The illustration degree course at Arts University Bournemouth held their stand alone Dot to Dot graduate exhibition in mid July at The Rag Factory just off Brick Lane. I visited during the day, accompanied by Snarfle, who loved running around the big white galleries and attracted the distracting attention of a young man who chased us around the show, waffling at me about babies and his imminent arranged marriage even when I very politely explained that I was trying to work: I think fatherhood must have been on his mind but it did make it rather hard to concentrate. Maybe some people just don’t really believe it’s possible to be a mother and work at the same time: well hey, I’m the living proof.
First mention must go to the super talented Becca Corney, whose lovely watercolour plate stack attracted a great deal of admiring attention when I posted it on instagram (and led to an invite to be involved in an upcoming exhibition). She then contributed another lovely food illustration to my review of The Art of Dining event at Fenton House. Get involved graduates: this website is a brilliant place to showcase your work! Becca’s great love is food and she has produced a wonderful illustrated recipe book called Plateful that you can find here.
Following on with a food theme, I enjoyed pun-tastic images such as Lettuce Celebrate by Jeanette Slade.
This Maggie Thatcher decorative paper plate is by Emma Harrison, who specialises in idiosyncratic portraits of famous people.
Emily Gilbert‘s surreal monochrome landscapes are created in simple washes of black ink: see if you can spot the tiny figure in the centre of this one.
These colourful alternative worlds by Hannah McIntyre are absolutely wonderful.
Patrizia Imossi created this cool monster stirring a cauldron.
I thought iconographic paintings on slabs of wood by Mat Waudby were really rather marvellous, including a snake and a man riding in a shark kayak.
I do love all these birds by Katie Macon, and I particularly love her brilliant handmade bird business cards, each featuring a cheeky character.
Lydia Hannah Thomas‘s lady wears a wonderful basket of fruit on her head
This fabric design by Becca Paterson was inspired by a love of thrifting.
Francesca Calabrese put colourful photographic collages on shiny glass.
Anna McNee used pen and ink to create detailed decorative illustrations inspired by the British countryside.
This felted glow worm character features in a children’s book by Becky Hill.
Hannah Jane Nicolson is inspired by the oddities of her surroundings – here a plethora of woodpeckers hammer away in a strange little forest.
Louis Wood had created a series of strange creatures fit for a folk tale. I can imagine these beguiling beings intriguing a child.
These fun ‘Wanted’ posters are by Jay Barnham.
Kate Bishop of Kroma had fun with shapes and luscious combinations of colour.
Laurel Turner stitched over photographic screen prints to unnerving effect.
This Pom Pom lady by Harriet Schofield showcases a beautiful style that would be well suited to fashion illustration.
Finally I shall finish off with a selection that caught my eye at both New Blood and Dot to Dot. Above is a close up of bizarre but beautiful artwork by Fay Huo – in which she analyses the role of phobias.
This pixelated Potion Master is by Jonny Clapham, whose idiosyncratic computer game inspired artworks really stood out as unique and utterly unlike anything else I have seen of late. He was also responsible for the simple but fun Dot to Dot mascots that were ‘dotted’ around the walls of The Rag Factory.
This neon screen printed man is by Elliot Coffin.
Finally, I had no idea that the illustrator Marina Muun was still at college! She already has a super professional presence in print and online (I’ve been following her on instagram for awhile) and creates the most marvellous and instantly recognisable illustrations. For her degree show she concentrated on a subtle range of colours to create surreal worlds populated by elongated ladies and prehistoric plants.
Overall Dot to Dot was a brilliant show, and one of my absolute favourites from the whole of the 2013 season. I have no doubt that many Bournemouth illustrators will do well over the coming years.
Categories ,2013, ,Anna McNee, ,Arts University Bournemouth, ,Arts University College of Bournemouth, ,Becca Corney, ,Becca Paterson, ,Becky Hill, ,Brick Lane, ,Dot to Dot, ,Elliot Coffin, ,Emily Gilbert, ,Emma Harrison, ,Fay Huo, ,Fenton House, ,Francesca Calabrese, ,Hannah Jane Nicolson, ,Hannah McIntyre, ,Harriet Schofield, ,illustration, ,Jay Barnham, ,Jeanette Slade, ,Jonny Clapham, ,Kate Bishop, ,Katie Macon, ,Kroma, ,Laurel Turner, ,Lettuce Celebrate, ,Louis Wood, ,Lydia Hannah Thomas, ,Maggie Thatcher, ,Marina Muun, ,Mat Waudby, ,New Blood, ,Patrizia Imossi, ,Plateful, ,Potion Master, ,Rebecca Corney, ,review, ,Snarfle, ,The Art of Dining, ,the rag factory
Similar Posts:
- New Designers 2015: Floral, Jungle and Narrative Textile and Surface Design
- Call Me: Kingston University Illustration Degree Show 2014 Review
- Kingston University: RARE Illustration and Animation Ba Hons Graduate Show 2012 Review part two
- Drawlloween Artist Discovery: Sonia Lazo
- Middlesex University: Ba Hons Illustration Graduate Show 2011 Review
