See what you can make out of West Herts College's summer exhibition (From Watford Observer)

See what you can make out of West Herts College's summer exhibition

3:43pm Thursday 18th June 2009 in

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Safari prints, lino cuts, cakes and biscuits made from cloth and even Lego are among the many and varied materials used for this year’s West Herts College Summer Exhibition, which runs from Wednesday, June 24 to Friday, June 26, at the College’s Watford campus on Hempstead Road.

The art, design and media students are busy turning the building into one big gallery to show off their artistic talents in this mixed media exhibition, which covers ceramics, graphic design, 3D design, illustration, fine art, textiles and printmaking.

Fashion and clothing students open the event with a catwalk fashion show, modelling their own creations.

Themes on the catwalk will include safari, printed waistcoats and tribal wear. “There are some really wacky designs in this year’s fashion show,” explains tutor Trish Miller. “As well as more daring creations we also have a range of tribal wear designs for the high street.”

We have a group project every year to design all the publicity material. It’s become something of a competition to improve on the year before

Marc Laming, graphics tutor

For the first time this year, the college’s hair and beauty students will be doing hair and make-up for the models.

One student who is definitely looking forward to this year’s show is 19-year-old Emma Scott. Putting the final touches to one of her favourite lino prints, Emma says: “I’ve loved the course. We’re just given a brief and then let loose to experiment and use our own creativity. It means that no two pieces of work are ever the same, as you’ll see at the exhibition.”

Over in the graphic design department the foundation degree students have pooled their talents to produce posters, flyers and invitations for the show.

“We have a group project every year to design all the publicity material ahead of the show,” explains course tutor Marc Laming. “It’s become something of a competition to improve on the year before.”

Inspired by the construction of the college’s new Watford campus, the nine students in the final year of their foundation degree in graphic design and illustration used Lego pieces to design the 2009 promotional material.

“We lost count of the number of building blocks we actually used but it was a lot,” explains graphic design student Anna O’Dell. “It’s taken a year to plan. The Lego design took a day to put together, the hardest part was working out the maths of how many pieces we’d need for each bit.

“After the show we’re hoping to donate the Lego to a children’s charity or hospice.”

The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 4pm, entry is free. Details: 01923 812345, www.westherts.ac.uk