Watch: degree show beckons for University of Chichester fine art students

Their degree concludes with their degree show coming up at the university’s Bognor Regis campus from Friday, June 9-Wednesday, June 14, 11-6 weekdays, 11-4 weekends – and a lot hangs on it, as senior lecturer Tim Sandys-Renton explains: “The marking process is complex but tries to make it all as objective as possible ie it’s not whether we ‘like’ the work. It’s about whether the intention marries up with the outcome and the extent to which each artist/student has underpinned their work through research into other artists and the ideas represented in their work. The result is a bunch of excellent and talented artists who are also very good at communicating, strong at analysing and thinking and at coming up with independent ideas; in fact, highly employable!”

Jo, who lives in West Wittering, has certainly enjoyed the course: “I moved down from London five years ago. My children are grown up and I always wanted to be an artist and I've got the time now. It is something I've always wanted to do but I wanted to get a proper grounding and education behind me so that I would have a bit of confidence, to do a BA and maybe even get an MA afterwards and to enrich what I ready had from my A levels. The art world moves on very quickly and I'm really mindful of what is going on in contemporary art. The danger is in being left behind and maybe seeming a bit amateur in comparison.”

Emily, who lives in Worthing, has loved the course too: “I just wanted to be creative. I am a textile artist and I wanted to come here because of the facilities that they had. Because of the area too, but more because of the facilities and the way that the teaching was done. And I do feel like I'm more focused as an artist because of it, that I'm more able to know what I want to do with my art. I feel like I've really improved my techniques and I have learned a lot across the whole broad range. In my practice I'm really focusing on knitting. We were looking at knitting in one workshop and for me it is all linked to art therapy. I did a placement working with people with dementia, and the knitting just really connected with that. At the moment I am knitting an installation where the viewer interacts with the pieces and shows their engagement with the light and space.” Jo on the other hand is a landscape artist, working in acrylic on canvas: “I was worried that landscape might be too easy and safe but the tutors were really encouraging and helped me to see it from a more contemporary point of view and to give it a bit more meaning. The course has made us look at the theory behind the art looking at themes like the sublime, the romantic sublime and focusing on things that actually really come down to environmentalism in the end. I've loved the course so much but I realise now how much I've still got to learn. I want to do a masters now but I could easily have continued for another year here.”

Location: fine@rt St Michaels, University of Chichester, Bognor Regis Campus, Upper Bognor Road, Bognor.