Discover MoreSpring Term 2017 Welcome to our Spring term 2017 newsletter. In our last edition, I mentioned we were developing a new ten year strategy and I’m pleased to give you, as a friend and supporter of West Dean College, a few headlines about what the future holds Martina Salvin, MFA Visual Arts, 2016 in advance of a more formal announcement later this year. The funding that these changes will require is significant, but ensures that students continue to gain the best possible experience and that We at the College have spent much of we are financially sustainable for the future. the last year assessing what we must do to achieve long-term sustainability for our But we cannot do it alone and we will need academic programmes and for the wider your help and support if we are to achieve West Dean community. We’ve listened to everything we’ve set out to. I hope I can the views of staff, students, funders, partners inspire you to join us on this exciting journey and employers and we’ve considered for the benefit of future generations of recent changes in education regulations, the artists, craftspeople and conservators and I industries we prepare students for and the thank you for all the support that you have political developments that are shaping the already shown us. world around us in unprecedented ways. With best wishes, Peter Sarginson At the heart of our strategic ambition is Alex Barron It is with great sadness, that we report to continue to deliver the highest quality Chief Executive that former West Dean College education in the creative and applied arts Principal, Peter Sarginson, died at his and also to make a lasting contribution to home in Yorkshire in March 2017. artistic and cultural heritage, nationally and Peter was Principal of the College internationally. for 17 years from 1978 to 1996 and oversaw many important developments To achieve this, we will develop a fully during that time including the launch integrated education portfolio combining the of new programmes in conservation strengths of our short course programme of ceramics, books and metalwork and our internationally renowned higher and making musical instruments. He education provision. also instigated the College’s formal We will expand and modernise facilities, relationship with the University of creating new, flexible student workshops; Sussex in order to deliver our first a new library which will house the Edward validated postgraduate diploma study James archive and more accommodation. programmes. We will also link our gardens visitor In recent years, Peter was a Trustee of attraction more closely to our core the Sidney Sanders Charitable Trust, educational purpose in a number of ways, which has funded scholarships for West including the creation of a new permanent Dean students since 1986. We are exhibition where we will tell the story of indebted to Peter for his enormous Edward James’ cultural contribution and how contribution to West Dean College. it led to the work we do today. 1 Spring Term 2017 Scholarships and Spotlight on… bursaries Merna Liddawi (Master of Fine Arts) In 2007, current MFA student Merna Liddawi decided to change her career path to pursue her love of art. She was recently selected to exhibit at the Malamegi LAB.7, an international competition and exhibition in Venice, Italy. This provided an exciting opportunity for professional practice development and networking. We caught up We recently welcomed funders of with her to find out more about her work, student scholarships and bursaries to inspiration and plans for the future. join us at a celebratory lunch alongside their scholar, followed by a tour of the How would you describe your work? workshops and studios. Art is a journey that I use to discover the During lunch, Francesca Levey (MA hidden beauty at the heart of the universe in and around us. I want my paintings to Metalwork Conservation Studies) touch upon something timeless in us all. I spoke about the value of her want people to experience them, not just to scholarship. Francesca discovered a observe. passion for armour at an early age and was working as a research assistant What inspires your work? 105 Genesis 430, Merna Liddawi on oriental arms and armour for The I grew up in Jordan under the Orthodox Wallace Collection before she came to West Dean College to gain the Church and was surrounded by a rich history How is your time at West Dean necessary qualifications to pursue a and archeology. One of my favourite games College helping your artistic was to bury items in the garden and dig them career as a conservation specialist. out, as if discovering treasure. development? Francesca highlighted that for her, I’m inspired by repetition in nature, creation I have been able to develop my painting it was the strong emphasis that the narratives, Arabic script and iconography language. The course has given me the space College places on both practical skills techniques. The process of creating art was physically and mentally to experiment with and on an understanding of materials a form of worship for the medieval artist, a new techniques whilst the tutors challenge and ethics which set it apart from prayer in itself, as it can be for the modern my practice. The beautiful landscape has other institutions. There is increasingly artist too. helped my meditative approach. a shortage of skilled conservators in the heritage sector, and most What methods do you use in your What are your plans for the future? are expected to gain a specialist artwork? The immediate future is dedicated to postgraduate qualification before preparing work for the prestigious Florence I use fifteenth century processes, creating finding employment. Scholarship and Biennale 2017 in Italy in October, for which imagery in an egg tempera made of ground bursary support is vital for students I have been accepted to exhibit. I am also minerals and earth pigments mixed with who demonstrate skill and passion but developing connections with artists in Jordan egg yolk and distilled water. The tempera is would otherwise be unable to fund the as I hope to exhibit in Dubai in the future painted on gesso panels of birch plywood. cost of these essential studies. and return to my artistic roots. After sanding them to create a smooth finish, I use a medieval technique to water-gild the Francesca has been awarded a panels with 23.5ct gold leaf, lemon gold and scholarship from The South Square white gold. Several layers of glaze create Trust and QEST to complete her MA transparency and luminosity. and has previously received support from the Anna Plowden Trust and The Can you describe your creative Worshipful Company of Art Scholars. process? Like many of our students, Francesca My art is an alchemical journey to discover would not be able to complete her the hidden beauty of the universe. training without significant support, The tempera medium lends itself to slow and we are grateful to everyone who building of layers, being at once meditative has funded a scholarship to launch the and repetitive. The repetitive randomness career of a burgeoning conservator or of calligraphic marks are unified by the artist at West Dean College. transparent layering. In my recent work, the whole painting is covered with gesso then To learn more about the scholarship sanded back at random places revealing the programme, please contact any member of layer underneath. It’s always a surprise what the team. Our details are overleaf. comes out. 2 Discover More From the British Museum to the Royal Collection Every year students studying towards a 21 work-based learning placements took place postgraduate diploma in conservation in 2016-17 and they are an integral part of the undertake 6-8 week placements working educational journey at West Dean College; for leading museums and conservators. This the first concrete step students make towards year, students were invited to complete employment. The placement programme placements at prestigious institutions enables students to widen their skills, grow including the Royal Collection, the British in confidence and develop their professional Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum network. Working on ‘live’ objects of museum and the Imperial War Museum. quality both in the college and during their placement is also extremely satisfying. Alumni: Where are The placement has been an invaluable they now? experience for me both personally and professionally, as, above all else, Catherine Silverman I wanted to use it as an opportunity Graduated in 2016 (MA Conservation to improve my understanding of of Furniture and Related Objects). how conservation functions within a Since completing her MA Catherine professional, institutional context and has begun a prestigious fellowship experience first-hand how everything in furniture conservation at the I’m learning at West Dean will transfer Metropolitan Museum of Art, New over into the workplace. York. Martin Cuffe (pictured) We are very grateful to the Barbara Whatmore Graduated in 2014 (Making Stringed Trust for providing work placement bursaries. Musical Instruments Diploma). Builder turned craftsman, Martin now works for J.P. Guivier in London as an instrument restorer. He works on a wide range Study Visit to of instruments from student pieces to Amsterdam March 2017 original 17th century violins, violas and cellos. The sun was shining as 50 conservation and visual art students set off for a week-long Jessica Hyslop study visit to Amsterdam. Enroute they broke Graduated in 2016 (MA Conservation the journey at Ghent to visit the famous of Books and Library Materials). Jessica Gravensteen Castle and St Bavo’s Cathedral. is the Project Conservator for the Minton Archive conservation project The highlight of the trip was the midweek visit to the exhibition at the Boijman’s at Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service.