Students exhibit artwork at the Cooper Gallery

Barnsley College Art and Design students are showcasing their ‘Usual’ exhibition at the Cooper Gallery until Saturday 30 April.

The exhibition is a collection of print-based works produced by Level 3 Art and Design students in response to the theme of everyday life, which could be specific to the student’s everyday life, their family or Barnsley. The collection of work features different print techniques including reduction lino prints, wood cut, screen-print and collagraph print-based works.

Barnsley College representatives Liz Leek, Deputy Principal Culture, Place and Communities; Tony Johnson, Vice Principal Corporate; and Rachel James, Director of Teaching and Learning; were invited to the exhibition to judge the students’ work and award certificates for the best in print. They were extremely impressed by all of the students’ work but narrowed it down to three best in print winners: Caycee Taylor, Ava Bloomfield and Alisha Kitchen; one Principal’s Award winner, Isabel Edwards; and the Overall winner, Ellie Barnes. The students received a voucher of their choice plus a College certificate. In addition, the College purchased a copy of each piece of artwork which will be displayed on-campus.

Principal’s Award winner, Isabel Edwards, said:

“It’s amazing to be chosen as the Principal’s Award winner and it’s great that my piece has been purchased by the College and will be on display. I’m proud of my final piece as I feel it captures a Barnsley morning well.”

Liz Leek added: “One thing that has really impressed me is it’s often very difficult to depict movement through print, yet some of these images really captured movement, be it mechanical or physical. The use of colour is wonderful to see in so many of the pieces too.

“I am delighted by the high calibre of work that the students have exhibited, and I am so pleased to have been asked to come and judge it – it’s my highlight of the term so far.

Alison Cooper, Barnsley Museums’ Exhibition Officer, commented:

“The Cooper Gallery has always been supportive of new and emerging talent inspired by the collecting ethos of Prof Michael Sadler, whose collection is on display in Gallery Five. This exhibition is brimming with artistic flair, giving people a unique opportunity to purchase stunning work by artists at the very beginning of their career and to get behind our brilliant local students who I am sure will put Barnsley on the map one day! There’s a real cultural movement happening in the borough and it’s making it a rich and exciting place to live.”

Visit the Cooper Gallery to view the ‘Usual’ collection of artwork between 10.00am and 4.00pm from Monday to Saturday until Saturday 30 April.

For more information about Art, Graphics and Fashion courses at Barnsley College, visit www.barnsley.ac.uk/art