Saturday, June 07, 2014

Glasgow Kelvin College Degree Show and Interim Degree Show

As many readers know (if you can call my small but dedicated readers "many"!) we've been running a degree programme within Glasgow Kelvin College - née: North Glasgow College - for some four years. This academic year, jewellery moved from a three-year programme to a four-year programme and so are not having a proper degree show but the fashion degree, which was developed after ours, are having their first degree show. Consequently, this blog post kicks off with the fashion degree show and as I know very little about female fashion and the majority of the show was women's wear, this will be largely photographs and little comment!

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 2

Siobhan Mackenzie's take on traditional Scottish formal wear. There is a brooch by my student, Anne Walker which I will post next week. The devil is certainly in the details here:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 3

Jessica Fulton looked at the rock and roll culture of the 1990s for her grunge-inspired collection:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 4

Alison Fulton made an entirely bridal collection:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 5

And I am delighted by the collaboration between her and one of my own students, Anne Walker, to create this digitally-produced neckpiece:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 6

Alison Ratcliffe used reclaimed and recycled fabrics for her entire collection. An exciting approach:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 7

Chloe Boyle's 1940s-inspired tea-gowns incorporate her own digitally-printed fabrics in a clash of eras and colours:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 8

Andrew Kay started off with a "Steampunk" theme and took it forward, evolving it in what does appear to be a parallel progression from "Punk" to "New Romantic"in the mid-late 1970s and early 1980s.
Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 9

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 10

Michelle Hervo created a futuristic sportswear range:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 11

Sarah Donoghue concentrated on lingerie:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 12

Rebecca Harvie did some interesting work on elegant clothes in "plus sizes" (hideous term, but I don't know how else to describe it):

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 13

Stacy Irvine looked to the 1950s Hollyood glamour icons for her collection:

Glasgow Kelvin Collge - Inaugural Degree Fashion Show - 15

I have to apologise to Lynn Cochrane for not including her amazing work in this review - actually my favourite work in the show. When I tried to get photographs, there were loads of people around and I went off to speak to the jewellers, forgot and never got back. I will post an addendum next week, including her work.



On to more familiar ground now with the jewellery degree interim show and kicking off with our student from Fair Isle on the outermost reaches of the British Isles, Inness Thomson. Unsurprisingly, he uses this rich cultural heritage as a source for his work:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 1

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 2

Note the garnets set into the claws on this prize-winning ring!

Sarah Russell's collection draws on her recently-discovered passion for horticulture:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 3

Barbara Harris has developed her skills amazingly over the last year and her collection included this medal for the British Art Medal Society, considering the role of DNA and freedom in modern society:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 4

Anne Walker is a magnet for ideas, pulling on disparate threads of thought and weaving them together in surprising ways. With a definite nod to Ted Noten, she created a "Heist" installation to display her work:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 6

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 7

Katie Marriott's work uses clocks and architecture as a source:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 9

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 8

Rachel O'Neill has come a long way since she started the course and has developed a range of sophisticated, subtle pieces:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 10

Again, I have to apologise! This time to Stephanie Mearns for not getting any photographs of her work. I will do them next week, along with the fashion update.

The whole event was excellent and well-attended. It was great to see that the students even sold some work. This is Andrew and Anita Neilson - the photographers behind Neilson Photography - talking to Stephanie Mearns (on the left) about her work:

Glasgow Kelvin College - Interim Jewellery Degree Show (Year 3) - 11



Also in the department... I rather liked this brooch by one of my students, Wes Zweip, in silver, gold and citrines. The citrines move around inside the box:

Wes Zweip - Brooch - 1

Wes Zweip - Brooch - 2

Our studio technician has been designing puzzle rings and other "puzzle" jewellery for years but his latest is quite wonderful:

Iain Baird - New Puzzle Ring - 2

Iain Baird - New Puzzle Ring - 1



Finally, on a frivolous note, I took delivery of my summer jacket last week and wore it to the degree show. Made by Jack - my wonderful tailor in Dennistoun - from cashmere corduroy, a material which I hadn't realised existed until I saw this! Paired with a SirPlus linen waistcoat and pocket-square (which they very kindly made up for me to match the waistcoat) jeans and Converse shoes, I think it nails my summer wardrobe!

Summer Outfit