposures and focused on the idea

of movement creating almost ethereal

and dream-like images.

To juxtapose this, I created some sharper

images to represent loss of balance and

feeling on the edge. I feel like mixing

these two styles of photography represents

some of the different sides to anxiety.

GD


Mark Folksman

If Harley-Davidson made cars…

In this project I have explored the idea of

the renowned motorcycle manufacturer for

the company Harley-Davidson making cars

car for motorbike enthusiasts.

GD


Chloe Gallacher

Throughout my degree I have developed

a personal style to reflect my interests.

I appreciate both design and writing.

From seeing how these two work hand in

hand, I have created a project that shows

how these two work together. Health

and fitness is a huge passion of mine and

I wanted to explore how I could encourage

women like myself to get fit for the right

reasons. In today’s society it has become an

uprising issue with many different images

and perceptions of what the ideal woman

should be.

There have been recent advertising

campaigns to encourage women to get

active but they mainly focus on body

image. Through my writing I have created

a series of fanzines to help women start

on their journey by changing their health

and fitness. Using my design skills, I have

been able to create and present them in

a unique way. It is written in the first person

to help the reader relate easier to myself.

It is an honest account telling others both

my flaws and positives. Alongside the

fanzines is a blog where I have posted

updates about training for a run and

how sometimes I don’t always stick to my

regime just like others can. I believe my

project showcases my skills and who I am

as a creative.

ELFAELFA

BA (Hons) English Literature with Fine Art [email protected]

Hollie Geary-Jones

The focus of my work has been on the

relationship between figurative and

abstract art. I have been exploring

this concept through the juxtaposition of

the human form against coarsely formed

abstract shapes. I have been completing

the majority of my work employing the

processes of drawing and painting. I have

been extremely interested in revealing

raw human emotion, which I have aimed

to depict through portraits. I have then

layered my portraits with abstract shapes,

in order to slightly obscure the figurative

art from the viewer, so that the work as

a whole maintains a visually confusing

air. My aim in doing so was to question

the classifying of art as either figurative

or abstract, as I wanted my work to blur

the lines between the two. Predominantly,

I have been exploring abstract art by

continually painting disorganized abstract

shapes over my figurative work, in a bid

to disrupt the focal point of the work,

so that the piece becomes increasingly

difficult to view. Additionally, I have also

explored themes of repetition in both my

figurative work, portraits, and my abstract

work, shapes. My overall aim for my work

is that it will cause the viewer to question

whether work can simultaneously be

classified as two types of art.

GD


Rebecca Gibney

“If a black cat crosses your path it signifies

that the animal is going somewhere.”

I am not always sarcastic...

Sometimes I am sleeping.

GD


Shannon Gibson

“Sadly, the only equality in the

world is six feet of soil.”

GD


Laura Grant

This past year I have been studying mental

health, in particular obsessive compulsive

disorder (OCD). A lot of people jump to

conclusions about OCD, thinking it’s all

about odd or even numbers, and objects

being in a certain place or order, but that’s

only just a fraction of what it is about. I aim

to show different levels of OCD through

using different methods and taking people

on a journey to show them the real side of

OCD mental health, but visually only. My

aim is for people to experience, interact

but most importantly learn. Instead of

just picking up a leaflet and reading the

information it contains,

I want them to feel what it’s like to live

with the illness and the struggle that people

with the condition have to over come every

day. I have created four zones of different

levels of OCD, ranging from one being

the lowest case and four being one of the

more serious cases. By interacting with my

exhibition in each zone of OCD participants

will experience the frustration that someone

with this illness feels.

I believe that interactive experience

is the new learning method. I have

experimented and combined fine art

installations with graphic design screen-

printing and animation in order to

create this experience.

ELFAFAPh

BA (Hons) Fine Art with [email protected]

Jasmine Green

Natures Floor is a series of textile pieces

featuring mixed media collages. The

inspiration for this series of work is the

undergrowth of different woodland and

marsh areas. The idea derived from a

walk through abandoned marshlands

where rabbits die naturally and their

skeletons begin to entwine with the moss

and over time become part of the floor

again. I wanted to replicate the tones and

textures of the floors I see when walking.

The pieces are built up using different

mediums, such as mud, paint, coffee,

materials and paper. I want the work

to give an organic feel, allowing people

to get lost within nature through my work.

Intimacy is a black and white photographic

series showing the forms of the human

body and the beauty of a person’s skin.

I wanted to display the feeling of being

in a close relationship with someone within

my photographs. I’ve always been intrigued

by the marks that make each persons skin

unique. Being close enough to know a

person’s skin is something I find beautiful

and captivating. When we see people in

our day-to-day lives we often don’t notice

that tiny freckle just below their bottom

rib or that mole just behind their ear.

Unless we study a person’s skin, we wont

know the small details that differentiate

theirs from our own. These photographs

reveal the intimacy of knowing a person’s

body and skin.

ELFAGDFA

BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Fine [email protected]/emmagriffithsdesign

Emma Louise Griffiths

My recent Graphic Design work explores

the idea of branding and packaging.

Cacoa is a cosmetic brand that combines

cocoa beans, chocolate and natural

materials together to create a unique

idea for one of the worlds largest and

growing industries.

I was inspired by the idea of organic

products with their clean, environmentally

friendly and reusable packaging designs.

The hand crafted wooden packaging and

artisan style gives the brand its unique edge.

This comes across creative and appealing

to its chosen audience, as well as being a

reliable product to use and can be recycled.

“Design is the method of putting form and

content together. Design, just as art, has multiple

definitions; there is no single definition. Design

can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is

so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.”

- Paul Rand

Secondly we move onto my Fine Art

practice. I have focused on looking at

fine lines and detail to create various

illustrative patterns during the last year.

Overall, although the work maintains an

illusionary air, it is important that the

viewer aims not to judge the work by

its most basic function in exhibiting the

animal form, as my main intention is

that the audience instead, focuses on the

majestic style and mesmerising patterns.

GD


Julia Harper

Having started university thinking

‘we’re gonna need a bigger boat’, I have

learnt through the past few years that

design is subjective and rather ‘like a

box of chocolates’. Some briefs are hard,

some soft and many completely nutty.

University has taught me that ‘no matter

what anybody tells you, words and ideas

can change the world’. Put your heart and

soul into what you do and you will always

be proud. Remember, ‘just keep swimming’.

ELFAFAPh

BA (Hons) Fine Art and Photography [email protected]

Hannah Heathcote

As adults we seem to lose focus on the

enjoyment of having our photograph taken.

The finer details like hair and make-up

become more important, unlike when you

are a child. Children are unaware of their

image and what is going on around them, it

doesn’t seem important that their hair could

be a mess, or what kind of facial expression

they should be pulling. This is what I have

captured in my work. I found it intriguing,

that every time I pulled out the camera and

took a photograph of my six-year-old sister,

she would turn around and pull a ridiculous

facial expression (depending on her mood).

I wouldn’t dream of pulling that in front of

any camera.

Science and Art: The combination of

these two subject wouldn’t genuinely

cross people’s minds. Nevertheless, they

have a link which brings them together.

Throughout my work I’ve explored the

on-going relationship between these two

subjects. This is what I have captured

within my work, combining the realistic

with the not so realistic, combining Science

and Art.

GD


Benjamin Spencer Heywood

Ayrton Senna was a Formula One driver

whose unfortunate death has been the

subject of conspiracy theories over the

years. This piece looks into the idea of

whether it was an accident caused by the

car or whether the conspiracy is true and in

actual fact Ayrton Senna was murdered.

FA

BA (Hons) Fine Art [email protected]://beckyhigginbottom.wordpress.com

Rebecca Lea Higginbottom

For this project I have been interested in

creating abstract textures within art and

to ensure the surface of the work is

the focus of the piece rather than its

representation. This eventually developed

into the creation of textural monochrome

paintings created out of furniture

upholstery. My final piece consists of an

assemblage of monochromatic works of

varying shapes and sizes. By creating all

of the work in the same colour and similar

format, you can carefully examine the

pieces and see evidence of their creation,

such as the visible stitches and staples,

that would ordinarily be concealed in

‘finished’ works.

The presentation for my work has revolved

around the notion of auras in art in relation

to display and how displaying art in a

formal style creates feelings of importance

or transcendence. As well as the idea of art

being nothing more than an object and a

piece’s value being decided by an audience,

I wanted to create a conversation with the

viewer about the traditional conventions

of display and in choosing to display this

work as an informal assemblage on shelves.

It was my aim to create an ambiguity in the

mind of the viewer, forcing them to judge

whether or not the work is even completed.

FA

ELFAGDPh

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Photography [email protected]/Flickr username: MPH94

Michael Paul Holden

During my final year at the University

of Chester, I have had the wonderful

opportunity to combine my passion of

motorsport along with my graphic design

and photography projects. Although these

ventures are done on various platforms

(and in most cases cross paths), they all

share similar intentions – to highlight

club motorsport!

Both of my conceptions were inspired by

the lack of reportage club motorsport gets

in the media (unless sadly there has been

a serious injury or death). From previous

experience, I have found these grass root

events more enjoyable to watch live and

are better to interact with the teams. There

are fewer boundaries and politics involved.

Within my graphic design work, I devised

a range of fanzines that focus primarily

on promoting club motorsport. My aim

with the designs of these publications

was to strip away the glossy features one

normally sees in magazines and instead

offer a raw, unvarnished alternative.

In order to achieve this, I printed all

these spreads on a risograph printer,

as I felt the textures were able to

replicate the ‘feel’ of club motorsport.

Moving onto my photography, this is a

visual narrative of what occurs ‘behind-

the-scenes’ of a typical club motorsport

event. When watching this on the

television, viewers are unable to witness the

commitment these individuals put in to get

these bikes/cars out for the next race. My

series of prints shows that it does not matter

what style of motorsport one watches, the

passion, adrenaline and determination

these families and friends share is universal

across all disciplines, and is a true testament

to grass roots motorsport.

ELFAPhGD


Stephi Holgate

BeaUVty Is In The Eye Of The Beheld is a

series of images combining the relationship

between beauty and ourselves and how

our perception of beauty is in the eye of

the person in the mirror. The subjects

have all portrayed their interpretation and

characteristics about them, that make them

a unique beauty, through a digital medium

using UV paint as a form of expression of

their inner thoughts to be shown on their

exterior. This project explores the range

of beauty, and how our personal interests,

personality, spiritual and conceptual views

of the world inform our own views, and of

what we see as ‘beautiful’ within ourselves.

This series sets out to establish a first person

perspective of self love. Taking influences

from how a black light can show our skin

in a different light from experiences, whilst

connoting positive reinforcement towards

the beauty industry, as all the subjects

have niche looks that differ them from

mainstream modelling.

What Colour Is Your Sound? is a multi-sensory

experience to gain perspective on what

it’s like to be Synaesthetic; a person who

can combine two or more senses. Linking

the relationship of colour and sound as

a combined medium was an important

factor from the beginning, on discovery

of my Dads personal Synaesthesia and

how he utilized his abilities to mix audio

recordings to produce colourful displays

in his mind. I was fascinated by my

inabilities to understand how he sees.

By interacting with the self contained

surrounding colours, shapes, words and

sounds, each experience is a unique

depiction to each user. This project sets

out to communicate a visual display of

the condition, whilst being informative

through its online presence, where users can

compare their experiences at

WhatColourIsYourSound.com, and

absorb acknowledgement of the condition

as a secondary perspective of what it is

like to see sounds, and hear colours.

GD


Jodie Howard

Hello! What excites me about design is the

way it can influence people’s thoughts and

mood while also communicating a message.

I have used colours encased by an invisible

outline in my work. In this book, it intrigues

me when using block colours to create

shapes and objects that our brains can still

understand what is being portrayed without

much detail. This may have stemmed from

my love of cartoons and animations which

themselves quite often restrict their colours

with a black outline.

Going further into my particular studies,

I have a great love of illustration and

animation whilst discovering a lot more

about Graphic Design as a craft. I’m sure

anyone who is/or knows someone who is

involved in Graphic Design has had the

discussion about how wide the subject is

(“It’s not just Adobe Photoshop and fancy

handwriting”). I’m also intrigued about

how design integrates itself into society

and popular culture. We have a Starbucks

on campus and the university itself has its

own wine and water bottles, it’s so common

to see design it’s thought-provoking to

consider what we subconsciously take

in from design every day.

My project in the show is based on

introducing the discussion of mental

health at a young age. During my

psychology A-level in 2012 my teacher

discussed the campaign to make mental

health more talked about and less of a

taboo subject, I think it’s important that

we introduce this thinking sooner to

children since it well help them understand

what some people may be going through

in their life, like family or teachers, and

it will also potentially help them if they

experience mental health problems in the

future. To do this I have made an animation

of characters to illustrate some mental

illnesses and character models. Alongside

these are a kit which comes with a simple

guide of a lesson plan, some clay, a step

to step guide on making the characters

with the clay, and a disc with the animation

on it. The service would be available for

schools and children centres.

Thank you for reading!

ELFAFAPh


Gill Hughes

What started as a journey of self-

expression soon became personal narrative

of childhood hopes and dreams. My

daughters who feature, have become a

representation of my younger self. Being

a parent is a stark reminder of the passage

of time, with the realisation that life is

short and giving thought to lost dreams

and forgotten pleasures. My photographs

have mostly been taken around the coast

where I live, the beaches offers a feeling

of infinite space and sense of freedom

which I yearn for. They remind me of

idyllic childhood memories of carefree

days at the beach, when the summer

holidays always seemed long and hot.

The use of the lens-less cameras is

important to me, as it creates images

which are reminiscent of a nostalgic past.

The soft focus gives a dreamlike quality

which adds to the atmosphere and the

light leaks and flare implies to me hope

of regaining those innocent childhood

aspirations. The slow shutter speeds which

allows for the blurring of moving figures,

producing surreal ghostlike apparitions

which creating an ethereal mood.

I initially intended to keep my Fine Art

and Photography as two independent

bodies of work, however the fine art

has naturally evolved to compliment

the sentiments of my photography.

In Fine Art I explored alternative

ways of treating my photographs until

I found a process which I was happy

with that emulated the ambiance of

my photography.

GD


Kate Jane Hughes

The theme of my work has been orientated

around a direct focus on seasonal affective

disorder forming a variety of contrasting

designs for each component of furniture

pieces. The important influence of my

work has been based on my life long

interest in effortless illustrative work;

simple doodles as such have built up

the majority of my work portfolio. I am

extremely passionate about this subject

matter and wanted to express this in

the designs of my work. I exploited this

area of interest, channelling the visual

appeal of illustrations with a handcrafted

value. In my final project working with

interior design I recreated a living room

setting with my designs as the pattern

for each piece. The practice of patchwork

making and screen-printing have been the

main techniques applied in my project

in creating the contrasting vibrant and

homely fabric pieces. I wanted to stress

the value of homeliness in correlation

with the illustrative work to convey a

sense of my personality, in the hope

of translating a sense of myself in the

visual presentation of my work. One of

my biggest inspirations is Cath Kidston

because of the visual appeal and the values

that are put in place to support the brand.

FA

BA (Hons) Fine Art [email protected]

Olivia Hughes

With an abstract and decorative

approach to art, this body of work

explores abstraction of natural forms

and architecture combined, focusing

on the formal elements; colour, line

and composition. I am questioning how

human interaction is continually having

a negative effect on natural environments

disrupting nature and natural landscapes.

These paintings are combining these

delicate elements from nature, with

the bold architectural structure and

pattern. I am taking something which is

fragile, temporary and unappreciated,

for example the rugged edges of a broken

leaf, or the surface pattern and rich colours

in a decaying tree. I explore the formal

properties of these objects, emphasising

the primary forms of nature, stripping

away the parts I don’t consider essential

to just focus on abstraction of the shape,

line, and colour. Each piece begins with

carefully planned structural elements,

and gradually the work continues to

develop into something individual over

time creating its own identity. Beginning

the painting I do not know what the

finished outcome will be. Like a tree, each

begins with a structure and then over

time becomes unique. I am interested in

finding something interesting in what would

be considered ordinary or overlooked.

The idea is to not go out and look for

something out of the ordinary or unusual,

but transforming something ordinary or

overlooked into something more significant.

FA

FA

BA (Hons) Fine [email protected]

Adam Jones

As an Artist, I am reacting to my direct

environment with the use of found

objects and materials that lay within this

environment to inspire my series of works.

The environment itself is part of my

family history as both parents and

extended family members have been

educated or worked within the Kingsway

Campus where I am now completing my

degree. This history of my family tree is

poignant and linked to the use of materials

found in my work.

All the trees used in this series of work

come from the Kingsway campus site.

Judging both the age of the trees and my

family members’ dates of attendance, both

would have been living and breathing in the

same location at the same point in history.

I have also found interest in the building’s

development and extension; this has also

had a strong influence on my work and the

man made materials from which they are

constructed.

The inclusion of these materials and the

colour coordination these materials possess

while interrupting the natural aesthetic of

the trees, is what, I feel brings all of my

work’s inspirations together.

FA

FA


Alex Jones

My interests come from the mundane and

unnoticed areas that we pass from day to

day. I draw semi-abstracted landscapes

based on random photographs I have

taken of such areas from walking around

Chester. It is not important what area is

being referenced specifically in my work

as the end result is what matters and how

it is interpreted by the viewer. The original

area I choose is only a means of helping

me loosely construct a composition to work

with in my mark-making style. The areas

or buildings I choose to work from always

have an element of straight edges or

geometric shape that become a focal point

in the pieces.

FA

GD


Craig Lee Jones

“There are three responses to a piece of design:

yes, no, and wow. Wow is the one to aim for.”

- Milton Glaser

I certainly did my best to aim for ‘wow’

throughout my three years here at the

University of Chester. It’s been stressful

at times, but then again nobody said it

was going to be easy. I also couldn’t have

done it without the help and guidance

of the lecturers and technicians, without

them being there for just a ‘quick chat’

(usually lasting about an hour) I would be

a complete mess so thank you! A quote

that I came up with myself was:

“There is more creativity using the lead in your

pencil than using your fingers to push a mouse on

screen.”

- Craig Lee Jones

So that is it, my time in university is done,

I am excited for the future and looking

forward to begin a new adventure.

ELFAFAPh


Nia Jones

In Fine Art, I have been exploring how

lines and shapes can disjoint a painting,

as building up layers of paint can create

depth and dimension. Parts of my paintings

have been collaged to create another

aspect of layering. The lines and collaging

are placed in a consistent manner giving

the painting form and structure. This

is indicated by the repetitive geometric

shapes that are repeated throughout the

painting. As an artist I am also interested

in colour and experimenting with different

textures, in order to engage the viewer.

In Photography I have explored the

relationship between my family and

North Wales, as I have lived in the area

all my life. The work focuses on memories

and the journey from past to present.

The images have a theme of isolation

due to the decline in tourism which has

unfortunately destroyed businesses and

the economy. I have taken images around

Rhyl which have been accompanied by

hand written memories from my parents

who have grown up around the area.

I also have a collection of postcards

which I have sent to various members

of my family who have also shared their

memories of Rhyl. I have always been

interested in how the decline of the town

has affected the local community - my

images are a way of documenting the

deterioration of a once popular town.

ELFAFAPh


Katya Kirby

My practice explores the realms of

abstraction. My photography draws

attention to unusual spaces; closing in

on the subject to capture detail that

concentrates on colour and texture.

I challenge the viewer’s perception by

restricting their focus. The isolated nature

of these images obscures the context and

allows the viewer to concentrate on colour

and texture before understanding the

unidentified spaces. Inspired by Abstract

Expressionism, I capture energetic marks

from the natural decay of machinery that

reflects painterly qualities. I draw attention

to detail that is overlooked, capturing

rusted and weathered texture from raw,

industrial materials that show traces

of their use and highlight that aesthetic

qualities exist in mundane places. With

my artwork, I take inspiration from my

Photography. I manipulate my photographs

through hand printed means to exaggerate

colour and texture with the aim to create

a visually aesthetic and stimulating

experience through the presence of vivid,

loud colours and interesting textures.

ELFAGDPh

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Photography [email protected]

Holly Langtree

As a combined student my work reflects

both of my practices by using my

photography practice to show I am

an Interdisciplinary practitioner. My

typographic project for Graphic Design

focuses on how typography can portray

the five senses, to see, to taste, to touch, to

smell and to hear. My work communicates

this through chosen typefaces and data I

collected from my questionnaire research,

using the signifiers to find an appropriate

way to show this.

My photography work is a complete

contrast. I photograph collections and

how people collect the unknown without

knowing it. Showing this in a completely

different way, it almost takes the approach

of abstract art and paper origami by using

leaflet and paper ephemera to capture

a picture that has more depth to it than

just a simple flat image.

Together, both projects are very different

from one another and show how passionate

I am as a creative individual, using both

practices in both assignments and showing

what I can do best in a professional manner.

ELFAFAGD

BA (Hons) Fine Art and Graphic Design [email protected] https://www.behance.net/KerriMackay

Kerri Mackay

Colour and pattern is a central focus of

both my practices. My Fine Art project

involves the exploration of pattern and

decoration through the use of collage

techniques. I started off my project

using only paper, creating different paper

formations and exploring paper as if

it were a three-dimensional material,

finding ways in which I could transform

the material to make sculptural forms.

As I progressed further along with the

project I incorporated a variety of

materials into my work, such as different

types of paper - tissue paper, tracing paper,

as well as exploring three-dimensional

materials such as MDF, pipe cleaners and

PolyFilla. The formation of my work has

been heavily based around layers and cut

out elements, the addition and subtraction

of materials, in order to transform the

image from its original composition.

I found that adding layers to a composition

not only distorted the image but also the

piece became more abstract, which has

been a key feature to my work. My final

outcome has reflected my experimentation

throughout the project, such as the

investigation of the surface of materials

and how the reverse of the material can

differ, as well as physically changing

the aesthetics of a material and the

composition with the play of layering.

My Graphic Design work consists of

exploring people’s perceptions of a city.

My piece is based around audience

interaction and how people feel towards

a city via the use of colours. I began my

project by researching into colour and

light, particularly light projection artists

and exhibitions. From then on I wanted

to create something, which involved the

audience, something that was physical

and playful. I wanted to keep colour as

a significant element to my work, as I

think it is individual to everyone as colours

mean and reflect differently from one

person to another. My final exhibition

involves a light projection, containing

images of cities, which are in the formation

of a shape. The audience can use the

acrylic squares to place over the projection

creating any pattern/image they desire,

which they find personally representative

to them.

GD


Lee Markall

Over the past five years in higher education

for creative design I have developed many

skills ranging from illustration, photography

and many more sectors. I am happy to

have followed this path I have taken,

and with confidence, say that graphic

design is what I want to do in my future

career. This experience with colleagues

that I have gained through this time has

helped me develop as a designer and I

cannot thank more for this experience,

and with this I have not only been moulded

as a designer by the past few years but have

also developed as a person.

“If you’re doing what everyone else is doing,

your doing it wrong”

- Casey Neistat

I believe that these words embody what

it is to be a designer; you cannot simply

follow the crowd in the creative design

sector. The way to stand out is to try

something new and to make your work

unique, push the boundaries to what is

possible with design, experiment to places

that others may have been frightened to go.

This what I look for in my work as I start

my design career.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Design [email protected]://chloemayo94.wix.com/cmgraphicdesign

Chloe Mayo

The best way to predict

my future is to create it.

FA


Victoria McFaul

The focus of my recent work is all about

truth to materials and the idea of luxury.

I’ve made a limited collection of pieces all

made out of clay and other cheap materials

revolving around the idea that if I take

the clay, a relatively cheap material that

wouldn’t be considered luxury or valuable

and I spray paint them colours people see

as luxurious and relate to valuable objects

and items such as gold, silver and bronze,

then can I trick people into believing these

pieces are worth more than their original

value? The other focus is the fluidity of

the pieces and how they travel around

the gallery, allowing you as the viewer to

follow them around and travel with them

as they evolve or devolve. I’ve really been

influenced by artists such as Pip and Pop

who create fabulous flowing floor pieces

that travel around their gallery spaces.

As I have been experimenting with clay

and pushing it to its limits and breaking

points, I have also been influenced by

textile artist Anne Kyyro Quinn by the

way she makes her fabric folds and I have

tried to implement and imitate fluid fabric

folds like these in my work. The pieces are

travelling around the studio and gallery so

keep an eye out for the 10inch silver, gold,

bronze and black pieces at your feet.

FA

FA


Laura Jane McHale

My work represents the process of creating

realist paintings and stripping them down

to an abstract form. I began this project

with the aim to paint detailed portraits that

expressed various emotions. I have always

had an interest in studying the human face;

every face is different and tells a different

story. However, when I began to paint

I became aware of the fact there was a

theme in the colours, media and methods

I was using to create my work. The fact

I was studying from original photographs

made me think about the lighting that

was cast across my model’s face and how

this exaggerated the contours in his face,

therefore enhancing his facial expression

and then the emotion that was being

portrayed through all of this.

The emotion that came across in one of

my photographs was fairly intense and

this was achieved not only from the obvious

qualities, such as the facial expression of

my model but also because of the dramatic

and almost theatrical lighting. This lighting

was only highlighting sections of his face

but leaving other parts in shades of oranges

and reds that gradually blended to a dark

shadow, leaving the background completely

black. These highlighted sections of the

face, with the enhanced contours and

vibrantly contrasting shades, stood out to

me as something that can be linked to our

own identity in the way that we do not

always present ourselves fully; we often only

give sections of our true identities to others

and keep the rest in the shadows. This is

the why I have chosen to pull my full scale

paintings apart and have stripped them

down into sectional studies, representing

the raw qualities that make us who we are.

I have finalised this project by stripping

those sections into various focus points

such as; the contours that make a face,

the colours that are so vibrant in the bold

lighting and finally the experimentation of

using certain paints and techniques when

creating portraiture.

FA

GD


Rick Meads

(In collaboration with Jordan Walker)

We are Northwest 72. A new gin

motivated by the urban connection

between Manchester and Birmingham.

Our brand aims to capture a new

demographic by promoting elements

of night-life through the use of a

vibrant colour palette integrated

with a contemporary graphic style.

We have built a brand narrative that reflects

our vision to connect people through urban

environments. We have achieved this with

our name referencing the compass bearing

between Birmingham and Manchester,

our label composition and typography

inspired by the modern day train ticket and

our bottle designed using a tactile element

to represent the texture of the streets.

Our product boasts a unique blend of 12

botanical elements, with a focus on Apple

and Grapefruit as dominant notes. With a

concrete attitude and desire to differentiate

from our competitors, we have crafted

our brand to break down the stigmas

surrounding gin as a drink for an older

audience. The city, the sound, the people.

Northwest 72.

GD


Jordan Mercer

I have always been an avid pub-goer,

preferring the simplicity and friendly

atmosphere of the local than a bar or club.

Unfortunately for many years, traditional

pubs have been on the decline due to

people favouring the purchase cheaper

alcohol at the supermarket and drinking

at home.

For a while now I have been a follower of

the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA),

mostly for their work in trying to save pubs.

Through this project, I hope to help people

to fall in love with pubs again, creating

something that can be used to great effect

both at home or in the pub.

FA

BA (Hons) Fine Art [email protected] sarahmorganroberts.com

Sarah Morgan

I find traditional portraiture completely

uninspiring and uneventful. Yet in this

strong distaste I have found my niche.

The fundamental concepts to my work

are a subtle hint of tradition that is

confronted by a mocking and more

contemporary element.

FA

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Design [email protected]://petermurzsa.wix.com/murzsa

Peter Murzsa

San Franco is a product that focuses on

handmade quality bow ties. Each bow tie

is made with recycled material and has

a unique design which is fun but also

has an elegant feel.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Design [email protected]/obrienkiera

Kiera O’Brien

The difference between an artist and a graphic

designer: One says ‘it’s finished when I feel it’s

finished’, the other says ‘I will have this done

by the 30th.’

Through illustrated prompts and

motivational guidance this book

encourages creativity and experimentation.

Whether you are a designer or not, look

for inspiration all around you and notice

design in unexpected places. Take this book

everywhere with you and have fun creating.

A passionate creative making the world a

more interesting place, one brief at a time.

I’m excited for what the next adventure

will bring.

ELFAFAGD

BA (Hons) Fine Art and Graphic [email protected] www.behance.net/MattOxley_

Matt Oxley

By using the two disciplines of Fine Art

and Graphic Design, I have had the chance

to work on many different briefs and areas

of concern. My work often mirrors my

interests in technology and craftsmanship

and by using equal measures of these,

I have continued to keep my ideas open.

Whilst reflecting upon the work carried

out over the past year, I think I have

reached a level of control within the

process of making a variety of different

styles of work.

I am eager to continue developing new

skills and taking my practice further but

right now the exhibited work is a picture

window into my thinking. On the one side

I have looked to create visual artworks and

sculptures which fall under the Fine Art

module. The theme of these artworks is to

question the comparisons and differences

between technology and real-life and how

common materials can be used to show a

degree of abstraction. The subject matter in

the artwork is often surrounding molecular

structures and indulging in their conceptual

forms and further distorting their qualities.

On the other hand, my work in Graphic

Design is directed towards a more definite

response to creating a range of products

which could fit into our homes more

purposefully. By understanding various

scenarios around the home, I have

hopefully struck a balance in creating

objects that possess beautiful forms and

innovative functionality that fit into certain

places. The range is focused on the use of

new technologies with materials that were

more commonly used in Hi-Fi Systems of

the past. Sensory technology is something

which particularly inspired me to establish

new ways of developing common objects

placed around our homes to become more

useful, with higher levels of interaction

between person and object.

ELFAGDPh

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Photography [email protected]

Terri Pethick

24 Hour Party People

This project follows and captures the

spirit of the new Brit pop/indie Chester

based event ‘Fools Gold’. It tells the story

of the journey from when it first started

right up until now whilst documenting the

characters it pulls in every single month.

With every image being taken from an

insider’s view each photograph shows the

party goer in their true, relaxed form with

expressions and hand gestures becoming

a very interesting factor in the project.

A lot of the music played on this night

is from the time of The Hacienda Club

in Manchester, which this series of black

and white images look like they could even

be from the time of. An instalment I hope

music lovers will enjoy.

Within my Graphic Design, I undertook

a project that incorporated photography

and design with textiles and print making.

The idea was to create a collection of hand

printed fabric that would promote positive

thinking (through the colours and designs)

when used in the interior design of a home,

i.e. as curtains, cushions, lampshades, etc.

Displayed are examples of these fabrics

along with some handmade products

created out of these fabrics to show how

they could be used in the home.

GD


Isaacs Jefferson Phiri

An exploration into African prints and

mainly focusing on Zimbabwe as the

starting point to make a fashion brand

that has style and is worthy to be a high

street brand. It takes the essence of what

the print is, tribal, cultural and a colourful

expression of one’s self, to make into

a globally appealing fashion style/

trendy brand.

From Burberry with Scottish tartan,

Versace with Roman and Greek style

inspired by their mythology and Louis

Vuitton’s graphic symbols of quatrefoils and

flower inspired by Japanese and Oriental

design from the late Victorian era, these

major brands will serve as a guide on how

to achieve popularity and make the brand

into a must have for consumers around the

world. Zimbabwe has a rich architectural

history with multiple design styles, flora and

fauna that people from around the world

come to see, and a landscape that offers

nature’s own design style and patterns.

The prints vary from hand painted, screen

print, lino cut, paper transfers and tie-

dye. Some are a mix of printing methods

to test out the quality and style as the

different methods used yield different

results on the final product. The end

result showcases a brand of t-shirts,

jeans, snapbacks and shoes that are able

to show a point of origin/inspiration,

unique styling and a strong brand

identity across the whole range.

I am an illustrator who finds joy in the

creation of pieces of artwork from scratch,

and for the love of all things beautiful and

elegant.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic [email protected] connerjpreston.wordpress.com

Conner Preston

I am a Graphic Designer with a big

passion for logo & branding identity. I take

inspiration from my surroundings, if I see

a logo on the side of a container I will take

a picture of it. With my passion for logo’s

I have researched some of the logo greats

such as Aaron Draplin, Steve Wolf, Paul

Rand and many more. My main focus for

an idea is the story behind it. Any Graphic

Designer can make good design, but to

explain the reasoning behind it and why

you have gone down that path is what I

have discovered over the years is key for

clients. I wouldn’t be where I was today if it

wasn’t for my love for Motocross. I started

riding at the age of six and have done it

for fifteen years to where I am now at the

age of twenty-one. I got my first taste of

Graphic Design making vinyl graphics for

Motocross bikes and knew design was the

path I wanted to go down. Alongside that,

Motocross has taught me the effort and

sacrifice it takes to be good at your desired

profession and I have used the highs and

lows from my one and a half decades of

racing to continually improve and learn in

Graphic Design. If I could get to the point

in my career where I’m mostly designing

logo’s and brand identity for companies

would be a nice accomplishment, but I love

design no matter if it’s a logo, advertising

or editorial. As long as I’m doing what I

love to do, I’ll be happy.

GD


Rach Rizzotti

My passion for makeup has been around

since an early age; it’s all about presentation

and first impressions. I wanted to make

sure that this was present in my final

piece, reflecting both my interests and

style of work.

For my final piece, my aim was to rebrand

the makeup company SEVENTEEN by

modernising the logo and recreating

a more vibrant look for the brand. This

involved changing the logo of the brand

as well as the whole colour theme and style

of the packaging. I decided to completely

change the way customers look at packaging

when buying makeup. Each box shows you

exactly what product is without having to

look at the contents inside, alongside that

introducing the colour coding around the

outside linking to the category of each

makeup product i.e. eye shadow, lipstick.

I wanted to create brand recognition

without promoting a model or anyone in

particular; therefore, I illustrated this face,

which has become the focal point for my

final piece. The face shows versatility as

it is displayed on all the packaging and

shows the customer what the product is

by having a section of the face highlighted.

The section will differ in colour depending

on the colour of the product is inside.

ELFAPhGD


Alex Robinson

I have focused on ways in which materials

can be manipulated into creating individual

identities. I find it interesting how

textures and the composition of fabrics

can determine what you see underneath,

creating a unique identity.

FA


Emily Grace Robinson

I love the feeling of experiencing new

things and places for the first time. It’s a

feeling that’s short lived and can never be

felt again for the exact same thing. To me,

it’s a feeling of curiosity and perplexity.

This is why I wanted to create something

unseen, by combining unusual compositions

and playing with the aesthetic qualities

and properties.

When I started using expanding foam I was

exploring ways to be able to manipulate

and control the formation which developed

the bizarre idea of containing it within

balloons. The resulting objects reminded

me of shrivelled brains (prompting me to

think of mental illnesses such as dementia).

This current piece hanging has been

created from using the more restraining and

controlling methods and materials used in

the 19th century in mental asylums to give

the piece a tense and restricted sense with

the realisation of the amount of control it’s

under.

Eva Hesse has been an influence in

my work, encouraging me to exploit

body references as she did in her work.

Although, I have encouraged other

interpretations in these balloon forms to

provoke more ideas generated from the

combination of the viewer’s memory and

my work in front of them.

FA

FA


Hannah Ruth Rossetti

A series of interconnected

movements, moments, memories

and thoughts in life.

My recent work stems from an ongoing

interest in memory; how we classify,

organize and memorialise events in

our lives.

The modification of objects and their

transformation is key. Throughout my

practice my approach to making has

been almost instinctive. Underpinned

by the impact of my father’s trade as

a carpenter and my own position as a

mother has played an integral part in my

work, guiding my use of materials and

their transformation creating new identities

with a personal yet ambiguous narrative.

I am playing with the ideas of the Abject,

Abstraction and femininity. I create through

questioning, re-phrasing, construction,

de-construction and re-working a range

of sculptural matter. I am an artist and

collector and have accumulated an

abundance of materials with which to

initiate projects, excited by every new find,

be it mass produced, the opportunist skip

dive, charity shop gem, or second hand

find; the possibilities are infinite.

I have been greatly inspired by the work of

Duchamp, Louise Bourgeois and Chiharu

Shiota and many more.

My work describes stories or memories,

the details of which are imparted bit by

bit in layers, creating a puzzle, assembling

the pieces so they flow together with a

sense of belonging in an uncanny way.

I view this work as a metaphor for

these ideas. I have enjoyed working

and discovering within this complexity

of revelation.

“It is in playing and only in playing that the

individual child or adult is able to be creative and

to use the whole personality, and it is only in being

creative that the individual discovers the self.”

- D.W. Winnicott. (Playing and Reality)

FA

ELFAPhFA

BA (Hons) Photography with Fine [email protected]://yasminrowlands.wix.com/mysite

Yasmin Rowlands

My photography represents my

relationships with individuals. I have

captured women and the beauty within

them. My vision is to create something

that is pleasing to the viewer’s eye, whilst

my motivation to create my work came

from my love of fashion and portraiture.

My aim is to have a soft and feminine

feel to my images. Having a love for fashion

I wanted incorporate that into my artwork.

I have created expressive pieces using

a variety of materials and paint. I have

incorporate dashes of colour with a mixture

of neutral tones using paint, whilst having

the element of fabric to bring in texture.

My Photography and Fine Art work have

some similarities, mainly being that they

are both ‘raw’. Within my art pieces, they

are expressive and don’t represent anything,

whilst my photography is raw in the sense

that the whole shoot is styled by myself.

There’s almost stillness and a peaceful

feel when you look at my photography

work, which is a sense you get from my

artwork too.

GD


Aaron Dennis Russell

Hi I’m Aaron Dennis Russell, a Graphic

Design student based at Chester this past

year. This is Ground Level - a brand that

I have produced to bring people back

down to earth from a height. My aim is to

leave messages about modern culture and

wakening people from their sleeping state

of mind.

One of my favourite quotes comes from

a film called Hugo. Hugo Cabret says,

“Everything has a purpose, clocks tell you the time,

trains takes you to places. I’d imagine the whole

world was one big machine. Machines never come

with any extra parts, you know. They always

come with the exact amount they need. So I

figured if the entire world was one big machine...

I couldn’t be an extra part. I had to be here for

some reason. And that means you have to be here

for some reason, too.”

I think that the human race hasn’t reached

their full potential, by expanding our mind

to conform to technology are we not just

putting our self out of action?

Does buying a named brand make you

any more of a person than that of someone

who is homeless? Is class, religion, and

belief just a mechanism to separate us

from one another so that we don’t march

forward and bring the real terrorists to

justice? (If justice even does exist at all).

I welcome you to my final show there you

will be given your stomping ground.

FA


Taiwo Adesina Sangster

The focus for my works has been the

reinterpretation of the Adire (Tie-Dye

Batik) textile patterns of the Yoruba

people of western Nigeria in West Africa.

Traditional Adire textile patterns originated

from history, legends, myths, proverbs and

the observation of the environment. I have

always been excited seeing the patterns

and colours of those textiles fabrics and

often wondered how they were done.

As a University of Chester undergraduate,

a great opportunity was given to me to

experiment more with the textile patterns

in a painterly way.

I am interested in the relationship between

patterns and colours by using painted and

drawn surfaces, but then I do not want my

work to be flat - I wanted it to have depth

and texture. I like the rich smooth texture

of colours that resulted from the painting.

I also use found materials to further

enhance the textual nature of my painting.

The ideas are to create schematic colour

drawings where you have a three-

dimensional effect.

I am using my works to define and expand

on the ideas of freedom which you see

in the movement of the colours drawing

in my paintings and I enjoy the process of

making the paintings. In order to get the

free movement in the painting I use acrylic

paint with PVA glue as this create flexibility

in the paint which allows for free flow of

the colour and drawing.

FA

GD


Alice Sharpe

Graphic Design fuels how I view the world.

It allows me to be curious and to explore.

I have a love for solving creative problems

and pushing ideas as far as they can go.

I have learnt that you can take inspiration

from anywhere and transform it into much

more. With an infatuation with beautiful

things, designing allows me to leave my

mark, even though I always struggle to

deem a design finally complete.

Typography is everywhere and I have

developed a keen interest in the subject

during my time at university. The choice

of typeface and arrangement of lettering

can convey so much in a design and is a

main focus of my practice and final degree

show project. Looking particularly into the

emotions behind letterforms, I also adore

combining colours and hope that my work

is as fun and enjoyable for the viewer, as it

is for me when I’m creating it. I aspire to

make my way into a career that involves

typography. I have thoroughly enjoyed the

beginning of my journey as a designer at

university. There are so many things I am

looking forward to learning as I enter the

diverse world of the design industry.

“Thinking about design is hard, but not

thinking about it can be disastrous.”

- Ralph Caplan

GD


Emma Jade Shuttleworth

Emma Jade

Well what can I say,

A creative blonde

bursting with fun and laughter,

keen to see where her Degree will take her.

Let the next chapter begin.....

ELFAPhJo

BA (Hons) Photography with [email protected]://paigetaylaslade.wordpress.com/

Paige Tayla Slade

This project explores how dreams and

the subconscious affect our imagination.

I have a keen interest in the ‘fantastic’

and I often pass the time caught up in a

fantasy novel. I found that these novels

have often influenced my own daydreams.

I have always enjoyed things that take me

out of this world and into another; it’s

an escape from reality. The process of

imagination and daydreaming is combined

with my love/transformation through

post-production techniques could lead

to an interesting result.

I looked at Freudian theories on the

interpretation of dreams and how dreams

affect art. I found that Freud believed that

dreams represent deep-seated secret desires

that are kept in the subconscious mind away

from societal judgment and are released

while we sleep. So by looking into my own

subconscious imagination and daydreams

I could access a part of me that many

people are unaware of, and I might be

slightly ashamed of.

The work reveals fantasies of a world

within our own that we are oblivious to.

For me this is a release, to show the world

my secret passion for the otherworldly,

something that I carry deep within my

soul. Turning to multiple exposure and

manipulation techniques, which merge

human portraits with nature and its

elemental energies connecting my work

with my inner subconscious.

The work crosses over with advertising

and commercial culture. Editorial practice

has had an impact on the outcomes for

this project, leading to large-scale work.

Visual culture and theory assist with

negotiating the relationship between

fantasy and reality, examining the ways

in which the imagination and utopia are

signified and connoted, can be different

per individual. Using clouds as a metaphor

throughout my work as a symbol of the

imagination and dream world, as they are

often associated together; as the saying

goes “head in the clouds”.

ELFAELFA

BA (Hons) English Literature and Fine [email protected]

Madeline Smart

The focus of my third year project has

been on the relationship between the

internal and external features of the

human body and mechanical objects,

focusing specifically on clocks.

Our bodies play a vital role in everyday

life, as they carry out functions that

allow us to live, of all which are taken

for granted. Organs are typically

perceived as unpleasant and repulsive.

The external features of the body are

the main concentration of one’s attention,

whilst the intricate internal structures

and complex systems are ignored and

unacknowledged. Likewise, to the structure

of a clock, the face is what makes the object

visually striking and is primarily focused

on. Arguably, the internal components are

equally attractive, delicate and interesting.

Through my body of work, I have selected

and attempted to illustrate multiple sections

of the organs and clockwork, to emphasise

the importance of the overlooked

interior and the fascinating shapes that

create the body and mechanical objects.

The combination of both subjects also

explores the contrast between the animate

and inanimate, flesh and metal and the

modes of different machines.

Typically, images of organs are depicted

in a formal, diagrammatic arrangement.

However, by using vibrant colours and

extravagant patterns, I have tried to

present the subject in a playful and

appealing manner. By doing so, I aim

to decrease this stereotypical ‘gruesome’

perception and ignorant attitude towards

the organs.

I experimented on a large scale so that my

work would have a demanding presence in

the gallery space. I hoped that the impact

would compel the onlooker to observe and

appreciate the subject and the variety of

internal shapes. The collision of the diverse

forms constructs a complex, compact and

abstract composition, much like the inner

structure of the organ systems and clocks.

The shapes may not be recognisable at

initial sighting, yet I hope that this will

encourage the observer to look deeper

into my work and recognise the aesthetics

in the forgotten internal features.

FA


Bethan Smith

With an air of enticing openness, this piece

engulfs and encrusts around its environment

using deep, glistening blues and greens

to create a mysterious, magical and

ethereal landscape, while still exploring the

properties of reflectivity and translucency

using clusters of pale, shimmering spikes.

A little fantastical, mystical world built

from clusters of glue, glass, foam and

sugar sprinkles; structured on top of a

Perspex layered table to lure people into a

more diverse and interactive environment.

A portrayal of an undisturbed dystopia,

where the elements are both fragile and

sharp, using an aquatic, crystal-like blue to

entice people into an almost frosty crystal

cave. With connotations to Disney’s Frozen

and influences from David Altmejd, Tanya

Schultz, and Roger Hiorns, the piece aims

to ‘blur the distinctions between interior

and exterior, surface and structure’, with

both an ‘attraction and an aggression’ to

it, where its aesthetic is to be ‘beautiful

but not nice’. This piece aims to tempt

people into interacting with it, with

its enticing, shimmering and reflective

qualities creating a juxtaposition to the

sharp, delicate and potential danger of

the glass. The piece transforms mundane

and everyday materials into otherworldly,

ethereal elements; engulfing and absorbing

audiences into an aesthetically pleasing,

mystical, yet disturbing environment.

FA

FA


Nikita May Smith

Bright, vibrant and colourful things have

always been a recurring theme throughout

my work, and a strength I have played

to yet again. My work for this exhibition

revolves around an exploration of wrapping

techniques and contrasts of hard and soft

against different patterns and shapes.

I have turned everyday objects into

something unrecognisable and enhanced

their aesthetics. I have taken the norm

and turned it into abstract. Since coming

to university as a painter my work has

changed completely and each year has

increased in size and style. My work for

this project is more three-dimensional

and sculpture/installation based and I have

continued to step out of my comfort zone

and push my abilities to the maximum. I

enjoy creating a chaotic and contrasting

scene for people to be mesmerised by and

get lost in, to then be broken up by blocks

of powerful colour and objects. The work

is very kitsch and playful in an attempt to

encourage the viewer to be positive and

happy which a lot of people associate

being in memories of their childhood.

My work with wool associates the old

with the young therefore everyone

should be able to relate to my piece.

FA

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic Designadspencergraphics@gmail.comadspencerdesignblog.wordpress.com

Andrew Spencer

Malaysia Airlines suffered two of the most

devastating disasters in aviation history

in the short space of four months in 2014,

namely flights MH370 and MH17. In the

days, months and now years following

these tragic accidents, there have been

very few definitive answers as to why

either of the disasters took place and

this has resulted in a barrage of

speculation and scaremongering

from many within the media that has

severely damaged the airlines image.

On 9th June 2015, Malaysia Airlines

announced that they had begun a re-

branding process that could take up to

two years to complete. As a designer with

a keen interest in branding I took this as

an opportunity to really test myself with

a large brief in an unfamiliar industry

that crossed cultural boundaries.

In order to tackle this brief, I conducted

extensive research into many areas.

These included; the airline, its customers,

the airline industry and Malayan culture.

My findings allowed me to set a plan to

rebuild the airlines battered image and

reinstate their customer’s confidence in

the airline.

The main problem the airline has faced

with its current branding is its association

with the two disasters of 2014. This

problem could be fixed by eradicating

the old brand and starting afresh. However,

in doing so, this approach could alienate

the airline’s loyal customers that have a

connection with the brand. This posed

a problem that needed a well thought

through solution.

In my approach to the re-branding of

Malaysia Airlines, I have found a perfect

medium in bringing together several key

areas; culture, modern design and the

airlines current/historical branding.

I have incorporated elements from each

of these areas to form a modern and

culturally rich airline that has kept its

substantial heritage at the forefront of

its branding.

GD


Alex Stenner

My design is heavily influenced by my own

ethics. When necessary, I often apply the

theme of equality to my personal work

because I take a lot of interest in tackling

social issues through my creative ability.

My final project is a design solution for

children suffering with bereavement. I have

created an interactive children’s book that

serves the purpose of provoking relevant

conversation with children for when they

are placed back into school following the

death of a family member. I am aware that

the lack of support for children in schools

who have lost family members is a massive

issue and not enough support is available.

The art style is melancholic and the

colours are purposely washed out to

express how the grieving process can be

such a colourless experience. However,

as the book gradually progresses, the

colour is restored.

I have enjoyed my time studying at the

University of Chester and will continue

as a postgraduate to study for a PGCE.

I will also take my design skills further

by working on personal projects.

ELFAGDPh


Laura Taylor

I have been passionate about graphic

design and photography for as long as

I can remember, and I have always dreamt

of turning these hobbies into a living, and

studying at University of Chester has made

me realise that I can turn these dreams into

a reality.

Both of my projects that I am exhibiting

are based around subjects that are very

close to me. My graphic design exhibition

piece is based on a project that revolves

around funny slang words used by not

only my family, but by the majority

of people from a place where I grew

up, Tipton, in the West Midlands.

My photography exhibition piece on

the other hand is based on a long

exposure project, which is a technique

that I have always been interested in,

and my intentions with this project

were to allow the audience to see

things beyond their senses.

ELFAFAES

BA (Hons) Fine Art with Education Studieslorna.may.thomas@hotmail.co.uklornamaythomasart.wordpress.com

Lorna Thomas

I focus on making people start to see

scrap and disregarded materials in a

different light, and to see the potential

in everyday mundane objects. I use objects

that have been created for a particular

purpose, yet give them the potential to

be manipulated in to other roles. Through

the use of varying materials, yet mainly

metal I focus on how nature collides

with the modern world. The industrial

being eroded and manipulated by nature,

looking at the overgrown decay and rust.

The collision of juxtaposed textures is

what embodies my practice as I embrace

the playfulness and undercut the

monumentalism of traditional sculpture.

I purposely weld on show as It’s used as a

vessel to organically integrate characterised

and burnt colourings. Thus showing it can

be used as a practical purpose, but an

aesthetically pleasing one too.

The small clusters of intricate detail

combined with the stark, clean spacing

is vital as I aim for the viewer to be

enchanted with the numerous sides of

the piece, every side being unrecognisable

from the previous. Thus creating a form

of involvement for the viewer, as they

have to physically move with the piece’s

different heights and scales to appreciate

all elements. While focusing on geometric

and angular shapes that create a sense of

movement and fluidity, the structure defies

gravity as it preciously balances, yet looking

menacing and trap like with its sinister,

sharp and jagged edges contrasted in layers.

I have discovered how sculpture has

many practical issues that can prevent

progression, however I have recognised

how the practical challenges actually

start to define the work itself, creating

questions about the reasoning behind it as

the structural frame work starts to provide

more than just support. Sometimes blurring

the lines between the accidental and the

intentional mark making process. Having

embraced a new-found skill of welding,

I have massively enjoyed working within

a medium that I have never touched on

before, truly pushing myself out of my

comfort zone, yet ironically it seems,

finding my niche.

GD

BA (Hons) Graphic [email protected]://evechanamon.wordpress.com

Eve Chanamon Tochuen

This is one of a poster series I designed for

the YCN ‘Save the Children’ brief. The aim

of this project is to come up with ways to

encourage dads to read to their children,

building a strong start in education and

literature for their kids from a young age.

My approach in this was to tackle it in a

personal, heart warming way, reminding

all the dads the importance of a family

and the future of their child’s. I used a

child-like and care-free theme in an attempt

to get the idea across. I created a series of

simple drawings and hand written quotes

related to the project as I feel like they will

represent the rewarding feeling to the dads

from when their kids come home from

school and give them drawings that they

did inspired by the stories they have read

together.

ELFAFAGD

BA (Hons) Fine Art with Graphic [email protected]://teeullah1995.wix.com/thayfullah

Thayf Ullah

As an artist and designer, I’m the sort of

person who likes a challenge. By having

this principal, I am able to push myself

further and take my projects to other

heights. As a result, this has enabled all

my projects to be unique and eye catching.

Personally, I would not say I have a

particular niche style when it comes to art,

as I like to explore many aspects within

the art world which allows me to create

many different styles of work.

My three years at the University of Chester

has allowed me to recognise and develop

my practice, but also has allowed me to

express my ideas and translate them into

physical forms. The works I have chosen

to exhibit reflect my abilities as an artist.

Both projects took months to complete,

and involved many investigations and

experiments, to achieve these two

final results.

But what do I want to do in the future?

I want to be a unique artist with a visionary

mind. I want to be fun and creative, and

create works that show off my skills and

talents, as well as represent me as an artist.

FA


Jennifer Vane-Stobbs

As an artist, I have always been fascinated

by with organic formations within nature,

scientific process and man’s inventiveness

with materials. Part of my process is

scientific and data driven, through the

collection of commonplace discarded

objects and the location data. Much of

my inspiration for this body of work has

come from walking in coastal locations in

Wales, observing the eroding actions of

wind and waves upon rocks, breakwaters

and the washed up beach debris. This

provides a rich source of subtle colours,

textures and ambiguous forms, their

original shapes worn away almost

to abstraction.

Throughout this project, I have attempted

to change the meaning and way in which

we observe debris, which is often pushed

out of view. Bringing the plastic debris

into view once more, elevating its worth

in a sculptural form transforms it to

become a monument of our throwaway

modern society.

FA

FA

BA (Hons) Fine [email protected]://angelartworks.wordpress.com

Angela Walker

I have always been enthusiastic about art,

from sculpture, moving art to paintings.

I can look at a piece and find something

that will interest me in one way or another.

My passion means throwing myself into

that relationship, goal, dream, or activity.

It means casting aside my worries or

distractions and embracing instead the

delights of the moment or the hope of

a successful piece. My passion for art

makes me feel fully alive. It is one of

the roots of my joy. I have created two

figurative painting with some element

of water incorporated into them.

Although I love trying new and old

techniques when creating a piece of

artwork, I always find that I am drawn

to incorporate water. I feel very comfortable

when I paint this subject as it has been

an interest of mine for many years. Being

able to capture moving water with paint

is the best way to express my love of art.

Having attended many galleries and in

awe of portrait paintings, trying it myself

has always been my Achilles heel. I was

never satisfied with my attempts to recreate

a portrait. Not just portraits, the human

form is in itself an amazing structure to

recreate with whatever media. I wanted

to explore my fear of this and combine

both water and the human form into

the paintings. My enthusiasm is echoed

in the hope and energy we stir around

us and my ambition and aim was to

hopefully express that to the viewer.

FA

GD


Jordan Walker

(In collaboration with Rick Meads)

We are Northwest 72. A new gin

motivated by the urban connection

between Manchester and Birmingham.

Our brand aims to capture a new

demographic by promoting elements

of night-life through the use of a

vibrant colour palette integrated

with a contemporary graphic style.

We have built a brand narrative that reflects

our vision to connect people through urban

environments. We have achieved this with

our name referencing the compass bearing

between Birmingham and Manchester,

our label composition and typography

inspired by the modern day train ticket and

our bottle designed using a tactile element

to represent the texture of the streets.

Our product boasts a unique blend of 12

botanical elements, with a focus on Apple

and Grapefruit as dominant notes. With a

concrete attitude and desire to differentiate

from our competitors, we have crafted

our brand to break down the stigmas

surrounding gin as a drink for an older

audience. The city, the sound, the people.

Northwest 72.

ELFAPhGD

BA (Hons) Photography and Graphic Design [email protected]/rebecca_weetman_photography/

Rebecca Weetman

Being a combined student, my Photography

and Graphic Design work are completely

different. They are both on different

subjects - one on Disney because I have

always loved Disney since a young age

and it shows different identities within

the different characters. My intention

was to show the various story lines in

the films and I also wanted to show how

the Disney characters influence your life

and make you want to be like them.

My other work is on Infertility because

I found it an interesting subject and

wanted to learn more about it. My mum

had an infertile experience so that was

my inspiration to find out more about

it. I figured that the best way to use this

information was in a magazine because

it is more personal. Even though my

subjects are completely different I had

to think about the messages behind the

photography in both areas. The message

in the photography for the Disney is that

there are hidden notes behind the films of

Disney, whilst the message communicated

in the infertile project is that you shouldn’t

give up and that there’s always a light at

the end of the tunnel.

ELFAPhGD

BA (Hons) Photography with Graphic [email protected]/jessicawbphotography

Jessica Whitley-Baylee

Photography has been a practice that

I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about

and experimenting with during university.

The inspiration for my photography project

came from an unusual discovery. When

we moved house, I found a rusty old

box under the floorboards in the living

room. When it was opened I saw a

key and a handwritten note that read,

“This is the key to untold wealth”.

This triggered my interest in working

with old antique objects. I have become

fascinated by the history of these objects

and how they seem to maintain a link

to people of the past. I decided to use

a different technique to take an image

other than using a camera. I have used

a flat bed scanner to create my images.

I used the scanner because it created

flattened space and created unusual

focus within the images.

My Graphic Design project revealed itself

through my love of animals and how

I feel connected to them. I have explored

other people’s relationships with animals

and their personal connections with pets.

I wanted to bring different skills into this

project like my photographic skills and

also how I like to physically make

something with my hands.

Three - dimensional models have

been used within the project to create

a different view of the animal and to

show a connection to a particular person.

GD


Charlotte Whysall

Most of my work contains some level

of illustration, whether it is by hand or

digitally. I mainly work by combining

my passion for illustration with other

techniques such as animation and

interactive things. I am constantly

exploring and expanding my practice by

keeping up to date with new technologies

and incorporating them into my work.

I love learning new things and using

them in interesting and unique ways,

creating something completely new.

Which is why combining several

techniques and creating new things

is what my work mainly consists of,

as this is how the job of a creative

practitioner has developed in

modern times.

FA


Demi Louise Williams

This year has given me the confidence

to develop work on gender roles and

differences. As a female artist I became

dedicated to represent the roles women

had to fulfil in the ammunition factories.

My motivation for this project came

from background research which truly

highlighted the burden placed upon

women when men went to war. Women’s

roles changed dramatically as they were

left to take control of the ammunition

factories, a role historically undertaken by

men. For my project I chose to develop

casts of weapons to represent the war,

I chose to change the materials they

were made from in order to challenge the

concept of gender. For example, weapons

are generally made from hard materials

and associated with men. In order to

challenge the perception of gender

I created weapons from soft materials

to represent the concept of femininity.

FA

ELFAFAPh


Paige Woods

Architecture, form, and a strong sense

of design are evident within my work.

My Fine Art practice combines multiple

printmaking processes including screen-

printing, intaglio, and emulsion transfer.

I appreciate the direct creativity and

methodology of printmaking, and have

thoroughly enjoyed juxtaposing colour

with Architectural forms and shapes.

I have found that my prints continued to

develop throughout, thus creating potential

possibilities for future projects. Printing

onto material using the emulsion transfer

technique has created a degraded and

textured surface, which as a result has

enhanced the materiality of my prints.

I have incorporated textiles into my

practice, because I have an affinity for

sewing. The incorporation of textiles led

me inevitably into the three dimensional

realm. I enhanced the presence of circular

forms within my prints, and created 3D

objects by sewing prints together.

Repeated pattern, motion and a pseudo-

scientific reference are present within my

prints. My exploration of printmaking

techniques has helped me to realise, that it

is one of my favourite forms of art making.

My Fine Art practice has been

heavily influenced and inspired by my

Architectural images from my photographic

work. Throughout my Photography

practice, I have aimed to capture the

subjective beauty of Architectural

structures that dominate our surroundings.

I explored the urban environment within

the city of Liverpool, photographing

Architectural structures that intrigued

me. I approached the structures as if they

were humans having their portraits taken.

I wanted my Architectural photographs to

challenge the notion of constructed beauty,

and question whether anything made by

man can truly be beautiful. My approach

was a methodical and meticulous one;

I employed the clean and modular style

often associated with Architectural

Photography to capture my images.

ELFAGDFA

BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Fine [email protected] Twitter/Instagram: @demedicia

Calvin Woodworth

Prior to enrolling at the University of

Chester, I had preconceptions of my

practice and my intended career. Coming

to the end of my final year, I have found

my direction has completely changed.

Being a combined student, I have had

the opportunity to progress in multiple

disciplines. In doing so, I have discovered

new attributes about myself and my art.

I have worked on developing languages,

alphabets, and communication, as well

as abstract drawing, animal anatomy, and

painting. Over time I have accumulated

an eclectic mix of art and design, that

has slowly formed into a unique style of

work. I hope to continue my studies at

the University of Chester to develop my

practice even further. University hasn’t

been easy, I found myself questioning

my work and struggling to justify myself

as an artist, but I have been given the

confidence and space to develop and

understand my art.

“Not all those who wander are lost”

- J. R. R. Tolkien

FA


Jocelyn Woolgar-Jones

The focus of my sculptural work over the

duration of my course has been the use

of found objects and reinventing them as

new entities. For this composition I initially

focused on provoking an emotive response.

I wanted to intimidate the viewer and

I decided the best way to achieve this was

through scale. I also decided that black

would be the best colour to represent

intimidation. I have also utilised black

as a way of uniting the different aspects

of my composition.

The more I worked the more I realised

I had fallen in love with the aesthetic of the

sculptures and therefore decided to balance

the emotive response I initially wanted with

the aesthetic I’d developed. The sleek black

lines and shiny surface brought a luxury

element to the work. I decided to enhance

this aspect whilst bringing something more

to the composition through the addition

of faux fur. Fur, fake or otherwise, has

represented luxury and seductiveness

since its conception. This led me to use

a mixture of materials not only metal

and fur but also wood, plastic and rope.

I wanted to create a visually interesting

and somewhat confusing dialogue.

To achieve this, I have used objects that

are recognisable and then warped them.

This intervention confronts what the

viewer knows and expects and challenges

them to define what my sculptures are.

Balance has always been a key feature

of my work and this composition is no

different. For every choice I have made

in one section there is a counter choice

made to keep the composition balanced.

Creating balance is an aesthetic principle

that humans have always practiced in art,

also on an emotive level the act of creating

harmony demonstrates a need for control.

In summary I have aimed to make the

viewer feel intimidated, confused and

conflicted. However, because art is

subjective depending on the person,

I am intrigued to see how the audience

reacts. I have also aimed to challenge

preconceived ideas of what an object

can or should be. Finally, I have aimed

to create balance and harmony within

the composition.

FA

ELFAPhFA

BA (Hons) Photography with Fine [email protected]

Maria Worrall

My work aims to represent the relationships

within families that are hidden from the

outside world - the tension, arguments,

emotional outbursts and issues that arise

from a group of people living so closely

whilst trying to meet the conceived

expectations of a ‘family’.

These moments are not photographed to be

remembered, hung on the living room wall

or stuck to the fridge, however locked away,

forgotten as soon as the front door is closed

on the way out to drop the children off at

school. These moments are shut away, only

to eventually escape through the cracks

behind the perfectly wallpapered dining

room walls, or with the steam of the kitchen

kettle as a father makes only himself a cup

of tea. They may escape with the turn of

the bathroom tap, or be hiding under the

bedroom rug to be found when hovering

on a Saturday afternoon. These moments

may appear and re-appear at any time,

creating more moments to be added to

the collection of hidden memories, this

time in the cereal box, the biscuit tin,

with the crisp white fluffy towels in the

airing cupboard and with the wires behind

the 50” Ultra HD TV. As one escapes more

begin to seep into the room. Before you

know it they are all out, flying around the

room as if you had just hit a wasp nest.

Strongly influenced by my own family life,

and my parents divorce, my work explores

the idea that there is a hidden aspect to

family life that can only be seen by those

on the inside.

university of chester art and design degree show 2016

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