Ones to watch from Arts University Plymouth’s Graduate Shows 2025

<p dir="ltr">Graduating into a sector worth over <strong>£124.6 billion</strong> to the UK economy, our artists, designers and makers are already collaborating with brands, cultural institutions and startups. Each project is a testament to our independent, artist-led ethos and to facilities such as <strong>Fab Lab South West</strong>, <strong>Plymouth Arts Cinema</strong> and <strong>MIRROR</strong> public gallery, resources that empower students to turn ideas into impact.</p> <p>Among this year’s cohort are graduates who have been <strong>profiled by ITV News</strong>, <strong>featured in GQ</strong>, <strong>honoured with the national Freelands Painting Prize</strong>, and <strong>awarded for sustainability and innovation</strong>. Their work spans bio-textile innovation, analogue filmmaking, fashion activism and folklore-inspired editorial, with each project demonstrating not only technical skill but cultural relevance and creative leadership. These are graduates already shaping discourse, influencing industry, and being commissioned or exhibited beyond the university.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Emily Gibbings is a purpose-driven fashion marketer whose work blends creative direction with community impact. A former <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/pre-degree/ual-level-3-extended-diploma-in-art-design-fashion-textiles">Pre-Degree</a> student at Arts University Plymouth, Emily’s final major project <em>Safe in the Water, Warm by the Shore</em> was developed in response to a live brief from outdoor brand RED Equipment.</p> <p dir="ltr">Inspired by themes of safety, resilience and coastal life, Emily proposed a multifaceted campaign to launch a limited-edition Evo Pro Change Robe, including digital content, a zine, and a pop-up activation for families. Her custom repeat pattern and visual storytelling celebrated unsung water safety heroes, a concept that stood out during RED’s mid-project review.</p> <p dir="ltr">Throughout her degree, Emily has championed values-led marketing. Emily was nominated for a Size? award for her work on river conservation, and Highly Commended in the Creative Conscience awards for the same project. Emily’s conservation work was also highlighted within Arts University Plymouth as an outstanding example of a creative response to a global challenge. She co-led a charity pop-up for <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/charity-shop-gets-new-look-thanks-to-arts-university-plymouth-students">Shekinah</a> in Plymouth, raising over £100 in a single day to support its relaunch. Other projects in her portfolio reimagine narratives around mental health, zero-alcohol products and nonprofit rebranding, all underpinned by strategic clarity and authentic connection.</p> <p dir="ltr">With a sharp eye for campaign planning and a strong social conscience, Emily is poised for a career in brand partnerships, purpose-led marketing and creative strategy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyrose.marketing/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://emilygibbings.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafIyhKIFEnsMKLaC5X_33rLxovLvvTeLBTACMa-Jnldy0hq32Cp4amoFYujww_aem_NrwGFl22L9Eu84LFje2KoQ">Portfolio</a> <br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Matthew Essery is a graphic designer whose work sits at the intersection of typography, object design and playful interaction. Matthew joined us on the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/level-0-extended-degrees"><strong>Extended BA</strong></a> before deciding on Graphic Design as his pathway. His final project, <em>Wiggle</em>, is a joyful typographic epilogue and the culmination of an expansive experiment in form, materiality and environmental design. What began as a single typeface has grown into an adaptable system, capable of leaping off the page and into the built world.<br /></p> <p dir="ltr">He likes to embrace projects that push him outside his comfort zone, adapting his style to meet the needs of each brief. From logo production and zine layouts to graphic artwork and spatial installations, Matthew thrives in variety. He never expected to build a project like <em>Wiggle</em>, one entirely centred around typography, but by drawing on everything he learned from the Extended BA and the past three years of graphic design studies, he discovered that experimentation is where he excels.<br /></p> <p dir="ltr">Matthew gave his all to learning new processes, including pewter casting, woodwork, silicone moulding and more, pushing beyond conventional 2D design into something tactile and sculptural. The result is <em>Wiggle</em>: a typographic toolkit recently featured in <a href="https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2025/05/arts-univesity-plymouth-dezeen-schoolshows_dezeen_2364_col_5.jpg">Dezeen</a> and selected for the Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Artistic Research. Combining typography with sculpture and 3D printing, <em>Wiggle</em> invites people to touch, rearrange and reimagine letterforms. It is part design language, part design playground, transforming type into a space for creativity, interaction and invention. The project came with challenges, but it deepened Matthew’s identity as a designer and opened up new creative paths.</p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/machewdesigns">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://machewdesigns.com/">Portfolio</a></p>

<p dir="ltr">With giant pink lions, candy-coloured cityscapes and a sly sense of mischief, Chloe Yasmin’s <em>Grandma’s Cat</em> is a joyful ode to play, a children’s book that defies logic in all the right ways.</p> <p dir="ltr">For her final major project, Chloe leaned into spontaneity, prioritising creative freedom and embracing “the questionable bits” as part of the process. The result is a bold, author-illustrated picture book that toys with scale, character and chaos, grounded in a love of storytelling and the affectionate absurdity of everyday life.</p> <p dir="ltr">Based in Devon, Chloe works in paint, collage and coloured pencil, blending hand-drawn texture with instinctive mark-making. Her practice is shaped by childhood memory, rural life and a curiosity for the emotional potential of the picture book. She is now preparing to begin a Master’s in Illustration, continuing to develop her unique voice as an author and image-maker.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chloe will be exhibiting at <em>D&amp;AD New Blood Festival</em> in July 2025, and intends to submit <em>Grandma’s Cat</em> for consideration in <em>The Unpublished Picturebook Showcase</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/clo.yasmin/"><strong>Instagram</strong></a> | <a href="https://chloelordy.wixsite.com/chloe-yasmin"><strong>Portfolio</strong></a></p>

<p dir="ltr">Lucy Arscott is a sports photographer using her lens to challenge gender bias and elevate the visibility of women in sport. With a background in photojournalism and a sharp eye for narrative, her graduate project <em>The Power of Her</em> celebrates athletes, coaches, referees and media professionals shaping the future of sport, particularly local changemakers in Plymouth. “Whether it’s the energy of competition or the quiet moments behind the scenes, I aim to reflect the depth and diversity of athletic experience,” she explains.</p> <p dir="ltr">Originally progressing from the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/level-0-extended-degrees">Extended BA</a> pathway, Lucy has consistently used her work for advocacy and storytelling. As a first-year Extended BA student in 2022, she joined Plymouth College of Art classmates to create a commemorative sand-drawing of the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/looe-royal-british-legion-plymouth-college-of-art-students-remember-the-falklands-war">Falkland Islands on East Looe Beach</a>, marking the 40th anniversary of the conflict and honouring seven local servicemen. This community-driven gesture demonstrated her early commitment to social narratives beyond sport.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lucy’s work has already gained international recognition. Her series on gender and representation in sport won second place at the prestigious <a href="https://photoawards.com/winner/zoom.php?eid=8-1715165175-24">International Photography Awards</a>, selected from thousands of global entries. The accolade highlights her ability to create photography that resonates both emotionally and politically.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mjs_photography__?igsh=N3E1MTZmMHV5cWpt&amp;utm_source=qr">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.lucyarscott.com/">Portfolio</a> <br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Elin Bachmann’s final major project explores what costume can become in a speculative future, designing a deep-sea diving suit for Mari, an engineer working on the exterior of a floating ocean city in the sci-fi world of <em>SM-9N</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Drawing on wetsuit construction and deep-sea survival gear, Elin developed a full costume combining movement, protection and storytelling. The suit features a clear, removable helmet that locks into a chestplate, a textured outer layer inspired by artificial gills, and a wrist-mounted interface for navigating maps and systems.</p> <p dir="ltr">A key detail is the concept of a “pressure-reactive” surface, realised through interlocking 3D-printed textures layered over mesh, adding both visual interest and a nod to material innovation. Elin worked across fabrics, foam, plastics and structural rigging to balance technical ambition with wearability on set.</p> <p dir="ltr">During her studies at Arts University Plymouth, Erin completed a work placement at Theatre Royal Plymouth. Erin worked as a Wardrobe Assistant with the Wardrobe Team and Costume Designer, altering and adapting a variety of designer garments for the pre-West End debut of the ‘The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical’.</p> <p dir="ltr">Originally from Switzerland and now graduating from Arts University Plymouth, Elin’s work shows a deep commitment to imaginative costume grounded in hands-on experimentation, designing for performance, production, and possibility.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/costumesbyelin">Instagram</a><br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Sam Hart, working under the moniker Draugr Designs, is a freelance illustrator and concept artist, bringing fantasy worlds to life through immersive design. Sam’s clients to date include Mongoose Publishing, a British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games for titles such as Conan, Judge Dredd and RuneQuest, and Crossed Paths, an award nominated UK games design studio.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sam’s graduate project <em>The Book of Oem</em> is a fully illustrated Dungeons &amp; Dragons 5th Edition rules supplement, offering players everything they need to run campaigns in The Sweeping Lands, a richly imagined fantasy setting. With all artwork and layout designed by Sam himself, the book merges narrative depth with visual world-building. Its intricate maps, character designs and environmental scenes reflect his growing portfolio in fantasy and sci-fi, developed alongside client commissions during his time at Arts University Plymouth.</p> <p dir="ltr">Originally joining Arts University Plymouth from the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/pre-degree/ual-level-3-extended-diploma-in-art-design-giga">Extended Diploma in Graphics, Illustration &amp; Game Arts (GIGA</a>), Sam is now seeking opportunities in concept art, book illustration and the entertainment and games industries, offering a practice that’s collaborative, detailed and lore-driven.</p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/draugr_designs/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://sites.google.com/aup.ac.uk/draugr-designs/book-of-oem">Portfolio</a></p>

<p dir="ltr">Zoe Brown’s work sits at the intersection of fashion, folklore and the female form. Her graduate project <em>Feminine by Nature</em> is a series of location-based editorials that explore the instinctive, ancient connection between women and the natural world.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shot across Cornwall’s mythic landscapes, the project blends strength and softness, with water, fabric and movement evoking a quiet kind of power. In a standout shoot titled <em>Lady of the Lake</em>, Zoe reimagines Arthurian legend through custom design, symbolic props and immersive storytelling. Shot at Colliford Lake in collaboration with costume designer Rosie Rendle, it exemplifies her talent for world-building through narrative and place.</p> <p dir="ltr">A graduate of Arts University Plymouth’s <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/pre-degree/ual-level-3-extended-diploma-in-art-design-photography">Pre-Degree Photography</a> course, Zoe has developed a style rooted in softness, ecofeminist themes and emotional resonance. Now launching a freelance career spanning editorial, bridal and brand work, she brings a grounded yet ethereal visual identity to every frame.</p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/zoebrwnphoto/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.zoebrownphotography.com/">Portfolio</a></p>

<p dir="ltr">Andrea Merideth is an interdisciplinary artist confronting misogyny through a feminist lens. Her graduate project <em>Debris Field</em> channels female rage into material form, using bold reds and fibre-based processes to depict the emotional and physical aftermath of patriarchal violence. Drawing from personal experience and current events, Merideth's work is both urgent and unflinching.</p> <p dir="ltr">Born on the Isle of Wight and now based between Devon and Somerset, she elevates traditionally devalued craft practices, often dismissed as “women’s work”, to interrogate the power dynamics embedded in domesticity and gendered labour. Her work resists silence, asserting that creative expression can be both resistance and reclamation.</p> <p dir="ltr">As global setbacks threaten hard-won rights, Merideth's practice stands as a fierce, visceral response, a reminder that anger, when crafted with intent, becomes a tool for witnessing, remembering and demanding change.</p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/andreameridethart/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.ajmstudio.co.uk/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaffsgZD0y-nA3RpZxMpkwuJu1198frFPPsVkOktYP_UxbBoXZ2v4NWiJMgFqw_aem_LjDnQhRBHBjVUsZnFN0mRA">Portfolio</a></p>

<p dir="ltr">Siobhán Morrissey is a painter of rare emotional and material depth, a storyteller of ancestral memory, riverside ritual, and the human condition. Born in Kings Cross, London to Irish parents and now based in Devon, her large-scale paintings and drawings channel themes of belonging, fragility and life cycles, shaped by poetry, music and lived experience.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her graduate practice is rooted in place and process. Siobhán draws inspiration from the confluence of stream and river banks near her Devon home, a symbolic space where memory, mourning and creativity converge. Her paintings emerge from handmade stretchers and earth pigments she blends herself, honouring both tradition and environmental care.</p> <p dir="ltr">A winner of the prestigious national <em>Freelands Painting Prize</em>, Siobhán will continue her journey this autumn on the MA Painting course at the Royal College of Art. Her work, whether in oil, pastel or monotype, speaks to a deep relationship with materials and the histories they hold. She invites audiences into that dialogue, creating inclusive, expansive spaces where emotion and memory leave their mark.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/siobhanmorrisseystudio/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://siobhanmorrissey.co.uk/">Portfolio</a> <br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Recently spotlighted in <a href="https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2025/05/arts-univesity-plymouth-dezeen-schoolshows_dezeen_2364_col_0.jpg"><em>Dezeen</em></a>, Carmen Oppermann’s work begins with empathy. Her final project <em>Sorella Women’s Club</em> reimagines the historic Melville Building at Plymouth’s Royal William Yard as a trauma-informed, women-only creative and social hub.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rooted in feminist spatial theory, the proposal fuses architectural heritage with sanctuary and agency — zoning the space into child-friendly lounges, flexible workshops and quiet, restorative areas. Curved geometries, rich textures and layered lighting evoke softness without compromise, creating a space for rest, resistance and reconnection.</p> <p dir="ltr">Carmen’s wider practice blends design thinking with emotional intelligence, storytelling and community engagement. In 2024, she represented Arts University Plymouth in the winning team of the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/arts-university-plymouth-wins-british-institute-of-interior-design-challenge-2024">BIID Student Design Challenge</a>, and gained hands-on styling experience with boutique hospitality brand Sea Space Hotel, deepening her understanding of atmosphere-led, commercial interiors.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/carmenjoyce.design/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://linktr.ee/carmenoppermann">Portfolio</a> <br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Through forged metal and elemental ceramics, Alice Davies is crafting a new material language, one that spans sculpture, adornment and site-specific storytelling. Working from her studio, Malice Studios, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, Alice reimagines materials through fire, force and form, turning structural matter into expressive, tactile artefacts.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her graduate collection <em>Elemental Coalescence</em> fuses ceramics with recycled and forged metals, including aluminium and forge ash. These dynamic hybrids, twisted steel forms that hold, frame or disrupt ceramic bodies, are marked by geological memory and human touch. Sculptural yet structural, the series includes wearable pieces and sculptural hybrids that explore the tension between body and environment, permanence and decay.</p> <p dir="ltr">Originally drawn to blacksmithing for its transformative potential, Alice’s expanded toolkit now includes oxy-acetylene torch work, plasma cutting and experimental casting. Sustainability underpins her practice, turning waste and by-product into expressive components within contemporary craft.</p> <p dir="ltr">Guided by the granite and woodland textures of the Cornish moors, Alice continues to build a practice that moves between sculpture, design and material narrative, and is raw, precise and powerfully place-based.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.malicestudios.co.uk/about">Portfolio</a> <br /></p>