Gallery celebrates college art
DA GADDERIE is to host an exhibition which celebrates 10 years of the National Certificate (NC) in Art and Design at Shetland College.
The exhibition showcases Shetland’s new art talent, with work from this year’s students alongside former students’ work. Many former students progressed to the BA contemporary textiles degree.
The show is described as being diverse and lively, with painting, drawing and craft and design work exploring every form of artistic expression from self portraits, Shetland landscapes, abstracts and digital photography to new media, sculpture, knitted and woven textiles.
The NC is a one-year practical art course which aims to give students a range of drawing, painting and craft skills in preparation for Further and Higher Education. This year’s students are creating portfolios with examples of figure drawing, interior design, painting and wood block printing, which they will use for university interviews.
Previous NC students’ work is also on show, including textiles from students which went onto the BA contemporary textiles degree. Work displayed from the current first and second year BA students has a strong local link, exploring Shetland traditions with designs inspired by the St Ninian’s Isle Treasure, while the third-year students display project work created for the Royal Society of Arts Design Directions competition, which required them to create textiles which would help change the world.
The exhibition also features works from some of the college art and design department lecturers, including Paul Bloomer, Frances Wilson, Roxanne Permar, Amy Fisher and Stephanie Tristam. Exhibitions officer John Hunter said: “The visual arts and crafts in Shetland are going through a renaissance. Artists and organisations are promoting the wide range of talents and skills being practiced in Shetland today.
“The art and design courses at Shetland College are an integral part of this new optimism. This exhibition is a microcosm of these developments. There is a sense of transition, of growing confidence and determination, to see the arts as a valued and viable profession.”
The exhibition runs from tomorrow to 4th January 2009. For further information contact Mr Hunter on (01595) 741559 or at exhibitions@shetland-museum.org.uk
