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Rewilding Drawing, Immersive Identities, and Dreamscapes in Glass: The MA Class of 2024 Ones to Watch

Explore the cutting-edge work of Arts University Plymouth's MA Class of 2024. From rewilding drawing practices to immersive identity installations and ethereal glass dreamscapes, discover the emerging artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary creativity.
<p dir="ltr">Graduating Masters students from Arts University Plymouth presented an array of postgraduate projects at the MA Graduate Show 2024. The exhibition featured work spanning from painting, ceramics, photography, jewellery, sculptural installation, printmaking, moving image, and virtual reality, all developed within a specialised postgraduate community of practice.</p> <p dir="ltr">The MA Graduate Show exhibition took place in MIRROR gallery at Arts University Plymouth and at Studio 11 on Regent Street, just a two minute walk away. The Private View was a resounding success, with industry, members of the public, family and friends coming together to celebrate the showcase of our graduating MA students.</p> <p dir="ltr">Winner of University of the Year for South West England at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, Arts University Plymouth offers Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Pre-Degree study across Art, Design and Digital Media. Founded in 1856, Arts University Plymouth is a new kind of Arts University for the 21st century, preparing graduates who are uniquely placed to provide creative solutions to complex global challenges of our times.</p> <p>All of the class of 2024 are exceptional and its been touch to choose, but here's a roundup of some standout MA graduates to look out for from our 2024 postgraduate cohort.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.paulclarkart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr Paul Clark</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-painting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Painting </a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Paul Clark was originally a medical doctor caring for approaching end of life patients. Whilst studying his MA in Painting with us, Paul has created work that explores the complex similarities and disjunctions between a scientific worldview and that of an artist. Influenced by biotechnology, Paul’s work carefully considers the rapid acceleration in the genetic alteration of species, justified in the pursuit of disease control, sustainability and repopulation. Having grown up by the sea, he focuses on the fishing industry, highlighting the decline in species in local waters. </p> <p dir="ltr">Paul has previously exhibited throughout Devon, including at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton; Art Haven, Exeter and a previous solo exhibition at Torbay Hospital. In October 2023, Paul’s painting ‘Cocktail Hour’ was selected as Painting of the Day on the Contemporary British Painters’ social media channels. <br /></p>
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MA Painting student Paul Clark’s ‘In memory of Atlantic cod.’ Oil on canvas 50x50cm

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-glass" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alison Stott </a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-glass" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Glass</a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Alison Stott has been an artist for over 20 years, primarily working in glass blowing and visual effects. Excited by light and colour, Alison looks at the alchemical junction of light and matter, using blown glass and light, especially interested in biophilia.</p> <p dir="ltr">Alison creates transformative, immersive experiences that evoke feelings of joy and wonder, using objects and space to simulate visual phenomena. Alison’s aim for her work is to reinforce the fantastical nature of being in times of hardship and global turbulence. <br /></p>
I want people to feel that they belong in my work, that they are a part of it, to feel connected to themselves, each other and the world around them. To celebrate each unique individual.
Alison Stott, Masters of Arts (MA) in Glass
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MA Glass student Alison Scott

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://65e0a2ebf1f6d.site123.me/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sepideh Takshi</a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/master-of-fine-art-mfa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Masters of Fine Art (MFA)</a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Sepide Takshi, originating from Iran, is a new media artist exploring the real time interaction between human and digital technology to understand both contemporary human identity and AI's perception. Sepide has used her MFA studies to help her experiment with both paper and digital materials as various forms of investigation, aiming to refine the concept of contemporaneity. Sepide has published works in several journals, as well as spoken at the 2024 Rolodex Propoganda symposium, presenting her findings in real time interaction in installations<br /></p>
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MFA (Fine Art) student Sepideh Takshi

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/charlut.rl/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Charlotte Leadley</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-illustration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Illustration</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Charlotte Leadley is a Cornwall-based illustrator who uses her art as a powerful tool to ignite social change and challenge global narratives. Her work centres on the theory of illustration as a universal language, exploring how imagery can transcend cultural and linguistic barriers to foster understanding and drive meaningful dialogue. Charlotte’s illustrations are characterised by their playful use of colour, shape, and texture, reflecting her fascination with the connections between people and their environments.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her practice is deeply informed by her observations, experiences, and a commitment to issues she is passionate about. Charlotte was recognised as one of the AOI's 10 UK Graduates to Watch in 2020 and named one of Art University Plymouth’s Ones to Watch in the same year. Her degree project was also shortlisted for the New Designer of the Year Award in the Social Impact Design category, underscoring her dedication to creating art with purpose.<br /></p>
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MA Illustration student Charlotte Leadley’s ‘Throwing on the wheel’

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/karminrosanna.studio/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karmin O’Brien</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-painting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Painting </a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Karmin O’Brien is a painter who previously studied at Pre-Degree (Extended Diploma in Art &amp; Design) and Undergraduate (BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing and Printmaking) levels with us, from Cornwall. Karmin uses her art practice as a visual diary, an aid to make sense of complex feelings and experiences in order to identify her sole identity. Additionally, her work explores how bodies are contained within feminine spaces, contrasting flat colour with fine details. Passionate about bringing mystery into a world that champions AI over the unpredictable, Karmin hopes to inspire and move her audience.</p> <p dir="ltr">Karmin has led many life drawing classes, talks and taken part in numerous exhibitions in the South West, such as Leadworks, KARST, The Talk Shop, Lisk, and Brownston Gallery. <br /></p>
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MA Painting Karmin O’Brien’s ‘Sleeping’

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelly_bryant_projection_art/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelly Bryant</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-fine-art" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Fine Art</a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly is a multi-disciplinary visual artist whose work spans film, projection, performance, and installation art. As a studio holder at KARST, Plymouth, Kelly's practice is deeply rooted in exploring the evolution of the screen through a Media Archaeological lens. Her research questions the screen's transformation from an architectural object to a handheld device in the touchscreen era, focusing on the tactile and emotional connections between skin and screen and the potential for touch to be digitally mediated.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kelly’s work often involves creating immersive environments that challenge the audience's visual and cognitive perspectives. By using screen landscapes and architectures, her pieces invite viewers to "touch film with one's eye," evoking a sense of touch through the materiality and transformations of sculpted light. Her projects provoke reflections on the shifting boundaries of screen culture and our evolving relationship with the screen as an object.<br /></p>
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MA student Kelly Bryant’s still from her exhibition "I can't hear you but please keep in touch"

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.victoriamardon.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Victoria Mardon</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-painting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Painting </a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Victoria Mardon is an abstract artist, who integrates digital and traditional painting techniques to create her pieces. She creates precise and complex chromatic, hard-edged, geometrical designs digitally, then carefully draws and paints them. Victoria’s work investigates the interaction of colour, visual perception, and the viewing experience. The subject of her paintings are metamorphosing patterns, described by herself as ‘poetic visual puzzles’. Informed by mathematical principles and a systematic approach, Victoria uses vector graphics to plan compositions and opaque colours to create illusions of transparency. She hopes that those viewing her work evoke curiosity and playfulness, inviting the viewer to pause and engage with her visual puzzles. </p> <p dir="ltr">Victoria recently won the Dean's Award, presented by Associate Professor Stephanie Owens, Dean of Arts, Design and Media. This award recognises Victoria’s outstanding work in the MA Graduate 2024 show, and is testament to her time here at Arts University Plymouth. <br /></p>
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MA Painting student Victoria Mardon’s ‘Tipping Point’

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://janesharkey.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jane Sharkey</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-fine-art" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Fine Art</a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Jane is a multidisciplinary artist whose recent work focuses on walking as an artistic practice. Based on Lundy, her socially engaged practice explores how site-specific performance can deepen visitors' connections to the landscape. By facilitating creative interactions, Jane helps visitors uncover the layers of history, stories, and natural elements that shape the environment, with journeys and pilgrimage as central themes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Currently, Jane and her partner are in the process of purchasing a house along the Camino Portugués route. This space will serve as a haven for pilgrims, offering respite and opportunities for creative exploration. Through her innovative approach, Jane continues to enhance our understanding of the profound connections between people and their surroundings.<br /></p>
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MA student Jane Sharkey’s ‘Lundy Walking’

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/karina.eibatova/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karina Eibatova</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-painting" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Painting </a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Karina Eibatova’s artistic practice is a poetic exploration of nature, dreams, and imagination, expressed through oil on canvas. Her work creates a tangible yet ambiguous landscape of feeling by blending colour, form, and semi-figurative abstraction. Eibatova's paintings delicately intersect inner and outer sceneries, inviting viewers into a realm where the corporeal meets the ethereal.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having completed her MA in Painting at Arts University Plymouth, Karina's international studies include prestigious institutions like the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Zokei University in Tokyo, and Central Saint Martins in London. She plans to remain in the UK, continuing her painting practice while seeking recognition both domestically and abroad.</p> <p dir="ltr">Starting with detailed botanical graphics in watercolours and graphite, Karina's work has evolved into abstract and contemplative expressions, exploring themes of bodily figures, death, and life through a dream-like lens. Her paintings foster introspection, bridging the vividness of nature with the ambiguity of the subconscious.<br /></p>
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MA Painting student Karina Eibatova’s ‘Gate’

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/naomibatts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Naomi Batts</a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/ma-drawing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MA Drawing </a> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Naomi Batts is an artist and lecturer based in Plymouth whose practice revolves around the act of drawing as a dynamic and exploratory process. Through her MA, Naomi realised that knowing too much about her practice could hinder a genuine, fulfilling relationship with it. This insight led her to rewild her drawing practice, where engagement with materials and processes takes precedence over predetermined outcomes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Naomi’s approach places her in a position of "unknowing," allowing the drawing itself to carry the weight of knowledge. Her work embraces attributes of antifragility, existing beyond a pristine surface or an intended message. Instead, it celebrates the unknown, with the drawing holding more knowledge and control than the artist. Moving forward, Naomi intends to continue her practice-based research, furthering her pedagogical approach while creating work to sell.<br /></p>
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MA Drawing student Naomi Batts’s Final Major Project, on display at MIRROR

<p>If you are interested in discussing one or more of the Postgraduate courses we offer here at Arts University Plymouth, you can now book a free online one to one chat with Postgraduate Course Leader, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/tom-milnes" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Tom Milnes</a>, or with Associate Professor <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/stephanie-owens">Stephanie Owens</a>, Dean of Arts, Design &amp; Media. <br /></p>

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