Student artists in Mansfield exhibit their finest skills and talents

Bringing together the best of students’ work, teachers and learners worked hard together to display the final major projects of a year of dedication and hard work in the arts.

Budding artists, designers, film-makers and actors welcomed guests including parents, friends, business leaders and representatives from local councils to see the fruits of their labours over the past academic year.

Students from the national extended diploma in art and design practice image making and commercial design course brought their exhibition from Southwell’s Workhouse and Infirmary, which housed their installation for public viewing in May and June.

This installation covered texture and touch, pattern and print and colour and monochrome themes after researching the contextual issues surrounding the workhouse and its inmates, historic events and legislation surrounding issues of poverty and homelessness, alongside the support provided by the workhouse which would have shaped their lives.

Items produced included fine art textiles, screen printing, ceramics, photography, graphic design and typography to reflect the era, while bringing in elements of modern-day parallels.

There was another large exhibition of art and design work displayed featuring prints, fashion, furniture design, sculpture, photography and fine art from student artists who have worked on a range of briefs throughout the academic year.

Second-year students on the advanced creative media practice (film and TV) course showcased their final major project films in the college’s theatre, some of which are being submitted to the forthcoming Mansfield Town Film Festival.

Films included:

• Nostalgia, about a young woman called Jasmin who is in a coma. Time is running out and her prognosis is poor. Within her mind three beings each personify a different stage of her life. The trio are desperate to awaken their host, conjuring up their most powerful memories in the hope that one memory will shock Jasmin back to life;
• Rallying: Memories of a Dying Age documented the history of rally driving featuring Bob and David who told their stories of how they first got into rallying, and how many changes they’ve seen in the sport over the years;
• Kirkby: Memories From The Past was a short documentary which captured the poignant stories of local residents as they reflect on the changes, both positive and negative, which have shaped the community of Kirkby over the years;
• Discovering Pride was a documentary exploring the history of Pride as well as what it’s like in today’s society. It featured old photographs of early Pride walks as well as the tragedy of the Stonewall riots, and interviews with people in the LGBYT community;
• The Ripple Effect documentary shed light on the impact of Covid-19 in Mansfield. Through interviews and research the film pieced together the puzzle of what happened to the community during this time period, capturing raw emotions, personal stories and people’s resilience.

Students all worked on the direction, production, casting, cinematography, sound and editing for each film utilising their skills gained on the course.

First-year acting students performed a double bill of work, largely produced by themselves, examining themes of identity and coming-of-age in the modern world for young people, while musical theatre students across all three cohorts performing a selection of ensemble song and dance numbers to the delight of a packed-out audience.

Level-three acting and performance students put on a performance in the theatre for guests visiting the exhibition. Their show, entitled Red Noses, written by Peter Barnes, depicted 14th century Europe during the Black Death, featuring Father Flote who is leading a travelling band of comedians in the hopes of offering redemption through laughter.

Digital artists held an animated exhibition in the Create hub, focusing on a variety of projects worked on throughout the last two years. Guests, which included a range of business clients, could see the showreels by students on the advanced creative media practice (digital arts and game design) which included animation, 3D modelling and digital graphics projects for companies such as Aphrodite’s Rock Brewery in Cyprus, Ground Zero Comics and the NHS.

Kerry Pilcher, college head of academic, creative, community, digital and professional studies, said: “This large and varied school of learning has really excelled this academic year. Our students have displayed artistic brilliance in their chosen specialisms and I couldn’t be prouder.

“Their guests and families were equally impressed with not only the skills they have developed, which will take them on to further studies and great careers, but with their new-found confidence and burgeoning inspiration and interest in the arts.

“I would like to thank all of our teaching and support staff who nurture their brilliance and thanks also to our onsite technician and student volunteers who programmed, rehearsed and ran three in-house shows in the space of six days. Their tireless work ethic and dedication makes what we do possible.”

Izabelle Thomas is a student on the national extended diploma in art and design practice image making course. She contributed to the Southwell Workhouse exhibition earlier this year.

The 18-year-old said: “I wanted to create a piece that represented women empowerment through the period when Southwell Workhouse took in women and children. I wanted to use symbolism to represent this power. This is a pencil and paint drawing which incorporates lace and I wanted it to look like a brooch.

“I’m going to look for an apprenticeship next and enhance my portfolio. My dream job would be tattoo designing – I think that would be quite exciting. I’ve had a great experience at the college. It’s really expanded my personal creative knowledge and style. Before I came to college I don’t think I would have created anything like this.”

Sherice Hobson, 19, a student on the advanced creative media practice (digital arts and game design) extended diploma, brought her family to see her showreel of digital work.

She said: “One of my projects on work placement was creating T-shirts for two clients. The first client, Sumo Baby, worked alongside another company called Drip Factory. We had to work with these two clients to get the designs fully developed. Our T-shirts were then sold on their website.

“During another placement I was asked to make a game and I made all the assets, another student put the assets together, so that was good. Working to real deadlines for clients was tricky at first, but as soon as I got into the flow it made it became easier as I produced a schedule to work to.”

“My dream job would definitely be something within the gaming industry. I was brought up around games as I played them with my dad and always loved them. I enjoy putting them together so it’s a real passion of mine.”