Contemporary Glass Society Awards ‘Best Glass Graduate’ to Plymo

A graduate of Plymouth College of Art has added another award to her mantel for achievements in glass making. This comes at a time when the College is celebrating the launch of a new degree specialising exclusively in working with glass.

Sara Fell, 48, from Launceston, is a glass designer and graduate of the College’s Applied Arts school. She was awarded the New Designers Contemporary Glass Society Associate Prize, for the best glass graduate at the prestigious annual exhibition held in London on 30 June 2011.

Delighted to win the award, which was chosen by judges as ‘outstanding in terms of design and quality, Sara said: “I wanted to thank Plymouth College of Art for all of its support past and present.

“New Designers is so important, it is the be-all and end-all; the make-or-break of our careers, so I’m delighted to have won this prize.

“My favourite thing about New Designers is the incredible opportunity to expose my work in London. My top tip for students exhibiting at New Designers in future is to try your hardest and always be professional, something which studying at Plymouth College of Art has taught me.”

Sue MacGillivray, Programme Leader for Contemporary Crafts and Glass tutor, added: “We are so proud of Sara; she has had a number of successes during her time at the College and they are all very well deserved. She not only works incredibly hard, but she is also very talented.”

Sara is thrilled to have been given the support of her favourite conceptual Jeweller Ted Noten and goes straight from New Designers to a Summer School him in Amsterdam.

She scooped the first prize worth £1500 which includes a cash award of £250, £100 worth of materials from Warm Glass, Photographic shoot of the winning student’s work (worth £750) & a promotional and membership package (worth £400).

Her previous achievements include 2nd place in the students category for the National Warm Glass Prize, Inspired By...Access Award by the V&A Museum, Winner of the Pewter Live competition, as well as exhibiting in the past in the CGS ‘Unpolished’ exhibition.

Despite craft courses closing across the country, Plymouth College of Art is bucking the trend by introducing its exciting and innovative new Glass BA (Hons) programme from September 2011.

Sue MacGillivray added: “You don’t have to have any experience in using glass prior to coming here, just an enthusiasm for making, designing and creating and of course a fascination with this amazing material.

“I became fascinated with glass during my own studies; it’s wonderful the way it flows when hot and is solid in its cold state. It is a material that is molten, reflective, flexible and seductive.”

The new Glass BA has been welcomed by the industry including the Head of Graduate Studies at the V&A Museum, Glenn Adamson, who said: “At a time when craft education is threatened in British Higher Education, it is very heartening to see Plymouth taking on the challenge of imparting skills to the next generation.”

For those who want to try glass designing and making, the College offers free taster workshops. To register email marketing@plymouthart.ac.uk.

For more information about Foundation Degrees, BA Honours, and Masters programmes at Plymouth College of Art visit www.plymouthart.ac.uk.

ENDS

5 July 2011

To arrange pictures or interviews please contact Naomi Lang or Sarah Haines, PR and Communications for Plymouth College of Art on 01752 203427 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              01752 203427      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email communications@plymouthart.ac.uk.

For more information visit http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/prospectus/index.php?type=BA&level=Degree-and-Honours&course=BA%20%28Hons%29%20Glass%20%283%20Year%29&course_code=GLFT1A1112