better reflect our art school heritage. The logo ... the group that me and another had got the ..... perilous lives of c
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Mar 2015
Creative Spotlight Insights and advice from the crafts industry
Soviet Ghosts Capturing decaying and abandoned buildings on camera
Aleksy Marcinów The ins and outs of being a tattoo artist
Jake Denham Visualising multimillion pound yachts in Monaco
CREATIVE UPDATE
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Contents
Welcome
Latest News
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Below Still from ‘Thor: The Dark World’, Walt
Jamie Seal 08 The Power of Documentary Aleksy Marcinów Making My Mark
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Ella Gregory 16 It’s a Bloggers Life UCA Alumni Team Angela Chadwick Head of Corporate Communications Emily Cooper Alumni Relations Thara Sukumaran Database Officer Carys Waters Press & PR Officer Tim Pilgrim Press & PR Officer
[email protected] www.ucreative.ac.uk
Graphic Design & Art Direction by UCA alumni She Was Only shewasonly.co.uk
Miriam Abou-Shehada Behind the Scenes
Printed by Asendia.
Emma Wakley Child’s Play
Cover illustration by Margaux Carpentier
Hanna Marie Hutchison Dressing the Stars
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Robert Sae-Heng 28 Sketches & Sombreros Margaux Carpentier Wild Side
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Jake Denham 36 Monaco Dream Rebecca Litchfield Soviet Ghosts
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Liz Reece 44 Stitch by Stitch BFI Reunion Obituaries
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Creative Spotlight Crafts
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Disney Studios Motion Pictures 2013
Welcome to Issue 11 Welcome to Issue 11 of Creative Update! We never fail to be inspired by the diverse range of careers enjoyed by our graduates, following their time with us. This issue has seen us interview a fine artist who is thriving in the world of tattoo artistry, a yacht interiors specialist based in Monaco, through to a social entrepreneur helping facilitate creative enterprise in the Solomon Islands. Art colleges have a unique history of not only equipping students with technical skills, but also helping shape an individual creative vision that can be applied to any sector, in any part of the world. As increased university fees serve to discourage prospective students from following their passions and true interests at university, it is more important than ever for arts institutions like us to confidently communicate the myriad of benefits that creative degrees bring to individuals, businesses and society. The creative sector has seen unprecedented growth and the creative industries are now worth more than £76.9 billion each year. But the economic value is only one tiny aspect - how can we possibly quantify the enjoyment, stimulation and even happiness brought to us by filmmakers, artists, journalists and designers? With this in mind, we’ve recently updated our visual identity to better reflect our art school heritage. The logo you see in this magazine was created for us by Spin who, inspired by the studio-based learning across our campuses, used a graphical representation of stencils as the building block of the new identity. The stencils can be used to create a fixed version of the logo, but they can also be used in more playful ways. As a creative university, we felt it important to extend the idea of visual identity far beyond the creation of a corporate logo. While it’s very early days, we’re incredibly excited about experimenting with the new identity and applying it creatively across different forms. We’d love to hear your views on either the updated look, or the content in this issue of Creative Update. If you have a story, or even just a suggestion of a topic you’d like to see covered, don’t hesitate to get in touch. The UCA Alumni Team
[email protected]
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News
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UCA students work with London’s Riverside Studios
Apple name graduate’s Godus in ‘Best of 2014’
Master of Architecture and MA Urban Design students from UCA have been working with Riverside Studios in Hammersmith on its planned redevelopment, due to open in late 2017. With one group of students developing proposals for the new building and another group looking at ways that the arts and media centre can continue to engage the public whilst the studios are closed for redevelopment, the project focused on the role of the arts and culture within urban transformation processes and gave the students the chance to work with Riverside Studios as a real client. “The project was treated as a live project,” explained MArch student Catherine Griffiths. “We were able to listen to the views of the different stakeholders, and use them to drive our designs. We presented our projects to them upon completion and it was a unique opportunity and an experience which I really enjoyed.” Catherine was part of the group that focused on the “time of hibernation” - the years that Riverside Studios will be closed to the public. Her proposal was for the studios to collaborate with artists of Park Royal to create a strong community and provide culture during the new studio construction. Aaron Bright and Emilio Koutsoftides also worked on creating ideas to engage the public during the redevelopment. “The physical connection between Riverside Studios and the community is now dislocated,” explained MArch
student Aaron. “In order to maintain that connection, we created an initiative called #RiversideMemories.” As a digital platform where members of the public can share their experiences of Riverside Studios, #RiversideMemories works as a photographic archive and also aims to develop a programme of events during various phases of the development. The project attracted the attention of celebrities on twitter, including Keith Lemon, Jack Whitehall and Frankie Boyle. Aaron and Emilio also developed the hoarding project, which was designed to celebrate the last few days of the Riverside Studios’ building before its demolition. The students are currently developing the hoarding project further with Riverside Studios. For more information about the history and the redevelopment of Riverside Studios, please visit: www.riversidestudios.co.uk
Top Riverside Studios Steps by Vasileios Mamaloukos Above Riverside Memories by Aaron Bright & Emilio Koutsoftides
Industry giant Apple has announced ‘Godus’, a mobile ‘god game’ created by graduate Jack Attridge, as one of their ‘Best of 2014.’ ‘Godus’ stormed the Apple charts when it was released on the iPhone and iPad during the summer of 2014, taking the top spot in 35 countries. It has also recently been released on Android, achieving over a million downloads during its first week of release. “Considering how many developers are making games for mobile platforms it is quite an honour!” said Jack, 25, who graduated from BA (Hons) Film Production at UCA Farnham in 2012. “I’ve always had the highest admiration for Apple as one of the most innovative companies in the world so it is fantastic to have their support. Throughout the development of ‘Godus’ I have had the pleasure of meeting with them on various occasions, yet they are very secretive so it was a lovely surprise to be considered a highlight in 2014.” Jack now hopes his latest upcoming game, ‘The Trail’, can repeat ‘Godus’ huge success when it’s released over the coming months.
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Fashion graduate secures job at Ted Baker
Sophie Moore, who studied Fashion Atelier at Rochester, has secured a role as Design Admin Assistant at Ted Baker just a few months after graduating. Her Ted Baker journey began when she won a competition whilst completing her degree, giving her the chance to intern at TedQuarters, the Ted Baker headquarters in London. Originating from UCA Fashion Atelier’s industry contacts at Ted Baker, the competition was created exclusively for UCA students and required them to design a capsule collection for the Ted Baker customer. “The collection I designed and presented was based upon a royal appointment, with consideration as to what a Ted’s girl might wear to meet the Queen,” explained Sophie. A selected group of students visited TedQuarters to present their work to the Head of Womenswear and the Senior Womenswear Designer - who is now Sophie’s boss. Sophie added: “Just the experience of going there and seeing the building and
environment was fantastic. When they told the group that me and another had got the placement, I couldn’t believe it - I was so grateful and excited.” Sophie interned with the womenswear design team in June and then shortly after, she was interviewed for the Design Admin Assistant role. The next morning, Sophie received a call from TedQuarters to say that they wanted her to start right away. She now helps the design team with computer-aided design (CAD) and works with product coordinators and garment technologists, whilst also carrying out factory communications. She said: “I never thought I’d be in this situation and I feel so lucky to be working within such a great company and with amazing people. It sounds a bit soppy but I really couldn’t have done it without the support of my family and friends and the great staff on the Fashion Atelier course. They were always there when I needed them and work so incredibly hard to make the course what it is. It is one of the best decisions I made, to take a degree in Fashion Atelier.”
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News
News
Uncovering Butlins’ private adult parties
UCA research excellence recognised UCA has been recognised for its creative arts research in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), with 64% of UCA’s submission classed as worldleading and internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour, and 93% recognised for its quality internationally. REF 2014 assesses the quality and impact of the research at UK higher education institutions and also is used by HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) to allocate research funding for 2015-16. UCA contributed 104 outputs to the assessment including exhibitions, buildings, ceramics, photographic collections, films, essays, books and commissioned reports, from a total of 33 researchers across the university. Dr Simon Ofield-Kerr, UCA’s Vice-Chancellor said: “The REF 2014 assessment has recognised the international significance and impact of creative researchers at UCA. Our submission and the significant achievement of such strong scores
represent the longstanding strengths of our research and practice, which inform the experience of students on all our courses. When compared with other specialist creative arts institutions, we are very pleased to have been so highly placed.” UCA demonstrated the strength of its creative arts research practice, with particular strengths in Fine Art and Photography, alongside the longstanding impact of its international centres, including The Anglo-Japanese Textiles Research Centre, directed by Professor Lesley Millar MBE (‘Lost in Lace’ pictured above left), The Crafts Study Centre, directed by Professor Simon Olding, and the Centre for Sustainable Design, directed by Professor Martin Charter. As well as helping HEFCE to allocate funding, the assessment provides accountability for the benefits of investment, the results acts as important benchmarking information about the research performance in the UK. For more information on UCA’s research, please visit www.ucreative.ac.uk/ research-uca
Photographer Anna Fox, who has gone from Farnham student to Farnham professor over the course of an illustrious career, has released a new book exploring the world of Butlins’ private adult parties. Resort 2, which was recently featured by The Guardian, follows on from 2013’s Resort 1 and documents Butlins’ raucous ‘after-hours’ parties in Anna’s trademark deeply saturated, colourful style. Shot largely in 2009 and 2010, Resort 2 uncovers a carnival world of Elvis’ and zombies, attended by thousands of work-weary revellers looking to let their hair down several times a year. The book marks the latest release in a wide ranging career which has seen Anna travel around the world recording stories from areas as diverse as offices, oil rigs, and traditional folk festivals. In 1999 she covered the unusual Dutch tradition of Zwarte Piet, a November festival celebrating the arrival by boat of Santa Claus (Sintaklaas) and his companion Black Peter (Zwarte Piet). More recently Anna has worked extensively across India and Africa, curated an exhibition in a Latvian castle, and shot an EP cover for London-based band Goldfrapp.
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Alumni enjoy exciting award season
The year got off to a flying start with UCA’s alumni picking up a host of nominations and awards. In the world of film, UCA’s former students went into the BAFTA Film Awards with no fewer than three nominations, with former Foundation student Chris Wilder up against BA Animation graduate Marcus Armitage in an alumni battle for the Best Short Animation award. Chris Wilder, who worked as a stopmotion animator on the film ‘The Bigger Picture’, reigned victorious to claim the gong alongside the film’s director Daisy Jacobs. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award, securing Chris a seat at this years Oscars.
Meanwhile, film graduate Hong Khaou narrowly missed out on the gong for an Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer, when his film ‘Lilting’ was pipped to the prize by David Livingston’s ‘Pride’. ‘Lilting’, which was also nominated for three British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), opened the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it picked up the prize for Best Cinematography. Away from the silver-screen, there was a Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards nomination for Computer Animated Arts graduate Amar Chundavadra, who was nominated in the Outstanding Performance of an Animated Character in a Commercial, Broadcast Program, or Video Game category, for his work animating the character of Sheldon in the Freesat Freetime Adverts. On the night Amar was up against ‘Game of Thrones’’ Drogon the Dragon and John Lewis’ Monty the Penguin, but ultimately the award went to SSE’s Maya the Orangutan. There was also small-screen success for TV Production alumni Lauren Woodfall (pictured above right) and Lauren Howard, who are through to the Royal Television Society (RTS) National Awards after winning the London Region Award for the documentary ‘Finding Serenity’. Five more films could add to this haul when the RTS South Region winners are announced in March.
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Feature
Jamie Seal Left Jamie making ‘Keeping Britain Alive’, BBC 2
The Power of Documentary
Jamie Seal BA (Hons) Film & Video, Farnham, 2003
Jamie Seal has created a successful career for himself, by producing and directing documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4. Previous credits include ‘Secret Millionaire’, ‘Ramsay’s Best Restaurant’, ‘999: What’s Your Emergency?’, ’24 Hours in A&E’ and ‘An Hour to Save Your Life’. He has worked on four BAFTA nominated series and won a Rose d’Or award, an international festival in entertainment broadcasting and programming. The Film & Video alumnus gives Creative Update an insight into why he enjoys the art of observational documentary filmmaking.
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What interests you about documentary filmmaking? I was drawn to documentary making because of a lecture that we had whilst in our second year at UCA. Our tutor showed us some amazing early John Grierson films. Grierson was at the forefront of the early documentary movement and it was through him that I remember being really struck by the power of documentary. There’s an authenticity in it that you just can’t recreate in other art forms. At their best, documentaries shine a light on important social issues and offer a true portrait of people’s values and beliefs. There really are no certainties with my job. I’ve often thought that being a documentary filmmaker is a bit like being an adventurer. You need to be inquisitive and open to new experiences all the time. I’m very grateful to work within this industry. It’s a dream career for me, and I find that every day makes me less ignorant in my outlook on the world. What have been your most exciting projects to work on? I have been fortunate enough to have had so many positive experiences over the last ten years, so it’s very difficult to pick my favourites! I’m incredibly proud, though, of ‘Secret Millionaire’ because I was involved in the series from the beginning, and I feel that it really set me on my path. Despite having now moved onto more long form observational documentaries, ‘Secret Millionaire’ taught me how to find a good character to focus on, and also helped me develop as a storyteller. Another stand-out project for me was making series two and three of ‘24 Hours in A&E’ for Channel 4. It’s been so successful and people tend to like the fact that we managed to capture the great British sense of humour in the face of adversity and suffering, whilst tackling some really sensitive issues. How do you approach making a new documentary? I’m a great believer in having an agreed shooting style at the start of the process. This is particularly important if you’re making a series of films. All documentary filmmakers have slightly different ways of working, but
Jamie Seal
“I work as more of a one-man-band. I shoot, produce, direct and manage the workflow of my own material. This gives me a level of control and helps to create intimacy with a project”
Below Right Jamie in an edit Below Left On location for ‘The Romanians Are Coming’
I think that the earlier you can commit to a shooting style, the better. However, staying open to new ideas and having the confidence to adapt your stories and direction is essential in this business. You can spend a long time shooting a documentary but only get a clear focus of the structure when you’re in the editing phase of production. What was your journey like after graduating from UCA? At university I loved the fact that I was surrounded by like-minded and passionate individuals, and it wasn’t until I was in London after taking a year out to travel, that I was faced with what an incredibly hard industry this is to survive in. I started out as a runner, making tea at a small production company called Scream Films. I was then lucky enough to be accepted onto an internship scheme at RDF Television less than a year later, where I embraced as many opportunities as I could. What new trends do you see emerging in the world of observational documentaries? The fact is that the discipline of documentary-making hasn’t really changed much, but the technology that we are using to do it is constantly evolving. Cameras are becoming smaller, opening up new worlds of potential, and the way that people edit and share material has changed immensely too.
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I think that twenty years ago, the idea of very small crews and multitasking was unheard of. However, nowadays filmmakers tend to almost go it alone. For example, I work as more of a one-man-band. I shoot, produce, direct and manage the workflow of my own material. This gives me a level of control and helps to create intimacy with a project. Often if I’m dealing with sensitive issues, it is beneficial to build trusting one-on-one relationships with the contributors without having large crews on hand to obscure the real-life focus of the documentary. What does the future hold for you? I definitely plan to continue making documentaries. I can’t really imagine doing anything else! I have found that as I’ve got older I’ve become more supportive of the younger generation coming through. Filmmaking is such an immersive and timeconsuming experience that you often feel quite alone. Having a nurturing executive figure to back young and upcoming talent is so important these days. Jamie’s most recent documentary ‘The Romanians Are Coming’ aired on Channel 4 in February 2015. Catch up on 4OD here: www.channel4.com/programmes/4od
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Aleksy Marcinów
“In the tattoo industry, there are two types of people. The first are tattooists who copy what they see on a piece of paper or a screen, and the second are tattoo artists, who treat it as a craft, who look for inspiration and create their own style. I graduated in Fine Art from UCA Canterbury and I’m now a tattoo artist at Black Onyx Tattoo Studio in London.”
Making My Mark Aleksy Marcinów BA (Hons) Fine Art Canterbury, 2014
By Aleksy Marcinów
I treat the tattoo machine as just another tool. I adapt my drawing, painting and designing skills through this tool to create something unique with artistic and graphic values. You have to remember though, that you’re not working with paper or canvas any more. You’re marking human skin and you can’t just throw it away if you are not happy with the outcome. Your customer will not sit in the chair as well as a canvas on an easel. They will twitch, move and breathe, making the art all the more complicated. Human skin is very delicate too. You have to learn how deep the needle should go to create a bold line and how many times you should go over an area to pack a strong colour without damaging the tissue.
Just as when using paint or pencil, I have to know my medium. A fresh tattoo looks very different to a healed one; colours are more vibrant and black is really dark. After the healing process when the ink has gone under the layers of skin, the colour slightly fades. Colours are not as vibrant, black turns into graphite, and white ink turns creamy when it stands alone. It is tips like this that I have to be aware of and work with to improve as an artist. Tattooing is quite a science and there are a lot of rules to follow in terms of health and safety, but the main part of my craft is good design. Drawing skills are fundamental to my practice, and having a Fine Art degree gives my customers confidence in me.
Origami face tattoo by Aleksy
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My work is always varied and I really enjoy meeting new people every day. I have a consultation appointment with the customer which is usually a long chat about all sorts of things. This gives me the opportunity to get to know them and explore different ideas. Someone can come into the studio saying, “I would like a bird tattoo” and yet there are thousands of different ways to interpret that. Sometimes people even contact me having viewed photos of my tattoos on Facebook or Instagram and they say, “I just want to get a design from you.” At the end of the day, I’m working in a creative industry so I do have to think, I do have to design, I do have to draw, and I really enjoy it. It’s such a nice feeling when you finish your work and your customer says, “That’s amazing” or “I’m so proud to have your piece permanently on my skin.” Every single tattoo that I do is my signature on someone’s skin, and an advert for my work. If you become recognisable enough then a whole world of opportunity opens up. As I’m writing this now, in fact, I’m actually guesting in a studio in Copenhagen. Between the ages of 13 and 18 years old I went to a very academic fine art school in Poland, and the transition to UCA’s selfdevelopment environment was huge for me. But the facilities and the staff were amazing, and I learned a lot whilst studying there. My Fine Art degree has definitely proven that you never know what’s around the corner. One day I was in the studio waiting for a customer and out of nowhere I got a phone call from a man saying, “I want you to tattoo my car.” When I turned up, I saw in front of me the only Gumpert Apollo in England, and its owner was Elo, the founder of the London Motor Museum. Trust me, I’m not particularly a car fanatic, but this was a supercar, and I had two weeks to design and paint it. For this project I was inspired by Japanese tattoos called Irezumi, which is a tattoo body suit but keeping the neck, face, hands and feet bare. I used a lot of silver and gold, as those are the colours of supercars, and even put my signature on the roof. For the launch of the car, the whole of Regent Street was closed. The car was covered in a black cloth ready for the
Aleksy Marcinów
Above Aleksy with the Gumpert Apollo
reveal, and when it was unveiled the crowds of people went crazy! My career goal is to have my own tattoo studio, and also the opportunity to travel to Asia to learn about Tebori, which is the traditional method of tattooing without using a machine. Of course I still want to paint and draw as much as I can alongside working as a tattoo artist. I’m currently preparing an exhibition for one of the galleries in Le Marais in Paris. With painting, there are no limits. You buy a canvas and create whatever
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you want. With a tattoo, you are somewhat limited by what the customer wants and will allow you to do. Ultimately, though, I’m an artist and I would rather give up tattooing than stop my painting and drawing, which is where the core of my career originates from. To have a look at some of Aleksy’s designs, visit his Facebook and Instagram pages: www.facebook.com/aleksytattoo and @aleksymarcinow
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Feature
Ella Gregory Ella Gregory BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism Epsom, 2011
It’s a Blogger’s Life Coco’s Tea Party is the blog of Fashion Journalism alumna Ella Gregory. Since its launch in 2006, it has gone on to build a loyal reader base of over 120,000 page views per month and over 30,300 Twitter followers. Now a full-time blogger, Ella is associated with numerous high profile brands. She tells Creative Update how her blog has become so successful. How did you become a blogger? I created my blog, Coco’s Tea Party, before I even started studying at UCA. I was the only Fashion Journalism student who already had a blog when they started first year, and I wrote it as a hobby alongside my studies. When I graduated I had no intentions of becoming a full-time blogger. I was interested in the idea of working for fashion magazines, so I got an internship at Marie Claire. However, after about two months there I realised that it wasn’t the lifestyle for me, so I switched my attention completely to Coco’s Tea Party.
What do you blog about? I primarily blog about fashion, beauty and lifestyle trends, and my posts reflect my own personal tastes. My readers enjoy sharing my fashion journey, so I tend to write from a personal perspective, rather than tailor my content to the latest trends. My favourite topics are celebrity-focused. I love writing ‘best-dressed’ posts, and these always are the most popular as well. Obtaining image rights is really tricky and expensive though, so I have to save these for exciting times of the year such as award seasons. How has Coco’s Tea Party become so successful? I attribute a lot of the success to the fact that I entered the world of blogging quite early when there was a real gap in the market. I used to be obsessed with fashion magazines and I was getting through the monthly issues so quickly that I wanted something to fill the gap between. I was in the right place, doing the right thing at the right time.
Left and Below Ella Gregory, images by Kylie Martin
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Ella Gregory As much as I love working independently and having full creative control, I do miss the sense of collaboration that comes from team working. I have found myself in a community of fellow bloggers, and this circle of friends all share our experiences. There is an element of competitiveness to this community, however, it’s always friendly and never nasty. What advice would you give to aspiring fashion journalists? Honestly, it’s so tough to enter the blogging world full time at the moment. I think a safer and more reasonable option would be to team up with fellow course mates and form a collective online magazine blog and then take it from there. A lot of the compliments I receive on Coco’s Tea Party are about my writing style, which I refined a lot whilst studying at UCA Epsom. I also really value how we were taught to think of creative ways of covering stories. A good example of this was when I was invited to a Victoria’s Secret Show in December. I knew that I wasn’t the only online writer at the event so I had to come up with
These days it’s so difficult to become a successful blogger. Breaking in involves a lot of luck and it’s important to stand out. I’ve tried to be adaptable and jump onto trends at the right time. Having said this, I’ve learned to realise when a topic has been completely saturated and when it’s time to move onto the next big thing. What have been your most exciting projects to work on? Creating relationships with brands is important as this is how I get my name out there. Often these opportunities just come from nowhere, and I will get an email out of the blue from a company and asking me to work on a project with them. I’ve had some exciting
experiences with names such as River Island, Next, Max Factor, BaByliss and UGG Australia. In 2014 I had the amazing chance to work with PANDORA to help launch their new range of stacking rings. It was such an adventure and I became a sort of ‘blogger on tour’, visiting a variety of UK cities and also their factory in Bangkok.
Above Ella at the PANDORA factory, credit PANDORA Right Ella Gregory, image by Kylie Martin
What’s the lifestyle of a fashion blogger like? My lifestyle is very scheduled. I’m naturally an organised person and I thrive when it comes to planning my writing. I have a post-it calendar from which I work week to week. I will have the entire weeks’ worth of posts all written and ready to upload in advance.
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a unique way to cover the show. I decided to write a minute-by-minute account of the day. People loved it and enjoyed all of my little insignificant nuggets of detail. What does the future hold for you and Coco’s Tea Party? In the blogging world it’s never wise to think too far ahead. In some ways it’s a really fragile lifestyle. The pace of change is always incredibly fast so it’s foolish to have too much of a plan. I do fear that blogging is turning into photography, with the rapid rise of Instagram, but I am determined to stick to traditional blogging. Writing is where my strengths lie and I love editorial work. I hope to cover more red carpet styling, and I’ve done a bit of this in the past, including when I dressed the British tennis player, Laura Robson, for Twilight’s UK premier in 2011. I never thought my career would turn out this way and I’m happy taking things month by month at the moment. Visit Coco’s Tea Party at: www.cocosteaparty.com
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Miriam Abou-Shehada Left and below right Stills from ‘Thor: The Dark World’, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures 2013 Bottom right Chuckles the Clown, Miriam’s final year major project
Behind the Scenes Creative Arts for Theatre & Film alumna Miriam Abou-Shehada is at the front line of cinema, creating costumes and props for blockbuster movies. Juggling long hours and the fast-paced nature of the industry, Miriam has been involved with productions including ‘Maleficent’, ‘World War Z’, ‘Fast and Furious’, ‘Kick Ass 2’, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and the television series ‘24’.
Miriam says: “My day begins at 6:30am and I’m out of the door by 7am. I start work at 7:30am and at 7:45am I receive a call from my Managing Director to discuss the work which has to be completed that day. I then have to spend some time in the workshops where the props are being made, and check the progress of current projects. I then head back the office and update what we call the ‘Red List’ of upcoming film deadlines.
Miriam Abou-Shehada BA (Hons) Creative Arts for Theatre & Film Rochester, 2012
“At 9am, the workshop supervisors, digital department supervisors, buyers, production coordinator, the managing director and I have a meeting about our live projects and any concerns. Generally though, my days are varied. I can spend them with clients such as production designers and art directors for films, or spend them sourcing items that we need for various props. There’s a great deal of research involved and I spend a lot of time contacting different companies hunting down specific items.” Miriam’s role is Assistant Production Coordinator at Propshop, a company based within Pinewood Film & Television Studios in Buckinghamshire. Her responsibilities include communicating with clients when they come to her with a requirement for a film. She advises on different ways of sourcing or making their products and quoting jobs, and keeps an eye on the job from beginning to end, often overseeing up to ten jobs at one time. Following a compulsory three-month work placement unit in her second year at UCA Rochester, Miriam’s transition from student life to a working life within the industry of propmaking was fairly straightforward. She said: “If I hadn’t have had this chance then I would have found finding a job a lot more challenging. I found that studying Creative Arts for Theatre & Film was fundamental in building my skills and broadening my horizons. Initially, I went into the course with a more costume-making background, but having had the opportunity to explore the facilities and make the most of the one-on-one time with our tutors, I realised that props was where I wanted to be.” Miriam’s favourite projects to date include making Thor’s hammer for ‘Thor: The Dark World’, the beanstalk in ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’, lamps, chandeliers and gravestones for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, and a giant mirrorball and tins of fish from Tim Burton’s ‘Dark Shadows’. Building upon her impressive portfolio as a prop maker, Miriam has just recently completed working on the highly-anticipated and top secret ‘Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens’. She said: “I won’t forget this experience. I never thought that I could be working within a metre of JJ Abrams and all of the inspiring production designers and art
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directors whom have worked on the previous ‘Star Wars’ films as well.” Another of Miriam’s high-profile current projects is the next James Bond film, ‘Spectre’, starring Daniel Craig. Giving her insights into the current trends within prop making, Miriam said: “3D printing and scanning is huge now. To make prosthetics, life casts are starting to fade out as new high resolution 3D technology is taking over. We have scanned many heads and faces and printed them for make-up and costume departments to use. It’s also a quick and easy way of replicating props, textures and sections of architecture.” Keep an eye out for films in 2015 that Miriam has worked on, including ‘Cinderella’ in March 2015, ‘Spectre’ in October 2015, and ‘Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens’ in December 2015.
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Emma Wakley Left Camp Bestival 2013. Still from finale projection on Lulworth
work that engages a young audience because it’s very satisfying and heartwarming to see an audience of children react positively to your own work. It makes the huge effort so worth it.
Castle, Dorset Middle & Bottom Stills from ‘Wildlife Jack’, Disney Junior, July 2014
Child’s Play Emma Wakley’s portfolio of work since her graduation in 2010 includes a range of high profile names such as Disney and CBBC. She talks to Creative Update about animating for children and shares her industry insights. What were your first steps after graduating? I didn’t walk straight into a job or an internship placement like many animation graduates. Instead, I started to get small, experimental projects from contacts, which involved the development of ideas as well as the animation process. I worked on the Camp Bestival Finale show, which is part of the biggest family festival in the UK. I worked on the projections with Brightonbased Chroma Collective in 2011, 2012 and 2013. These projects were exciting because we had to sync the animation with the fireworks and music that was all projected onto Lulworth Castle in Dorset. Hearing the reactions of the 30,000 strong crowd to our animated story was an unforgettable experience.
What is ‘Wildlife Jack’? In 2014, I secured a position as lead animator on a series by Disney Junior called ‘Wildlife Jack’, featuring a five year old boy called Jack who lives in a busy city but is fascinated by the wealth of wildlife that lives in Britain. My team and I animated Jack frame-by-frame in Flash over documentary footage that the director had shot and edited. This created narratives that taught Jack about the real lives of the creatures. ‘Wildlife Jack’ teaches children about animals, for example, the hierarchy in a deer herd, the perilous lives of creatures near a river, and how birds fly in different ways. What do you enjoy most about creating children’s animations? There’s great scope to create charming animation when the audience are children. I think it’s more fulfilling to work on than flat animations that simply accompany a script which is the case with a lot of popular animation for adults. I would rather watch good animation for kids than adults. I enjoy creating
Emma Wakley BA (Hons) Animation Farnham, 2010
How is the market changing for children’s cartoons? I’m hoping the recent tax break for productions based in the UK will be great news for home-grown series. That actually helped us a lot with ‘Wildlife Jack’, so it would be fantastic if more small teams could get together and make shows that are new and a bit different. The quality of animation is constantly improving and I think we’ll see television series reaching the visual quality of feature films very soon.
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I also think that it’s important that animators keep diversifying the types of characters that we see in children’s animation. I’m especially passionate about the representation of female characters in cartoons. There’s no need to adhere to visual and behavioural stereotypes of gender roles any more when there is such a wide array of media and styles available. What does the future hold for children’s animation? It’s easy to take animation for granted as it’s something that most people have grown up with. But we shouldn’t underestimate how important animation can be in influencing children. What we watch when we’re young stays with us and impacts what we enjoy as adults. I still have fond memories of the animations that I was shown by my parents as a child like ‘The Clangers’, ‘The Herbs’, and ‘Henry’s Cat’. I enjoyed those old animations that had a warm, handmade feel to them. I would love to see some of the spirit of these programs return as they focused on storytelling and didn’t have an over-reliance on action and noise. I think animators should be learning from successful elements from the 1970s ‘Golden Age’ of children’s television and apply it to new ideas, rather than drag things into the modern day and pulling them apart. An example of this is the redesigned ‘Bob the Builder’ or the recent unveiling of ‘Thunderbirds’. I don’t think I’ve seen many positive comments about these yet. I’m also nervous about the reboot of ‘The Clangers’ later this year. Overall, I think it’s important to keep people who ultimately love character and story in high-up roles in children’s television production. Maybe with a lucky break and a bit of financial support, more small groups can reclaim animation production and help inspire the next generation of artists and animators.
Looking to the future, Emma plans to continue working in London as a freelance animator, and hopes to work on feature films one day. To explore her website, visit: www.wakleyanimation.co.uk
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Hannah Marie Hutchison
We follow up with Fashion alumna Hanna Marie Hutchison, whose career has grown from strength to strength after founding her own fashion brand HMH Couture. Creative Update last spoke to Hanna for Issue 1 back in 2009. Since then, Hanna’s string of celebrity clients has increased and she now offers a range of bespoke design services.
Dressing the Stars The last five years for Hanna have been extremely eventful. Before creating her own designs, she did as much as she could to gain experience in the competitive fashion industry. After first working as an assistant to a tailor in Brighton, Hanna went on to work for an agent managing two international brands and spending a lot of time with buyers from Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, and independent boutiques across the UK. She also had the opportunity to travel to Paris and Milan to learn first-hand about the fashion business. Hanna used these experiences to gather knowledge from influential people and leading designers, and then used this to put together a collection of her own. In November 2010 Hanna’s career took off when Cheryl Cole’s stylist discovered her work. Hanna designed Cheryl a high neck long nude gown with cut out sides and a draped back knot feature that she wore on ‘The X Factor’.
Hanna Marie Hutchison BA (Hons) Fashion Epsom, 2007 MA Professional Fashion Practice Epsom, 2009
Above Hanna Marie Hutchison Right Alecto in grey, by HMH Couture
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Hannah Marie Hutchison
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“I remember hunting for prom dresses and evening outfits in my early twenties but being left utterly disappointed by the lack of choice. I wanted show-stopping gowns that were simple but elegant”
Above Alecto in grey, by HMH Couture Right Cheryl Cole wearing Euterpe in nude, by HMH Couture. Photo by Ken McKay/ Talkback Thames
Hanna said: “This was really incredible exposure for me. Cheryl gave me special tickets to see the live X Factor show, and I ended up sitting next to her fellow Girls Aloud members, and being featured in numerous magazines. Since then, I’ve been approached by companies to design collections or develop products independently, and I’ve been lucky enough to work with some wonderful designers.” It was from this experience with Cheryl Cole that HMH Couture was born. Hanna now sells a range of sophisticated and stylish evening dresses which are manufactured in London. Other services Hanna offers include bespoke designs for special occasions, brides and bridesmaids. She said: “I remember hunting for prom dresses and evening outfits in my early twenties but being left utterly disappointed by the lack of choice. I wanted show-stopping gowns that were simple but elegant. I knew that if I launched a collection offering this to women then I would be giving something truly needed to the evening-wear market. The lengths of development I have put into each style over the years are so worthwhile when loyal customers keep coming back to me and recommending their friends.” To develop HMH Couture into a successful business venture Hanna has had to overcome the administrative challenges of running her own company.
She said: “I would source the perfect fabric for a design and spend hours developing a beautiful product, but when I didn’t do the correct calculations and budget accordingly my business suffers as a consequence. I’ve definitely learned a lot along the way and I’m really proud of having created a sustainable business which accumulates sales every week.” Driven by seasonal trends, Hanna develops styles that have proven extremely popular, and the future is looking bright for her brand. A new website is being launched imminently and Hanna has recently unveiled her first collection, One Life Clothing AW15, at Pure London Fashion Trade Show. To add to her future plans, Hanna said: “I’m just about to launch a new collection of knitwear called Cardigan Library, and I’m getting married so there’s a wedding to plan as well! I love that every day is so different and I’m lucky to have had some incredible experiences over the past five years. Particular highlights for me include styling the newsreaders Lucy Alexander and Natasha Kaplinksky, and the former Miss Great Britain. I love all of the ladies I work with, and it’s great to meet such inspiring, ambitious women all the time.” HMH Couture sells online at: www.hmhcouture.com and www.littleblackdress.co.uk
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Robert Sae-Heng
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Sketches & Sombreros Robert Sae-Heng BA (Hons) Illustration Maidstone, 2009
Robert Sae-Heng is a freelance illustrator with a diverse range of UK and international clients. His illustrations can be found in books, magazines, shops, murals, cards and wrapping paper. Robert talks Creative Update through his journey so far.
Left Extract from Hoarding Advert for Taqado Mexican Kitchen
My background I never came from a creative background or had any connections in the industry, but art is something that I’ve always been good at. I used drawing as a form of communication due to my hearing impediment. I grew up in Mexico before moving to the UK and we never had many books or toys, so running around playing with my grandfather’s chickens, pigs and donkey fueled my imagination, and gave my work a sense of playfulness that I still have today. I was born audibly impaired and I didn’t develop my hearing until I was about nine years old, learning to read and speak much later. Because of this, drawing and painting was a means of escape and also a great comfort to me.
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Robert Sae-Heng Left Robert’s illustration of the letter N for We Heart Arts Below Shop mural for Chill Frozen Yogurt, Cambridge
My commissions After graduating, I took a year out to gain inspiration travelling the world. Shortly after returning to my pencil and sketchbook I was contacted by Honda who’d seen photos of my illustrations that I’d posted on Twitter. It just goes to show, a sketchbook is the greatest asset a freelance illustrator such as myself can own. I always carry one with me and it’s a friend I can return to every time. It’s important to always share your illustrations as you never know who might see them. I was commissioned by Honda to create a mural that was used in a photo shoot for their advertising campaign, promoting their new motorbike ‘Cross Runner’, and since then I’ve been fortunate enough to build up my portfolio of work to include commissions for companies such as Bloomsbury Publishing, Somerset House, The Association of Illustrators, Brownbooks, Taqado Mexican Kitchen, Urban Outfitters, Cutter & Squidge, Artek and Chilled Frozen Yogurt. My most exciting project to date has been the branding that I did in 2014 for the Association of Illustrators. They’re a not-for-profit trade organisation that promotes contemporary illustration and maintaining industry standards to help illustrators’ and agencies’ rights and ethical conditions. The Association gave me full control to create several new characters and portfolio icons for the different kinds of membership they offer. I had great fun in playing around with magical creatures such as narwhals, mermaids and unicorns!
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I really enjoy the researching process that comes with starting a new commission and the feeling of being challenged by something completely out of your comfort zone. However, I don’t enjoy the deadlines. My work is always really detailed and I like to take time to think about placement of crucial elements, but sometimes you have to go for it and made a decision based on gut instinct. My influences My origins and cultural background have definitely influenced my style of drawing and illustration. I’m half-Mexican and half-Thai but I’ve grown up being much closer to my Mexican heritage. For this reason Mexican culture comes through my work quite strongly. The Mexican flavour in my work is the reason why the Dubai-based creative agency Moloobhoy & Brown chose me to create the entire artwork and branding for a new Mexican restaurant called Taqado. To date, there are five restaurants and numerous pop-up food stands in Dubai filled with my work. When I lived in Mexico I used to attend live luchador matches and celebrations in the city with my uncle. This carnival atmosphere became a part of my work and comes through in the majority of my drawings. Check out Robert’s illustrations at his website: www.robertsae-heng.co.uk His work is stocked at Somerset House in the Rizzoli Bookshop.
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Margaux Carpentier When Margaux Carpentier isn’t working on inky illustrations at her desk she can be found on top of a ladder painting giant murals. She is one-third of UCA alumni team, Animaux Circus, a London-based design studio which specialises in brightly coloured large-scale illustrations, wall paintings, and hand-painted signage. Recently, they have started to branch out into more educational projects. Animaux Circus is a self-initiated project, born while Margaux Carpentier, Lana Hughes and Rory Elphick were in the last days of their Graphic Communication course at UCA Farnham. They realised how compatible their styles and tastes were, and decided to pursue the business together, illustrating grotesque circus scenes using eccentric animals and bold typography as a basis for their creative style. All manner of wildlife are used as part of the trio’s work, including bears, large cats, elephants, zebras, wolves, tropical birds, and some fantasy creatures too.
Margaux Carpentier BA (Hons) Graphic Communication Farnham, 2010
Painting on the Wild Side
Margaux’s Caribou print
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Margaux Carpentier “I find it really rewarding to hold workshops and share skills and experiences with people. One of my dreams is to teach painting and printmaking on a regular basis, and I love how varied and interactive participating in educational projects is.” All of the work produced by Animaux Circus includes bright, fresh images and exciting patterns which exude energy and bold colours. The focus on the animal kingdom and folk tales is a shared love of all three members of the Studio, with inspiration coming from all sorts of ventures. Margaux said, “I am absolutely fascinated by patterns, light and colours. Walking around cities or in the countryside is always a very dense source of inspiration for me. It’s so uplifting to discover new places with an identifiable colour palette or exotic images that I can capture and reinterpret through my art. I really enjoy sketching trips at the Natural History Museum and often find myself browsing wildlife encyclopedias!” Margaux spent the first year of her degree studying in Paris before transferring to UCA Farnham for her second and final years. “Comparing studying in Paris with Farnham, I found that UCA gives students the freedom to make the most of the facilities available.
“I am absolutely fascinated by patterns, light and colours. Walking around cities or in the countryside is always a very dense source of inspiration for me.” Above Animaux Circus print collage Right Margaux’s zebra print
Margaux said, “We have had such a diverse range of commissions. One project that we were asked to do was for Shoreditch Art Wall. We created a marriage proposal on four 3 metre by 4 metre panels in two and a half days in the freezing cold snow! Another opportunity that sticks with me is the mural that we designed at Waterloo station to promote the South Bank. Then last summer we painted a Mexican themed mural for Don Julio tequila at the World Class House in central London for a cocktail festival.” Despite building up an eclectic portfolio over four years that includes clients such as Southbank London, Orange, Buff, Deezer, Unit 9, Queen of Hoxton, Lovebox festival, Kigu, Diageo, and Indytute, Margaux says that she’s most proud of the relatively new teaching aspect of Animaux Circus. They have recently put on events at the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as Tate Britain and some Christmas-inspired workshops at numerous venues.
Right Easyjet magazine print
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I enjoyed the luxury of having the time and opportunity to research and explore as part of my artwork. I often spent one day in the print workshop experimenting with screen-printing, and then the next day I would spend hours walking through the idyllic woods and hills of Surrey, spying on animals. Looking back, this had a huge impact on my current illustrations.” Margaux, Rory and Lana’s journey into the industry after graduation was a challenging and daunting one, but perseverance and a bold relocation to London seemed to pay off. “The key is to keep going, never stop working and try to be at the right places at the right time. Even now, I jump at every opportunity and enjoy juggling Animaux Circus with my own freelance work.” In terms of the future for Animaux Circus, they are looking global with the idea of spreading the word and travelling to explore and create exciting designs all over the world. To see more of Animaux Circus’ designs, visit: www.animauxcircus.co.uk and to explore Margaux’s freelance illustrations, go to: www.margauxcarpentier.com
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Jake Denham
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MA Design alumnus Jake Denham has relocated to Monaco to work for Palmer Johnson Yachts, designers and builders of luxurious, high-performance yachts in Europe and the USA. Creative Update caught up with Jake to find out about the roles for creatives within the extravagant world of the French Riviera.
Jake Denham MA Design Rochester, 2010 Above Palmer Johnson 48m 5500
The Monaco Dream
Jake’s current role at Palmer Johnson Yachts is in the international design team, and involves producing images, video, and virtual tours for both the exterior and interior of the yachts. He utilises visualisation and editing software, and works closely with interior designers who lay out the furniture specifications and colour schemes of the yachts. Jake then develops these designs into 3D models and creates animated walk-throughs. As well as this, he oversees the Palmer Johnson Yachts interactive iPad app, and has had his images published in numerous magazines. At the moment Jake’s work focuses mainly on the high-spec SuperSport Yacht range including 35 metre, 42 metre, 48 metre and 72 metre models. Having worked at Palmer Johnson for three years, Jake has formed strong relationships with the Head of Design and Exterior Designer, and managed to streamline the whole design process. The design team that Jake works with recently celebrated
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winning the Most Innovative and also the Best Exterior Design awards at the 2014 World Yacht Trophies at Cannes Yacht Show, for their 48M SuperSport Yacht. Jake said: “I get to work on some really exciting new ventures. These boats are nothing like the yacht industry has seen before. They are very pioneering and I love that I am working on projects that are changing the future of yachting. Luxury visualisation is a niche market which I was lucky to get into early on in my career. Getting work published regularly is still a huge buzz for me. Being on the cover of Boat International Magazine was a goal that I set myself when I started at Palmer Johnson, and I achieved that for the Monaco Show edition. Being recognised by your peers in your industry like that feels amazing.” Swapping his UK life for one on the Southern French coast, Jake found himself having to adapt to the culture shock.
Jake Denham
Above Interior designs for Palmer Johnson’s SuperSport Yachts Left Jake with the 2014 World Yacht Trophies
He said: “There are a lot of English speakers here which made the transition easier for me. Monaco is a laid back place to work, however, Palmer Johnson Yachts is an American company so we still have a strong American drive to get things done. I’d worked on private jets before so I had an understanding of the luxury market but yachting is a very small industry. Being in the South of France, you feel you are really at the heart of it.” Before coming to UCA, Jake was working freelance on visuals for private jet conversions but realised that he had reached a point where he was no longer growing in his professional field. Eager to explore other directions, Jake then decided to embark upon the MA Design course at UCA Rochester, after being impressed by both the facilities and the location. He said: “I really liked being surrounded by talented creatives and the mix of other
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students from all sorts of backgrounds. The MA course pushed me to think about what I wanted as a career and it exposed me to a diverse range of arts. I enjoyed having my own project to pursue and this allowed me to develop skills in a much wider range of areas, including more traditional art.” Looking to the future, Jake hopes to spend more time developing his art skills away from the computer. He said: “Everything is digital these days. It’s a fantastic time to be in the industry with the launch of Google glass and app stores making it easier for people to spread their ideas. I do think, though, that it’s important for artists to keep developing their own unique style. This is what makes you stand out.” Check out Jake’s online portfolio at: www.jaked3d.com
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Rebecca Litchfield
Soviet Ghosts Captured on Camera As a freelance photographer with a Graphic Design degree from UCA Epsom, Rebecca Litchfield’s strengths lie in her ability to tell a story and portray a message. Her first published book ‘Soviet Ghosts’ captures images of the former Soviet Union’s abandoned buildings. Having gone viral on the internet, the project landed Rebecca a further three book commissions. Early in 2013 Rebecca was commissioned by Carpet Bombing Culture publishers to photograph abandoned locations in the Soviet Union and its satellite states. This involved travelling to 20 different countries in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, Ukraine and Russia to capture with a camera what the old regime has left behind. Rebecca’s subjects included towns, factories, prisons, schools, hospitals, asylums, death camps, theatres, and military complexes. She even came across a Soviet submarine.
Rebecca Litchfield BA (Hons) Graphic Design Epsom, 2006
Soviet steam train, Hungary
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Rebecca Litchfield
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Left Sanitarium, Russia Below Buzludzha, Bulgaria
Rebecca said: “My aim for the book was to capture the crumbling Soviet Union Empire before it disappears completely. It was once a living, breathing community, but with the fall of Communism, these places lay derelict, uninhabited, holding haunted memories of the ordinary people who once lived and worked there. I love exploring decaying buildings and it’s a fact that they will very soon cease to exist. The memories will fade and the communities who once gave life will be forgotten. I wanted to find and reveal the beauty in the darkness.” Rebecca discovers sights which are unseen to the public, who pass the boarded windows and walls with ‘No Trespassing’ signs on them.
She says: “Getting into the locations is always a challenge, as I never break and enter a building. I have to find a way in like an open window or door. It involves thinking outside the box as I’m always careful not to damage the property getting inside.” After visiting around 400 buildings, Rebecca’s book ‘Soviet Ghosts’ was published in July 2014, and has since spread over the internet, being covered on over 70 different websites. Rebecca added: “Graphic Design at UCA taught me important skills in storytelling and composing images. I always excelled on the editorial side of Graphic Design, and enjoyed the projects which included photographic elements. I had such amazing guidance from
Above Soviet submarine, UK
my tutors, who gave me the room to explore and be creative in my work. I used my time at UCA to create my own style and develop skillsets that would help me get to where I am today.” After the success of ‘Soviet Ghosts’, Rebecca’s plans for the next three years include a list of 30 countries to visit, and another three books to publish: ‘Dark Tourism’, ‘Abandoned Buildings’ and ‘The Underworld’. She said: “My adventure just keeps on expanding, and I have a feeling that at the end of it there will be some epic stories to tell.” Finding beauty in dark and surreal hidden worlds, Rebecca aims for her work to breathe life into further forgotten historical locations. She passionately believes in preserving the
memories of ruins and while they have no place as tourist destinations, their value in the cultural memory of the 20th century remains fundamental. “I live and breathe photography, and it’s the only job I’ve ever had. It’s my true passion and something that I won’t go one moment without thinking about. My goals for the future are to raise my profile as a fine art photographer, and to sell my limited edition prints and books to clients all over the world. I hope to soon produce exhibitions of my work as well.” To see more of Rebecca’s photos and to purchase ‘Soviet Ghosts’, visit her website: www.rebeccalitchfield.com
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International
Liz Reece BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles Farnham, 1978
Liz Reece
Exploring the World Stitch by Stitch
Since graduating from UCA Farnham in 1978, back when it was known as the West Surrey College of Art and Design, Liz’s textiles skills have taken her all over the world to places including the US, Australia, Japan, Vietnam and most recently, the Solomon Islands. We catch up with her to chat about creative culture on a global scale. To say that Liz is well-travelled would be an understatement. Immediately after graduation, Liz headed to New York City to try and get her portfolio of print designs noticed and sold. Trouping through many textile houses, she met with John Kaldor, a fabric maker, who suggested designers were needed in Australia. While working at a summer camp in Maine, a friendship was formed and the idea of working in Australia took root. Soon after arriving in Melbourne, Liz landed a job with a print company, designing swimwear and underwear prints that led to a home furnishing print position. A job in vinyl surface design took her into stationary, shoes, decorative and automotive finishes. Liz said, “After I was offered my first job in Australia, I didn’t really look back.” A job offer from Nissan then landed Liz in the automotive industry as a colour and trim designer, with various projects in Japan. She designed all the finishes, colours, fabrics, door trim break ups, seat shapes, and sew styles.
After this, Liz initiated a textile manufacturing joint venture ‘Autofab’ which she ended up running, and working in many countries in Asia. After over twenty years servicing the automotive trim industry, Liz decided to break away to become designer again, taking a two year volunteer assignment in a Vietnamese hand-quilting co-operative. Today, she has just completed a volunteer assignment in the Solomon Islands in a business development organisation, training and mentoring small businesses. She was also involved with craft practitioners who make printed sarongs, wood and stone carvings, paintings, beads and woven baskets. Liz said: “The travel is one thing, working in different cultures is another. When I was working in Melbourne, I felt I needed a release. I went to developing countries in order to ‘check-out’ the commercial world and I became far more interested in traditional crafts. Bringing it back to basics! The contrasts and the similarities between cultures are so intriguing. The Australian and possibly the European way of working is usually creating a concept and then following it with the detail. However, I’ve noticed over the years that the Japanese are very interested in the detail first off. For the Japanese the details are the stepping stones to the larger form.” So, what in particular interests Liz so much about creative culture in the developing world?
Top right Mekong Quilts quality controllers with Liz’s designs from her gecko range Middle right Liz presenting at Toyota Supplier of the Year Bottom right Liz in Thailand with an automotive supplier
She said: “The Vietnamese and Solomon cultures are collectivists, and pretty cautious so as not to stand out. This directly influences creativity. Being different is frowned upon even between artists and craft workers. My work has been to create livelihoods with existing skills, but I found that people are reluctant to embrace difference and uniqueness. We talk about risk being a factor in art, and all designers know about the risk in producing and investing time without a sure sale, but this is not the case in less-developed cultures. Creativity here is stifled by the risk of being ostracised and unpopular, and getting new designs appreciated was a struggle.” Helping makers overcome the fear of creating anything new, or even just combining two different skills requires a lot of hard work to make it happen. As a creatively trained aid worker Liz gives confidence to local practitioners by demonstrating what can be done. Showing them a finished sample is not enough, but working alongside them gives them courage. Liz said: “There are plenty of creative opportunities in the Solomon Islands because entrepreneurship is so rare. Being creative is such a joy and the opportunity we had to develop our skills at art school is quite an indulgence. I think that these skills should be shared as extensively as possible, and I love the improvements and the transformations that we help to bring about to these small communities.” “The sense of accomplishment from helping people find new skills or a new application of skills is deeply satisfying. I have become known for my resourcefulness and adaptability on my assignments, and studying at Farnham has had a lot to do with the fact that I am now a practical roll-up-yoursleeves designer/maker. The course suited me perfectly and I have used and built on those skills constantly throughout my career in various parts of the world. “You probably can’t take the wrong step in life. If it turns out to be disappointing, just step again. It’s better than not taking the step in the first place.” To explore volunteer opportunities abroad like Liz, visit: www.gvi.co.uk
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People
People
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Obituaries Creative Update was contacted by John Austin, who studied at Medway College of Art (now UCA Rochester) between 1950 and 1954. At a recent Rochester campus reunion, John kindly left us an account of his first couple of days the college, and also sadly informed us of his wife and fellow student, Audrey’s death in April 2014 following a long illness.
Audrey Chittenden 1935-2014
Film & Media Reunion
Above Reunion at the BFI
Audrey and John met whilst both at Medway College of Art. Audrey studied as a dress student, and graduated with a City & Guild’s Advanced in Fashion & Pattern Drafting in Fashion & Pattern Drafting. She and John were married in 1959, after being parted for some years due to John’s service in the Army.
After leaving the college, Audrey worked as a Patterns Designer at Woman’s Own Magazine for eight years, and John was drafted into the Army, serving in Suez and other areas in the Middle East. He then returned to art teaching in a number of secondary schools and continued this until he retired in 1999. He now paints and illustrates from home. John described how Audrey enjoyed her time studying at Medway College of Art and could remember Zandra Rhodes as a student, as well as Zandra’s mother Mrs Rhodes, who taught dressmaking at the college. Both John and Audrey had very fond memories of the college and the legacy continues as their granddaughter Gemma, completed her Foundation at UCA a couple of years ago.
In September 2014, over 140 alumni from the UCA School of Film & Media attended a reunion at the British Film Institute on London’s Southbank. There was a fantastic turnout and alumni enjoyed mixing with former classmates, tutors and fellow graduates spanning over 40 years. Dominic Mitchell, who graduated from UCA Farnham, was the keynote speaker. Dominic gave an inspirational speech, sharing his journey since graduating from UCA. He gave advice to more recent graduates saying: “I always had perseverance and a passion for this industry. It’s really important to grab any opportunity to get your work shown, and maintain an openness to try new avenues.” The reunion enjoyed a lively atmosphere with alumni continuing to chat late into the evening. If you studied in the School of Film & Media and didn’t get an invite to this event, then please update your contact details with us and make sure that you’re following our social media channels for the latest news and updates.
[email protected] www.ucreative.ac.uk/alumni
In November 2014, we were saddened to hear about the death of former drawing tutor Karn Holly after a long period of ill health. Karn taught at Farnham College of Art during the 1970s, and also worked as a prolific artist in her own right with a studio in Portland. Two of her former students shared their memories with Creative Update.
Karn Holly 1940 – 2014
Binny Matthews: “Karn’s method of teaching was extraordinary. She talked in metaphors, and she talked about mark making as choreography, always painting metaphorically. I remember Karn’s individual sense of humour. She always hid my favourite paint brush to encourage me to think about making different marks. Karn continued, with great intellectual rigour, to support me with my painting career, and we remained good friends for 20 years.”
Paul Jackson: “Karn was my drawing tutor in the mid1970s. It is not an exaggeration to say that Karn’s teaching has influenced my life ever since. Karn showed me how to really look hard at the world and see beyond the surface of things. I have never undertaken a painting or drawing without at some point hearing an echo of Karn’s voice in my mind. I know I have rarely lived up to her rigorous standards but trying to do so still drives me on. “I reconnected with Karn about five years ago and we exchanged many emails and occasional phone calls. Karn had retained her wonderful and sometimes perplexingly elliptical way of speaking and writing. Anyone familiar with Karn’s drawings will know of their breathtaking brilliance. She was a world class artist and a beautiful person in every way. I will miss her terribly.”
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Spotlight
Spotlight
Adam McLaren Below Sterling Silver Garnet Earrings & Pendant
Creative Spotlight: Crafts
Adam McLaren BA (Hons) Silversmithing, Goldsmithing & Jewellery Rochester, 2013
Adam graduated from UCA Rochester in 2013 and has since set up AJM Jewellery, a business offering a bespoke design service, as well as repairs and remodeling. He also works for a jeweller in Canterbury. Adam uses his knowledge of CAD design to create complex tactile forms that replicate repetitive patterns and geometric shapes. The inspiration for his work is taken from a variety of forms ranging from honeycomb structures, lattice architectures and faceted gemstones. Although the effective use of technology is evident in Adam’s pieces, he maintains the important connection to traditional techniques by using stone-setting in much of his work. He said: “Establishing a unique body of work can be challenging. I tried very hard to create an image for my jewellery that would be instantly recognisable.”
Adam’s Top Tips for going freelance: 1. Experience is everything. If you can get a work placement, take it and learn as much as you can. At the very least you will be guaranteed to make important contacts within the industry. 2. Never be afraid of doing something difficult. If you stick to what you know, you will struggle to grasp new techniques.
Oliver Russell Oliver Russell BA (Hons) Three-Dimensional Design: Metalwork & Jewellery, Farnham, 2003
Since completing both his BA and his MA at UCA, Oliver has created a business in the specialised field of architectural metalwork, through which he has built up an impressive portfolio of a broad range of commissions and projects.
MA Contemporary Crafts Farnham, 2005
Oliver describes elements of his work as being derived from natural forms using traditional blacksmithing techniques to achieve strength and beauty through proportion and line quality. He works closely with architects and other related professionals to ensure his finished pieces reflect the design and feel of the existing architecture. In 2006 Oliver was admitted as a member of the esteemed Worshipful Company of Ironmongers and was elected onto the Iron Committee in 2012. He specialises in unique large-scale metalwork, such as gates, staircases, balconies, and balustrades, and was commissioned to make the Crafts Study Centre gates at UCA Farnham. Examples of his work can be seen across the UK from the Scottish Highlands to the south coast.
Right Archer sculpture Far Right Oliver Russell, image courtesy of Philip Traill
3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone makes them, and they are the best way to learn. 4. Enter competitions. It gets your work out there and gives you goals to aim for. 5. Invest some time in sorting out a good website. Make sure your images are a professional standard as they will talk volumes. Find out more about AJM Jewellery on Adam’s website: www.ajmjewellery.com
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He said: “It’s been a long and arduous process to get to where I am today, but it’s been worth it. The business elements of my MA prepared me well for the world of running my own company. I started small, and as my reputation grew, I was able to buy more specialist equipment and provide a more integrated service to my clients.”
Oliver’s Top Tips for going freelance: 1. Maintain high standards for your clients and commissioners. 2. Make sure you meet or exceed the expectations of the brief. 3. Stay in touch with the client and let them know how the commission is progressing. 4. Be good at problem solving and adapt to situations as they arise. 5. Work hard and stick with it as long as you are passionate about your work. Clients will appreciate and value this. To see more of Oliver’s work, visit his website: www.oliver-russell.com
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Spotlight
Spotlight
Rebecca Skeels
Rebecca Skeels Subject Leader for Postgraduate Courses in the School of Crafts & Design
In addition to her role at UCA, Rebecca is a member of the Board of Directors for the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, the Board of Trustees for the New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham, and is also on the executive committee for the Hand Engravers Association. For the past 20 years she has been the sole proprietor of SKEELS, a developing jewellery and product design company. Rebecca works on commissions as well as her own collections ranging from handmade cufflinks, pendants and furniture, to installations in public spaces. Rebecca says: “The key to being a successful designer, maker and artist, is good planning and direction. The environment for crafts is always changing, as do people’s tastes and ideals, the economic climate, and even our personal feelings.
Businesses need to be able to grow along with these changes in order to survive. Something that was successful in the past may not be the answer to great successes in the future. “As the interest in craft grows in the UK and internationally, good quality craftsmanship will become more valued and understood. People that have patience to develop their skills with a solid design methodology will do well. Practitioners are making the future and it will be exciting to see the new work, functional and decorative, that will come from Textiles, Jewellery, Metalwork, Glass, Ceramics and Product design with the development of materials, making processes and interesting ways of questioning. “Most of all, good luck with your new ventures and growing your businesses. Enjoy life from a career that you love doing.”
What our graduates think:
How will Crafts develop over the next five years? Back in September, UCA alumni from the School of Crafts & Design gathered at the Oxo Tower Gallery, where they enjoyed 33@OXO, an exhibition showcasing contemporary craft and design work by students. Drinks and canapés were served, and alumni told Creative Update their views on how the Crafts industry is developing. “3D printing technology will make a lot of difference to the industry as processes and techniques like casting are really time-consuming.” Anum Khan, BA (Hons) Glass, Farnham, 2014 “By practitioners spreading the word about crafts and talking about their work.” Karen Marks, BA (Hons) Ceramics, Farnham, 2014
“I think there will be more appreciation for the handmade.” Wendy Taylor, BA (Hons) Glass, Farnham, 2014 “A focus on the personalised and one-off projects, or commissions on request.” Sigi Hill, BA (Hons) Glass, Farnham, 2014 “Digital reproduction to aid techniques like printing on glass.” Fiona Bryer, BA (Hons) Glass, Farnham, 2014 “The crafts industry is always a retaliation to the ever expanding technological advances – I don’t think the craft industry will ever disappear. It’s the contrast between traditional crafts and technology that keeps the craft industry alive.” Naomi Symmonds, BA (Hons) Glass, Farnham, 2014
Share your stories We’re already looking for stories for our next edition. If you’ve got some exciting news to share, get in touch today. Simply email alumni@ ucreative.ac.uk or give us a call on 01252 891464.
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