BA (Hons) Illustration (Jan 2024 Start)

Dedicated to teaching both theory and practice since 1999, Mel began teaching at Arts University Plymouth in 2004. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, AUP Teaching Fellow and RSA Fellow. Mel’s skills and experience are consolidated in her role as Assistant Dean and Principal Lecturer, having long since decided that working alongside the next generation of designers and creatives was exactly where she wanted to be. Previously course leader for BA (Hons) Illustration, Mel built a team of dedicated staff to help shape the identity and curriculum of the course, and the Illustration provision at Arts University Plymouth grew from strength to strength Current pedagogic research is focused on play and the role of curiosity in creative learning. Mel has presented papers at conferences across the UK and Europe: Illustr4tio International Conference (‘Illustration as Reparation’ 2019), GLAD Conference (‘Trading Places: Developing a Model for Interdisciplinary Practice’ 2017), HEA Annual Arts and Humanities Conference (‘The Great Editorial Race: the serious business of play’ 2016), ELIA Teachers Conference (‘The Serious Business of Play’ 2015). She is co-author of journal paper ‘Drawing Thinking: Illustration as Pedagogy' with AUP Senior lecturer Jason Hirons. With a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design and MA in Visual Culture from Bath Spa University, in her own practice Mel is obsessed with discarded books and abandoned photographs and seemingly random pieces of ephemera. Through drawing and collage Mel plays with juxtaposition to transform the use, meaning and interpretation of the images she finds and a recurring theme is the plight of lost, broken and damaged things. Website

Jason is an artist, writer and educator with an interest in the detritus, flotsam and jetsam of the everyday. Other areas of interest include landscape, walking, critical writing, comics, Actor Network Theory, poetry and performative practices. Since 2001 he has been walking, collecting and archiving the city of Plymouth; this work has been realised in a number of ways, including published texts, performances (locally, nationally and internationally), installations, and public talks. Jason studied Performance Writing at Dartington College of Arts followed by a Masters by Research in Landscape at the University of Plymouth, and he is currently a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Education, where his research involves speculations on the future of the art school and communities of practice. As one half of Driftingspace and a founding member of the art and architecture group Interchange, Jason explores the possibilities of place, space and critical education as a conduit for transformational learning. He also runs theopenartschool, which includes the ongoing microlecture series #5minutecontext, hosted on his Instagram account @JasonHirons. For years Jason led and coordinated the Contextual Studies modules at Arts University Plymouth, and he currently teaches on the BA (Hons) Illustration, Masters in Art, Masters in Photography, and MFA programmes, and is the Course Leader for Distance Learning at Arts University Plymouth.

Amy Pike is a multidisciplinary designer, researcher and educator. Specialising in play, design-thinking and wellness for adults. Amy’s research passion is all about play. After graduating from Arts University Plymouth in MA Visual Communication with a Distinction and BA (Hons) Graphic Communication with Typography from Plymouth University, Amy is now an active researcher as she studies for her PhD with the University of Nottingham. Amy’s current research consists of challenging the misconceptions of play, with a focus on how play can be implemented within the healthcare system to support adult wellbeing. At present Amy is focusing on the links between play and renal dialysis patience in and around the UK. In 2019 Amy secured the role of working as the first full-time and only in-house Graphic Designer at the Exeter Chiefs. It was during this time she created the branding for the 2019/20 season and rebranded parts of Sandy Park stadium. Her work for the Exeter Chiefs has been seen by over 250,000 people with regular features on BT Sport and more. Amy has since worked for various creative agencies in and around the UK working with clients including Dermatonics, ToolBank, Zehnder, Dales, Exeter City Council and more. With growing interest, Amy is regularly participating in conferences and events as she shared her knowledge and passion for play and working methodologies. Working as a Lecturer on the BA Graphic Communication course. Amy teaches both on our BA Graphic Communication course and on the AUP Distance Learning programme. Amy is currently working on research which is expected to be published in 2023/25.