Award success for Class of 2024 at Gray’s School of Art degree show

STUDENTS from Gray’s School of Art are celebrating success after winning awards at the opening of Gray’s Degree Show on Friday.

Gray’s launch event included a stakeholder event, speeches, music, and awards ceremony for students, staff and the community at the art school who gathered together to celebrate.

Dean for Gray’s School of Art, Dan Allen and RGU Vice Principal for Academic Development and Student Experience, Professor Lynn Kilbride, presented the Principal’s Design and Fine Art Awards which are funded by RGU’s Art and Heritage Collection.

The awards celebrate outstanding talent selected from across the Painting, Contemporary Art Practice, Communication Design, Fashion and Textiles, Three-Dimensional Design and Photography courses.

Winner of the Principal’s Award for Fine Art is Emelia ‘Lotta’ Wald from Fine Art while Communication Design student Lisa Stewart scooped the Principal’s Award for Design accolade.

The winning pieces of work will be retained as part of RGU’S Art and Heritage collection, which includes an extensive body of work demonstrating the creative output of the university and the North East of Scotland.

Students who received Highly Commended Awards (RGU Art and Heritage Purchase Prize Awards), are: Connor McLennaghan – Communication Design; Lesley Dyker – Three Dimensional Design; Grace Angus – Fashion and Textiles; Kirsty Macdonald – Painting; Iain Cridland – Photography; Ioanna Papatzanaki – Contemporary Art Practice.

A number of external awards were also presented including the RSA New Contemporaries Award: Scottish Society Artist’s Award, Compass Gallery and Visual Arts Scotland Award.

Mr Allen said: “Gray’s Degree Show is a real celebration and a pivotal moment our students’ career.

“I’d like to say a huge congratulations to everyone graduating this year, and to those who have won awards. This year’s degree show showcases the talent and craftmanship we have here at Gray’s and the standard of work is exceptional.

“Aberdeen is a great city, and at the heart of it, shooting above its weight, is Gray’s School of Art. Aberdeen and Gray’s need each other, we are inextricably linked, and together, we can re-energise the creative industries for the region. And increasingly become a city that is renowned for its creative and cultural dynamism, its forward thinking, and its unwavering ambition. I’d encourage everyone to come along to Gray’s Degree Show which runs until Saturday, to see the exceptional talent on display.”

Ms Stewart, who grew up in Mastricht in Aberdeen and now lives in Insch, originally studied Law and Management at RGU, before working as a paralegal. After several years, she decided to follow her true passion of art and design at Gray’s School of Art.

She said: “I was a bit surprised and overwhelmed, but I’m over the moon!

“I have a big birthday in September, I’m going to be 40, so my project centres around a visual story of pop culture and graphic design over the past 40 years, particularly drawing on my experiences growing up in Aberdeen.

“As a mature student, I’d say to anyone thinking of going back to college or university, it’s never too late to study. If you can, do it, you’ll not regret it. I’ve loved being at Gray’s, I love the community, it’s brilliant.”

Ms Wald, from Cologne in Germany, commented: “It’s very exciting to have won this award. I’ve had the best time at Gray’s.

“I wanted to study abroad and was attracted to Scotland, and Gray’s School of Art because it offered such amazing facilities. My last year has been the most fun and I’ve made lots of great friends, so it has definitely been the right choice.

“Now that I’m graduating, I want to do a master’s and try something new.”

In addition to the Principal’s Awards for Fine Art and Design, four additional Four Pillar Awards were presented in recognition of students who reflect Gray’s core values which guide the curriculum and ethos of the art school.

They are: Critical Creative Award – Bronwyn Mackenzie from Painting; Socially and Environmentally Engaged Creative Award – Bethany Reid from Contemporary Art Practice; Enterprising Award – Lisa Mundie (Ross) from Contemporary Art Practice.); Collaborative Creative Award – Elizabeth Homewood from Communication Design and Liam Green from Communication Design.

Members of the public can visit Gray’s Degree Show until Saturday 18 June. A series of events are running during the Degree Show including special guided tours for young people and the degree show is supporting a number of events as part of Aberdeen Performing Arts’ Light the Blue Festival.

The degree show is set to run until Saturday, June 15. It is open 10am-8pm during the week and 10am to 5pm on Saturday.

Opening times for the show are Saturday 8 June – Saturday 15 June, 10am to 8pm weekdays, and 10am to 5pm weekends.

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