Pieces: On Dementia

Second Year BA (HONS) Illustration students have taken part in a collaborative project with the charity, Age UK in Stockport. The students made visits to day care centres in Marple and South Reddish, where they spent valuable time talking to people at various stages of dementia. This provided a unique and insightful experience for the students involved.

The students recorded their conversations through note-taking and short recordings. They then used, this information as a catalyst to make illustrations, based on the things talked about. Stories about their lives, things they did, anecdotes or fragments of memories became pictures. The students presented their work to Age UK in a professional manner, who in fact became ‘the client’. The work resulted in the publication of a booklet entitled 'Pieces' which was accompanied by a set of cards representing individual student responses.

Joanna Spicer, the course leader for BA (Hons) Illustration said, "As a tutor, I feel it is really important for students to engage with people from different walks of life. The publication of the booklet aims to highlight the past lives of those affected by dementia enable them to be seen as ‘real people’, with a past, a history and a story to tell".

Photographs by Texbook Studios

BBC News in Pictures Features BA Photography Graduate Work

Photography graduates from Stockport College have made it onto the BBC News in Pictures web site. Degree work from students who have just completed a three-year BA (Hons) Photography course will go on show at the Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester from 20th June.

A selection of student still and moving images took the top slot on the BBC News website after graduate Andrea Smith contacted the BBC to help publicise the exhibition.

“We’re really please about the exposure that the exhibition was given on the BBC website – but it didn’t surprise me at all,” said Paul Proctor, Assistant Dean of the School of Arts, Design & Media at Stockport.

“Our students are a group of highly motivated and entrepreneurial individuals, and enterprising in every respect


“We try as far as possible to encourage our students to work independently as well as collaboratively, and this is a perfect example of that; the students played a big part in organising the exhibition, then Andrea took it on herself to do what she could to raise the profile of the event – and this is the result.”

Among the graduates’ images featured on the BBC website were examples of Andrea’s own work, which explored gender stereotypes through the idea of hunting in modern life, from food to designer goods.

 Also included were images by: Emma McKay, whose work examined the improvisational world of hip-hop; Chris Griffiths, who mixed images and sounds in his original film, ‘Bleed’; Stacey Calderwood, whose work took its inspiration from the stonemasonery skills of her father and two brothers; and Andy Moseley, whose short film depicted foreigners offering their humorous observations on English men and women.

They can be viewed at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-18416143

GROW Design Shows 2012

THE home-grown talents of Stockport College graduate students have been displayed to potential employers from the creative industries at a series of special exhibitions.

Using a horticultural theme, the 2012 Arts, Design & Media Degree Show – entitled ‘Grow’ – illustrated how far the students’ imaginations and abilities have bloomed after three years in the College ‘hothouse’.

It featured a range of some of the best new cutting-edge work in the North West, including graphic design, illustration and photography – and received overwhelming interest from the hundreds of people attending the show’s preview.

“The GROW theme really refers to the students themselves and the journey they have taken on their courses,” said Paul Proctor, Assistant Dean of the Arts, Design & Media Department.

“But in order for something to grow you have to provide the right conditions. You also have to nurture its growth.

“We certainly hope that we have played our part in that, by providing our students with an environment in which they have been able to explore, experiment and make mistakes, and through those processes cultivate strength, confidence and independence which will enable them to continue to grow throughout their future careers.”

‘Grow’ showcased the work of 70 graduating students from the BA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons) Illustration, BA (Hons) Photography and Foundation Degrees in Commercial Photography and Design & Advertising.

Dominique Byron and students on the Illustration course won the ‘Best in Show’ prize with another six students winning best in course.

Following ‘Grow’, students’ creative work was featured at ‘Grow-into Town’, held at Kraak Gallery near Stevenson Square in Manchester. They also exhibited at the Design & Art Directors’ ‘New Blood’ event in London on 27th & 28th June. And the BA (Hons) Photography graduates displayed their photographic work at the Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester, at a show titled ‘Everything for Effect’, attended by the great and the good from the photographic community in Manchester and the surrounding areas.

Paul added: “It’s a privilege to work with such ambitious and talented students and our dynamic staff, who are completely dedicated to student success.”

For information about courses in Arts, Design & Media go to: http://www.stockport.ac.uk/art-and-design/