VISUAL BELFASTThe Creative Journal

Volume 1 - February 2012

Visual Belfast has been created so that students in the Belfast Campus may have ownership over a publication that is also a respected and esteemed way to promote their work. It is a publication that will include students work, interviews with Tutors, UUB Graduates, Artists in residence as well as covering many student issues and answering questions posed to our VP of student and academic affairs, Stuart Cannell. Being involved in a University publication such as this will look good on any CV. Why not be a part of it?

Email VP Stuart Cannell at vp.belfast@uusu.org and check ‘Visual Belfast’ out on Facebook

GETINVOLVED

VISUAL BELFAST

Calling all Photographers/Writers/Artists/Designers

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For the people who do not know me, I am taking a year out in between second and third year of printmaking. I noticed that there was a lot that could be done to promote the art students within this University, and so we began thinking of many projects through the year that could be carried out.

We started this project to help promote local talent. In this Art College there are hundreds of students waiting to be unearthed, and we believe this Journal will be a progressive way for them to highlight their artistic abilities. Whether that is in writing, design, inventions, architecture, ceramics, printmaking, painting, fashion (the list goes on), there is a place for everyone within the Journal.

In conjunction with this Journal there will be a number of videos released each month to give you a flavour of the students and lecturers here. You will be able to see what life is really like as an art student, and what their opinions are on their work and the environment around them. Think of it like a ‘Tateshot’ with a Belfast tweak!

I hope you enjoy this Journal, and please feel free to write to me with any comments or suggestions you might have.

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Student Interview : Rose Quinn 2 Lecturer Interview : Janet Preston 8 Graduate Interview : Gerard Carson 10 / Stuart Calvin 12 Artist in Residence : Lauren Crabb 14 / Ross Watson 15 Gallery Review : Home Grown 16 / Late Night Art 17 / Contemporary Applied Arts Exhibition 19 Agony Uncle : 22 Just A Thought : 25

Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs,

Stuart Cannell

designed by Enyo Belfast

STUDENT

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Visual Belfast opened a competition in November 2011 asking for Belfast campus students to send images of their work that might be suitable for the front cover of the new journal. The prize was to be an interview and four page spread within the journal focusing on the winners practice and work as well as the winning image to be the front cover of the journal.Rose Quinn’s winning image stood out particularly amongst a very highstandard of entries because of the way it was composed and the intriguing nature of the content. It evoked curiosity and that is what the judges of Visual Belfast loved about Rose’s image. Here is her interview where Rose tells us a bit more about her work and inspiration.

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STUDENT

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Why did you choose to study STVP?

Well, I did Foundation art and design here at the University of Ulster and towards the end of that year I specialised in sculpture. I then went into this, sculpture, video, time and photography all under one area. During first and second year you could say it is more practical and experimental but you don’t really know where you are going with it. People always say you will be lost in your first year but I just experimented with materials, reusing things and playing with different materials like netted curtains.

Tell us a bit more about your work this year and the expand-ing foam.

During the summer before third year I saw a guy using expanding foam in his work on the outside of his frames and I just thought it was very interesting how ex-panding foam controls and shapes itself. I begin experimenting with expanding foam about 3 months ago (September) and I really like how it controls time and space. A piece that I make with expanding foam might take a couple of weeks before it stops growing and shaping itself. I pre-stitch things and the foam can even rip the seams! Sometimes I rip away the material on the outside of the foam and it leaves a cast shape. I will use a whole can of foam in one go because it can dry up in

an hour once it’s opened. I will fill a stitched piece of material with foam and leave it over night and allow it to form its own shapes and bulges. It is a lot about how when the foam is growing, how I manipulate the shape with bulges and the way I stitch the material!

Do you prefer your finished work without the material around it or with the material still intact?

That is the question! I like it without the material but at the moment I am working on a final piece which is going to use a wood burner to leave some of the lace pattern on the cast once I rip the material away. So, I like the casts that the foam leaves but I also like how the material rips off and some of it almost looks like a rupture or a gash. I have been questioning the physicality of things like tights, and how the foam will fill tights and make the shape of a foot, like what it is designed for! I started putting wooden pipes down tights and trying to control the shapes that the foam makes etc.

What is it you want to do after Art College?

Well at the moment I am not sure. In the future I would like to become an artist in residence with Arts Care who work closely with the health and social care trust hospitals. They help patients to regain confidence again from a traumatic injuries and use art as a tool to help them to gain new skills and participate again in daily life. I worked with Arts Care when I did my module; Professional Practice in 2nd year which was for 8 weeks. I worked with artist in residence

Cheryl Bleakley who is a current residence in Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast.After graduating I think I will focus more on my work and building my small site I started last year, Rose Designs and see what happens from there. The reason I built this site was I think people who have the strengths in Art is a unique gift as you can make unusual items that are different to the high street. Man made materials do not have the same aesthetic qualities of a handmade product because dedication, time and love have been added into the piece.

What is it about Art Therapy that you like?

I find it very rewarding when giving a person another chance to live their life to the full again, regardless of their disabilities. I find it curious how art is difficult to measure in the scientific side i.e. the effects of arts and the visual environment in how patients recover. I like the freeenvironment in an art studio when working with an artist in residence, their work is an additional to art as a talking therapy services. The individual does not need to tell of their past or traumatic injuries. How-ever, Art therapy is a more clinical environment were a patient has to disclose their injuries to art therapists as they work closely with their trauma through the medium of art, sometimes art can help us to take our mind of daily things and help us to heal. This is why I think art therapy is very important.

Describe your work in one word.

Subconscious

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“My grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s. The aim of this work is to try to gain an understanding of how it might feel to recognize a face and yet not be able to place the person or place any memories of our relationship.”

Christine Grant

“My work is inspired by landscapes that have been untouched by mankind. Rural spaces that is rich with beauty, rugged, weathered and naturally eroded. Some preconceptions persist that the thrown vessel is functional and located within the domestic domain rather than being perceived as conceptual art.”

Hannah Magee

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“This painting is of Brutalist concrete apartments in Ivy Sur-Siene, Paris. The clusters of apartments become scrambled and meaningless. The perspective is wrong and the stair on the right extends infinitely. Surrounding context is questionable or absent. Impossible shapes become structural, and the colour of the broken bridge’s interior questions its reality.”

Ben Weir

“Stitch allows for my own interpretation, allowing connection or networking of words. I create multiples, which look simplistic, uniform, and monotonous, yet have deep layers of meaning, metaphors and association.”

Lisa Lasgo

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Janet Preston

Can you give us a brief history of yourself and how you became involved in your area of expertise?

Well, I studied here. I did the undergraduate degree and went on to the a postgraduate. Then it was called Fine Art, not Fine and Applied art. I painted for more or less the first year and there was a lecturer here originally from Kansas, originally a print maker. So he commandeered a few of us after a lecture he took one day and at the time I was doing a lot of mono-chromatic work. I think he saw potential in my work to take it on to print making and so I stayed. So really it was encouragement from Ken Jones. There was another lecturer here at the time called Peter Ford who introduced us to photographic printmaking techniques.

Would you say it was your lecturers at the time then, who inspired you to pursue a career in print making?

Yes, absolutely, at the time time Ken Jones had just completed a residency at the Belfast Print workshop and we got to know him very well. He talked a lot about his residency at the Belfast print workshop and encouraged us heavily to become involved in that facility and get to know it, as well as Bill Penny at the time

who was a part time lecturer and technician. In those days there were three technicians on the print floor, Bill, Kent and another artist called Terry Gravit. They encouraged myself and my contemporaries to join Belfast Print Workshop when we were still students. So I remember going there to print my degree show because Easter fell quite late that year and so the college was closed and hence we had no access to the college or the workshops, so I felt it was important for me to go and use those facilities. It was a steep learning curve and not an easy task! But it is something I tell students now, to become familiar with these studios and visit them all the time so they don’t seem as out of reach and unachievable when it comes to graduation!

Where do you think you would be if you hadn’t joined Belfast Print workshop?

I was always completely adamant that I was going to be a practitioner, and I wanted to be an artist! I feel that is something students shouldn’t feel reluctant to say nowadays.

How many days a week do you spend educating students?

Three days a week. The rest of the days I research, as I am a full

member of the research institute here, so they support me as a practitioner.

How do you feel lecturing impacts on your professional practice as an artist?

Well, time wise, it can have a negative impact because I am not a member of any print work shop now. I fully support the two workshops here, I think they are brilliant places but I choose not to be a member. I prefer working here in the university because I feel if the students see me working and they know its through informal education, I believe they can learn a lot from me and vice versa. There is not a week that goes by that I don’t learn something in here.

Do you ever regret getting into lecturing?

Sometimes! Its like any job, there is no job out there that is easy. Its swings and roundabouts. But that is real life. the students keep me going and its out there smelling the solvents and getting ink on your hands, thats what I’m about. The paper work and all the asides that the university throws at you, of course I hate that, are you mad?!

We know you have recently held an exhibition in Bulgaria

LECTURER

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TERVIEWJanet Preston is a part time lecturer in Print-making (Fine and applied art) in the University of Ulster, Belfast. In her own practice Preston has exhibited all over the world. We were very grateful to have the opportunity to hear a little about her most recent collaborative exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria

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with Bill Penny. Could you tell us how this went?

In 2007 in this Gallery in Sofia, the Lessedra Gallery (which is named after the curators home town about 2 miles outside of Sofia). But Bulgaria is a country very much still in transition since the political system changed and this Gallery owner has taken a huge risk opening a contemporary art gallery in sofia. He runs what’s called an annual international mini print festival every year. He encourages print makers, artists, practitioners from all over the world to submit. It is also one of the few competitions in the world that students can enter their work into. So you submit work, pay a small fee and he usually invites artists from all over the world to judge a competition. That particular year I was a prize winner and that was before I started lecturing here. I always kept in touch with the gallery and in 2008 I had a one person show there. This exhibition with Bill Penny was a two person show and it was something that I instigated. We didn’t set a theme as such, it was just a continuance of our own practice. But at the open-ing, the guests were so interested and there was no level of ridicule what so ever. There were some fine art students from the new university of Bulgaria and the

questions that they asked us were incredible. The nature of my work technically is very different from Bills but my work is about people revealing things about how they live externally, things on bal-conies, windowsills etc, whereas Bill’s work is about the inside of where people live - which was an interesting contrast in itself. Maybe it was a subconscious theme, I don’t know, but it worked. Next year the curator has invited me back to to curate an exhibition of my own of Northern Irish print makers, which is very exciting. I want to include some work of recent graduates.

Could you tell us the worst experience of your career so far?

Of course I have had disasters with organising shows etc. and they are stories I tell back to students because any nega-tive experiences I have had has taught me to be more organised and pre-empt these things. Not being allowed to drill walls in a listed building to hang my work was one of the worst experiences because I had to pull out of the show last minute, which was a huge expense on my part so I had very little money to put back into my own work. So there you go, maybe one of the worst things is not having the money to

produce the work. Thats when I then thought I had to get involved in a few outreach programs. I was very proactive in setting things like that up to generate money to help people like me produce work.

Finally, how would you say the Art College experience has changed from whenever you studied here?

Big time! Drastically. In fact I have been in this job for 5 years as an educator as well as a practitioner and I have never seen an institution change so much in 5 years! But I will always call this place an Art College. The degree show each year are such a big seller for this university, it’s visual, its what sells. People are very curious about what happens in the Art college.

If you had one piece of advice for graduates hoping to succeed, what would it be?

In times like this, when there is a recession, there are opportu-nities out there, there is just more competition for them. It is for the students to avail themselves and get their own work out there. They have to be independent and organise things for themselves. Take the initiative!

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Interviewed By Lucy Liddell and Stuart Cannell

So Gerard, when did you go to the University of Ulster?

I started at the University in the summer of 2006 for foundation studies, which lasts for one year, then went on to study BA Fine & Applied Art in 2007 and graduated in 2010.

And who was your tutor when you were studying here?

I had many tutors during my studies. Initially I began in painting, but then moved on to work in sculpture and in video. During my studies my tutors were Shirley MacWilliam, Tony Hill, Sandra Johnston, Brian Connolly, and Doris Rohr. They were all a great help!

What is the best memory you have from your time studying here?

I have many great memories from studying at the University, but seeing as I can only pick one, I would say it was at the end of my final year, completing my installation for the degree show. It was hard work getting the exhibition space organised, but was really fun and interesting to see everyone working on their own work and helping each other out.

You did the STVP graduate

As part of Visual Belfast’s Graduate interviews Louise Younger meets up with Gerard Carson, a Belfast based Artist, specialising in mixed media installation, video and drawing.Ger

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residency last year! What was that like?

At first it felt a little odd, just graduating and then unexpectedly being invited back for the residency, but I gradually began to fit into the role of an ‘artist in residence’. I was really pleased to get the opportunity to give tutorials to the students and discover more about their work and ideas. It also gave me time to develop my own work using the audio visual department at the college.

A lot of our students will be panicking about what to do after graduation. What did you do in the first few months after you graduated? How did you go about finding opportunities? Or did they come to you?

Well, just before I completed my final year, I was searching for opportunities online (using websites like visualartists.ie and wooloo.org) and chatting to friends about what they were going to do. Then I happened to see that Array Studios in Belfast were looking for new members to join, so I applied and was offered to join. It was soon afterwards that the tutors from STVP invited me to become artist in residence at the Art College. I made sure that I was always keeping up to date with what was going on in

the art scene and maintained the links I had made during my stud-ies with galleries and curators also, so that I would be aware of opportunities that I could be a part of.

What’s life like after University?

Life after College can seem rather daunting initially, but you begin to settle into a routine of making work, seeking or creating opportunities and developing your practice gradually. I share a studio space with my friends Craig Donald and Katherine Rush, who both graduated from the University .I find it really enjoyable to work with them as we are all pretty much starting out together and can chat about what we are doingin our respective practices.

What are you doing with yourself at the minute? And have you anything exciting on the horizon?

At the minute I’m working on a body of work that I will be exhibiting as part of the Array Studios exhibition which will be at Platform Gallery in Belfast in February 2012. I’m also applying to as many shows that I can. I’m hoping to organise an exhibition myself in the future.

If you have any advice for our

students, what would it be? Any pointers for success?

My advice would be to work as much as you can on your practice; it shouldn’t feel like a chore and make as many links as you can with galleries and curators outside of the Art College. They can be very helpful. Also keep in contact with your fellow students and chat about your ideas and work. They often help you realise things that you wouldn’t otherwise.

If you could change anything about your time at University, would you? If so what would it be?

Hmm...tough question. I guess that I would’ve liked to have made more use of the College’s workshops and equipment. It’s only when you leave the Art College that you realise how great the resources are. And free of charge too!

And finally, could you describe your time at the University of Ulster in three words?

Energetic, Fascinating, Motivating.

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Hi Stuart! What did you study when you went to the University of Ulster? And who was your tutor?

I studied Fine And Applied Art – STVP down on the good old B floor. I had a few tutors over the three years but the one I felt I got most from was Aisling O‘Beirn. Aisling is a great tutor who is always spot on when it came to advice or making you con-sider your work from different perspectives.

What was your favourite thing about studying here? What’s your best memory of the time you spent here?

My favourite thing about stud-ying at the Art College was probably the people I met. I made some really good friends. I think my favourite memory was the first day because I was terrified and excited, and the week before the degree show. Everyone was very stressed and nervous but the energy in the building was amazing.

You now have a studio in Queen Street with two other graduates. Do you feel that it was better to get a studio as a group rather than on your own?

It’s really exciting to have a place in Queen Street, the area has been St

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After graduating from STVP in 2011, Stuart Calvin has already shown work in numerous exhibitions across Belfast. After quite an eventful and exciting six months, he talks to Visual Belfast about studios, exhibitions, and just how much he loves Aisling O’Beirn!

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a real centre for the art scene in Belfast for years. We had each tried to work at home independently but all found it to be really difficult to focus on work at home. We decided that because we were able to work so well together in the past that it would be great to have a place together and so Pollen studios was born. Its good being able to talk to other artists while you’re working and also getting to try out ideas with each other is invaluable.

You recently had an exhibition ‘This is where we are’ alongside Jayne Cherry, which was fantastic might I just say! How did that come about, and would collective shows be something you would like to do more?

Thank you! It really came about as a result of our studio space. We are on the route for the late night art tour and felt that although the space is quite limited that we could still manage to put on a show and have space to work in. It was a real struggle as it was done on a tight budget but I think we pulled it off.

You also have a solo exhibi-tion on the horizon! Tell us a bit more about that.

I have a six-week solo show in late April 2012 in the Dillon

Gallery at the Cultúrlann. The committee from the Cultúrlann chose me during the degree show based on the body of work I had produced in my final year. I was completely delighted when I heard the news. The new gallery is such an amazing space and will be a real challenge to work in. Thankfully this week I learned that I have received funding from the Arts Council through SIAP for the show which means I can create some larger scale pieces needed for the space. I’m making all entirely new work for it and its going to be hard work. It’s pretty nerve wracking but exciting none the less.

A lot of our final year students will be panicking about life after college. How did you spend the first summer after you graduated?

Panicking is probably a good thing it motivates you to find opportunities. I was really fortunate to be approached by several people during the degree show. One of which was Hugh Mulholland who owns the Third Space gallery. He invited me to be part of a group show called ‘The status of the object’ in July, which was a great opportunity for a recent graduate. I also spent a lot of time hunting for a studio space as I realised I had no room to make work in. I probably spent

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a fair bit of time just trying to reorganise my life after college.

If you could change any-thing about your time at the University of Ulster, what would it be?

I would have spent more time in the studios! Like most people I had to work while I was at college to support myself and this took up a couple of days in the week, which ate into studio time. I really struggled in the first semester of final year to balance work and college. Another thing I would have done differently is to have made more use of the workshops and technicians. You won’t believe how much you miss those facilities when they are not available.

If you have any advice for our students, what would it be?

It’s great to get advice from tutors and peers, some of it is invaluable but don’t be afraid to disregard it and go with what you feel is right. Also don’t be afraid to change your mind at the last minute! I think some of my best work was a last minute decision.

And finally, could you describe your time at the University of Ulster, Belfast, in three words?

Steep learning curve.13

WeaveWhy did you choose to come to the University of Ulster over other courses, and other Universities?I was always a creative person and wanted to pursue a career which stimulated me creatively and didn’t bore me to death.

Do you regret choosing to study a creative degree?Nope.

If you had to choose one other discipline that you would have liked to pursue, what would it be and why?I am a textile designer and gradu-ated in textiles but I would love to learn pattern cutting, so I could design and make garments.

Please tell us about your most recent work.I’ve been working towards an exhibition the University is arranging where I have been weaving eclectic motif designs and knitting thick, stripy scarves and snoods. I have also been re-using my older samples from final year to make coin purses.

Could you describe your work in 1 word?Quirky.

What inspires you to do your work?Seeing the finished product.

Who is currently your favourite artist and why?At the minute I have been looking at Nancy Thompson’s and Beth Newing’s work, both graduate designers.

What does the future hold for you?I currently work part time in H&M whilst doing the Designer in Residence but I have an interview lined up in with Quantum Cloth-ing Group who design hosiery. Designing textiles as a career is a dream come true and it being in Northern Ireland is an added bonus.

If you had 3 tips for success what would they be?I wouldn’t say I’m successful … yet, so I couldn’t advise anyone else on how to achieve success. Although I’d advise anyone start-ing university to think about what interests them and what they’d enjoy not what will get you the best job after you graduate when picking your courses.

Lauren Crabb

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What have the Artists in Residence been up too I hear you ask? Visual Belfast caught up with a couple of them to see how they are getting on and to find out what makes them tick.

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Painting

Why did you choose to come to University of Ulster, Art College over other courses, and other Universities?I did my foundation at Tech in Bangor so going to the Art College felt like the natural transition to make. I knew I wanted to do a creative degree and didn’t want to go abroad to study so it was the obvious solution.

If you had to choose one other discipline that you would have liked to pursue, what would it be and why?I love science, especially physics, so I would’ve enjoyed studying that. I only recently discovered my interest for it through my art practice, and it influences most of my concepts now. The great thing about art though is you can literally make it about anything that interests you; it’s completely open ended.

Please tell us about your most

recent work.My recent stuff is about ‘Time’, the progression of time and the effects of time. It’s early days for this though, it’s really a development on my degree work which was about entropy (a term used to describe the gradual decay of everything; from order to chaos) and it’s effects on a human level. So my work featured alot of decaying objects, like bust up old cars, abandoned houses etc. I like to have alot of layers, both physically and conceptually, to my paintings.  There has to be room for the viewer to make their own judgements aswell, I think that’s probably where most of the meaning comes from in the end.

What inspires you to do your work?It’s very much a personal thing, I said before that I regret doing a creative degree sometimes, but I

Ross Watson know I’d always come back to art regardless. I’m really interested in loads of different things and they can all come into my art, it’s great. You couldn’t get that with anything else.

Who is currently your favourite artist and why?I watched a film recently called ‘Ikiru’ by Akira Kurosawa. It’s about time, and how you can spend all your time accomplish-ing nothing; being busy but never achieving anything. I got a lot out of watching that. Films are a great inspiration for me, probably more so than paintings by other artists.

What does the future hold for you?Poverty,probably. I’m optimistic though, as long as I can keep working and people can see my work I’ll be happy. Everything else is irrelevant really.

If you had 3 tips for success what would they be?Push yourself, never stop making, and find a patron!

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Home Grown, F.E. McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge

The ‘Home Grown’ exhibition opened this month at the F.E. McWilliam Gallery in Banbridge. Showcasing work from local artists either living in or associated with the Banbridge district, the exhibition covers a wide range of disciplines from video based work to textiles, bronze and clay sculptures to drawing and painting.Heather Fleming’s uncanny figures seem to challenge the idea of getting up close to a piece of art. Tucked into corners or behind walls, the figures, titled ‘An-other’, question the idea of stereotypes and our instinctive reaction to the ‘other’ person. Catching the viewer off-guard the work gives us a sense of unease, challenging our perceptions.Patrick Colhoun is another artist who makes use of the gallery design, positioning his twenty-five clay heads on the floor, in the full light of the gallery’s one window. With the backdrop of the garden and the McWilliam sculptures in it, his very personal work appears to have a strong sense of place. Colhoun’s work describes the “coming of age”. A single gold head suggests that in the midst of trouble there is always hope.The exhibition includes works from University of Ulster students and graduates. Second year Fine Art painting student Millie Moore’s delicate draw-ing and stitched piece ‘Journal’ describes a recent journey to Kiwoko Hospital, Uganda.Joanne Proctor, who graduated in 2008, is the exhibition’s artist in residence and will be completing two large scale graphite drawings over the course of the exhibition.Joanne Walker, who studies printmaking, is also exhibiting. Her mixed media piece contrasts Banbridge, where she now lives, with the Belfast estate where she grew up. The work hangs freely from the beams in the gallery, giving us a sense of movement.The exhibition also includes work by University of Ulster tutor Dougal McKenzie. His three large paintings take as their starting point the 1972 Munich Olympics and include a personal interest which offers the viewer a new perspective.

The exhibition runs until the 11th February and is well worth a visit.Whe

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By Brónach McGuinness

December Late Night ArtSynthesis, This is Where we are…

December’s late night art proved to keep the great name of the Belfast Art scene proud, showcasing an array of unique talents in both curation and in the Visual Arts. Platform Arts group Show Synthesis did not fail to disappoint. Showing works by nineteen different art-ists, the exhibition was an eclectic mix of styles with works ranging from photography, to sculptural installation to video to even an interactive games booth! Whatever your niche be regarding artistic endeavors, the atmosphere of the space immediately warmed your soul -The mulled wine could have had something to do with that too! The exhibition also included an abundance of student’s work, both past and present, such as the works of first year STVP student James Fennel, graduate Miguel Martin, and final year PhD student Jenny Keane, who’s triple video channel installation “Bitter Sea (After The Hunger)”, eloquently showcased her unique flair of appropriating old motion picture footage and altering the context of how the (often disturbing) imagery is portrayed, with a feminist twist. This is where we are…

“A description of the state of mind of two artists caught in transition between graduation and profession. Unsure of the territory with no clear boundaries to ligate or limit them, one looks to the stars for guidance, the other to the unconscious dialogue we try to ignore. One thing is certain, their work defines who they are, and now, where they are.”

Recent graduates Jayne Cherry, and Stuart Calvin* have cordoned off half of their shared studio on Queen Street. The aesthetic nature of the works, whilst both artists working independently on different ideologies, wholly harmonise with each other, mirror each other. Both artists work in very different ways - one being somewhat practical, the other spiritual, yet their works are each others’ counterparts. Both bodies of work have a romantic, performative, experiential element to them which again only adds to their beautiful and poetic synchronisa-tion. The small scale of the space created a cosy home-like ambience, which allowed for a happy and relaxed audience. As an exhibition, it was truly an upmost success of which both artists should be extremely proud.Full of wine, laughs, merriment, frivolous festive cheer and most importantly good art, there was a buzz of excitement all round as Belfast proved itself as a City of Culture and fundamentally as a place of growing artistic merit.

The next Late Night Art will be 2nd February, and it promises to be bigger and better than before.

*Stuart Calvin is one of our Graduate Interviews this in this issue of Visual Belfast. Just go to our Interview section to find out more about him, his work, and life after Art College.

By Louise Younger17

For a week in December the second year Ceramics class teamed up with second year jewellery and silversmiths to produce an impressive showcase of talent in the foyer of the University of Ulster’s Belfast Campus. Miniature personalised doll pegs, an array of exotic feather studded rings, a huge majestic ceramic horse head displayed on a worn wooden base, disorientating visual art projection of flowers on ceramic masks, rustic pots, intricate jars, introverted sculptures and all manners of beautifully crafted pieces made the show just the right balance of ‘how inspiring!’ and I need to own this now. The show was set up by lecturers Cara Murphy and Clive Fiddis in response to the break-down of the annual Christmas fair which had been held at the Belfast Campus for nearly twenty years! The exhibition-style sale sailed off to a sophisticated start with an opening night where buyers and art enthusiasts alike were welcomed to view the work. In the following days we visited the showcase to see how the students had got on with selling work, promoting themselves and the interest that had been generated by the work on display.

For most, exhibiting in a professional manner was new to them and at the beginning it seemed ridiculous that anyone would pay any attention to their work. Some had the impression that it wouldn’t be taken seriously, and people would just look at the work and not actually consider buying it. The response from passers-by were in fact, the exact opposite; with plenty of items selling on the first night! Several of the limited edition and one-off productions were snapped right up.

The general message we got through talking to the students was appreciation for tutors who pushed for the event to take place, for those who helped them produce finished work to display and also, the business side of creativity - a subject that we often prefer to sweep under the rug! We were told that to be able to come to a justified price instead of just estimating the worth of the work was a real confidence booster. It is a great skill to know how to price your work, as you just don’t think about money when you create it. Students were in agreement that learning about business is not enforced enough throughout the courses, hopefully with the new professional practise module, that has just been introduced this year will help with this. Whilst we are at heart creative people, in order to turn our passion into profit we need to be business savvy. This independently set up exhibition shouts out positive outcomes for the creative person who takes control of their work from creation to displaying, to pricing to selling. We thoroughly enjoyed talking to the students involved and eyeing up some lovely pieces. I’m sure plenty of people will have been very pleased with the unique gifts they received this year.

Contemporary Applied Arts Exhibition

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By Claire Wiggins

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Ben Gourley

Rebecca KillenRhiannon Ewing20

Agony Uncle

He is thee most amazing, super-dooper, fan-bloody-tastic Agony Uncle

of all time, EVER!

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Dear Agony Uncle,I want to work cross discipline in different departments using a variation of techniques. I’m not too sure how to go about this?Chris.

Dear Chris,

First you should establish what you want to do, whether that is mixing painting and print-making, ceramics and architecture etc. Once you have made up your mind, I would say to your tutor about your intentions and also the other head of department you want to work in. From then on you just have to set up a demonstration or two, and Bob’s your uncle. Some disciplines will be harder to learn than others, but if you put in the time, you will get some great results!Agony Uncle.

Dear Agony Uncle,

It is impossible to book equipment! It is never there when I want it! Can you help me?Sarah

Hi Sarah,

This can be a problem with a lot of students, especially coming into the end of a hand-in. Always have a back up plan, a lot of the time your first plan will be altered along the way, and if it is inaccessible to do that at present you can always fall back on your B-plan (for a while any-way). Make sure if you do want the equipment you try to book it in good time, and mention to the person who has it that if they aren’t using it if you could use it. Good luck with your project Sarah!Agony Uncle.

Dear Agony Uncle,

Tutors keep giving me feedback and some hefty criticism; I am not too sure what to do about it because I think it is wrong. An artist is entitled to have their own ideas, aren’t they?Ingrid K.

Hi Ingrid,

I have heard this same story from so many students, and they all fall into the trap that they may ‘know better’ than the tutors. You are right, an artist is entitled to his or her own ideas, but what the tutors are trying to do is make sure you understand what you are doing fully. This has happened to myself before, and it is natural to be stubborn over something so personal, but what you can do is take what they say on board. Do what they say and see if it is the right thing or not. The worst thing to happen is for it to go unnoticed and nothing done about it, because then you have instantly disregarded their advice (in your case ‘hefty criticism’). If you do feel so strongly about the criticisms you have been given, seek another tutors advice and opinion. This might reinforce what was already said and give you more of an idea what needs to be done. Whatever the circumstance, make sure you are enjoying what it is what you are doing.Agony Uncle.

Dear Agony Uncle,There are so many girls around Art College, I don’t know who to chase? Help me! Anonymous

To Anonymous,Don’t go to printmaking – they just keep repeating themselves. Instead go down to ceramics – they are down to earth.Agony Uncle.

*If you would like to get some advise from Visual Belfast’s very own Agony Uncle please get in touch by emailing: vp.belfast@uusu.org

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Just a thought...

If you had to give yourself advice when you were in first year, what would it

be?

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