NRC Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Exhibition 2021
What the Diploma is about
The Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice is for students who are looking to broaden their practical and theoretical understanding of art and design as a bridging year in preparation for higher education. It is suitable for learners who have had a significant amount of learning of creative subjects at Level 3 and wish to consolidate their learning further before progressing to higher education. It is also suitable for adult learners with some creative experience, but without Level 3 creative qualifications.
The course has been developed to support progression to higher education. In addition, teachers, employers and professional bodies have been consulted in order to confirm that the content is appropriate for those learners who choose to enter employment directly.
The qualification provides the knowledge, skills and understanding that will prepare learners for further study or training. Learners taking this qualification will study one mandatory learning and teaching module covering six areas of learning, appropriate to art & design practice.
The qualification offers learners the opportunity to experiment widely and take creative risks to develop a broad portfolio of work. It provides opportunities to develop art and design skills through a process of self-direction, reflective practice and communication, which are key skills for progression to higher education. The requirements mean that learners develop the transferable skills that are highly regarded by higher education and employers.
The course has been developed to support progression to higher education. In addition, teachers, employers and professional bodies have been consulted in order to confirm that the content is appropriate for those learners who choose to enter employment directly.
The qualification provides the knowledge, skills and understanding that will prepare learners for further study or training. Learners taking this qualification will study one mandatory learning and teaching module covering six areas of learning, appropriate to art & design practice.
The qualification offers learners the opportunity to experiment widely and take creative risks to develop a broad portfolio of work. It provides opportunities to develop art and design skills through a process of self-direction, reflective practice and communication, which are key skills for progression to higher education. The requirements mean that learners develop the transferable skills that are highly regarded by higher education and employers.
Rai McRandle
Anthropomorphism
For my final exhibition I have exhibited a series of digitally rendered drawings inspired by my exploration of Anthropomorphism and the Evolution of Cats. During this project I have looked at wide range of media that has portrayed animals humanized and I have used this information to create my own style and story. My project represents the Evolution of cats as well as one of ‘humans’ biggest accomplishments represented through cats, space travel.
Anthropomorphism
For my final exhibition I have exhibited a series of digitally rendered drawings inspired by my exploration of Anthropomorphism and the Evolution of Cats. During this project I have looked at wide range of media that has portrayed animals humanized and I have used this information to create my own style and story. My project represents the Evolution of cats as well as one of ‘humans’ biggest accomplishments represented through cats, space travel.
Sandra Streeter
My current work is in response to an environmental issue and how art can play a small role through the practice of recycling and upcycling old clothes and textiles in general, instead of buying new. The textile industry is the second biggest contaminator in the planet. My intention with this work is to highlight this phenomenon and give new life to pieces of fabric that nobody wants. The direction I have chosen to take my artwork reflects my interest in the environment and how I can contribute to a healthier world.
I used textiles as a main medium to create my work, I love to join pieces of fabric and think how I could make out of that something useful. I like textiles because they allow me to play with colours, shapes, patterns, textures and the main objective is to use what is already there. I stopped buying fabrics long time ago. Now I love going around charity shops and people that knows me are always giving me old curtains, fabric scraps and even clothing, that’s how I sourced all the fabrics for this project - everything was given to me.
The ideas and inspirations that inform this work are leaves and flowers. Nature in general. I may work from sketchbook drawings and research, or use specific piece of fabric, normally with a flower, as a starting point. Flowers surprise me every time I look at them, I am never tired of them, I think I was a flower in other life.
For me flowers are magic and when I stitch it, they become even more magical. It is like to be in a fairy tale full of twinkling and colourful flowers.
This work is an exploration of different types of fabrics, textures, rhythm, repetition and the association of all these elements. I don’t look for perfection because I believe there is beauty in the imperfection, I am not a perfectionist, but I am obsessed with what I do. I work in an intuitive method, I like to mix heavy fabrics, strong colours, shapes and patterns to create a pieced work or patchwork that later will be transform into something functional and valuable.
Paul Moore
An installation sculpture bringing the outdoors indoors.
My installation is made of hawthorn, willow, sand and stone. I have introduced vivid colour using the petals and flowers of the Irish gorse or ‘Whinn’ as its commonly called.
In nature life is circular where the old dies and decays in turn feeding the new. My representation of this is seen here in the old hawthorn hand knurled and twisted, using its last effort to pour its remaining life force (shown here by the vivid yellow of the gorse flowers) out of a willow goblet onto the earth giving new life to its offspring a little flowering hawthorn.
The sand and stones represent the quiet reflection of nature in ripples of peacefulness but strong in essence showing an eternity of balance!
An installation sculpture bringing the outdoors indoors.
My installation is made of hawthorn, willow, sand and stone. I have introduced vivid colour using the petals and flowers of the Irish gorse or ‘Whinn’ as its commonly called.
In nature life is circular where the old dies and decays in turn feeding the new. My representation of this is seen here in the old hawthorn hand knurled and twisted, using its last effort to pour its remaining life force (shown here by the vivid yellow of the gorse flowers) out of a willow goblet onto the earth giving new life to its offspring a little flowering hawthorn.
The sand and stones represent the quiet reflection of nature in ripples of peacefulness but strong in essence showing an eternity of balance!
Jessica O’Neill
A Glimpse of NI
Prints of the digital artwork, displaying the hidden gems and beauty spots of Northern Ireland. Highlighting the natural beauty that we have on our doorstep and the chance this pandemic has given us all to explore it in more depth. The prints illustrate my travels through childlike mark making and use of bright colours, transferring my practical skills of drawing and the basics of art into digital form. Giving the photographs a new lease of life and making them catch your eye, as I want to create work like no others, and I wanted the work to be one of a kind. Colour, line and shape were the basics to my work, and I believe my work showcases that.
A Glimpse of NI
Prints of the digital artwork, displaying the hidden gems and beauty spots of Northern Ireland. Highlighting the natural beauty that we have on our doorstep and the chance this pandemic has given us all to explore it in more depth. The prints illustrate my travels through childlike mark making and use of bright colours, transferring my practical skills of drawing and the basics of art into digital form. Giving the photographs a new lease of life and making them catch your eye, as I want to create work like no others, and I wanted the work to be one of a kind. Colour, line and shape were the basics to my work, and I believe my work showcases that.
Donna McComb
Self Portrait
The paintings in the exhibition are all portraits of myself. The project Is my journey as I study portraiture. I Started by drawing myself in the mirror improving my drawing skills and continued to explore soft pastels, watercolours and oil paintings. I researched art history and looked at the techniques used in each medium by contemporary artists. The paintings presented are my favourite paintings from this process and three large oil Portraits especially done for the exhibition.
Self Portrait
The paintings in the exhibition are all portraits of myself. The project Is my journey as I study portraiture. I Started by drawing myself in the mirror improving my drawing skills and continued to explore soft pastels, watercolours and oil paintings. I researched art history and looked at the techniques used in each medium by contemporary artists. The paintings presented are my favourite paintings from this process and three large oil Portraits especially done for the exhibition.
We would like to thank all the Students, who took part in this exhibition , as well as Jeanette Lammey, their course tutor who was very helpful and provided us with the student's statement and information about the Diploma. Also for the NRC and their support with helping provide these courses to enable artists and makers, to achieve their ambitions and dreams.