Monday, 8 June 2015

NQ Art Exhibition - Opening Speech


Briefing for NQ and NC Art & Design Exhibition
Both groups have just returned from a residential trip to Glenkin Centre, on Argyll near Dunoon where they all ‘roughed it’ in an old farmhouse and barn, totally surrounded by forestry commissioned land where they spent some time relaxing and exploring the landscape and beautiful natural environment there. It was a lovely conclusion to the year and has laid some solid foundations for both groups and cemented new friendships as they embark on their progression to the next level of study with us at the college.

The art department is excited by the success in our students achieving progression to higher level courses. We have approximately ten NQ students going on to NC and again around ten NCs progressing to our higher level HNC in Contemporary Art Practice – we are very proud that two of you; Emma Harrison and Jade Ramsay started with us at NQ level two years ago. We sincerely hope that the NQs that are about to step up to NC look to them both as inspiration and an example of what can be achieved with dedication and a desire to succeed.
Our HNC students set a high standard every year and this year we are seeing some wonderful outcomes again; we have students going on to study at HND level: Jonathan Speedie is off to Edinburgh College to continue his study in Contemporary Art Practice and Madison Potter has secured a place at City of Glasgow College to study Illustration.

We have students securing degree studies at all four major Art Schools in Scotland and some being made multiple offers; and in fact all four University’s offering two places to our students. This year for the first time in any of our art lecturers’ experience, we have Lauren McDonaugh, who has been offered a place at each of the four Art Schools. To comprehend the magnitude of this achievement: there were four thousand five hundred and eighty applicants competing for just two hundred and thirty places at Edinburgh College of Art this year, so you can see the level of competition that our art students are able to contend within - and not only Lauren; we also saw David Deans secure a place there too. Both have chosen instead to take up their offers with Glasgow School of Art and are off to study Sculpture and Environmental Art. Christine Cook has secured her place at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee and Emma Watt is heading to Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen to study Contemporary Art Practice.

It is important to realise that these are the footsteps you are following in. Tonight is a celebration of your achievements, this is truly something to cherish; creative people are at the heart of our Scottish cultural heritage through design in industry to fine art where we attract millions of tourists via our galleries, museums and events around Scotland and the UK. Putting together a show like this is the first steps in each of your journeys towards continued success and we hope you and your invited guests, friends and families take real encouragement from this small glimpse of your coursework, achievements and endeavours here at the college: enjoy your evening and congratulations to each of you on your work; both in terms of producing the paintings, drawings and prints as well as in framing, organising and putting together this delightful show.

 

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