The Screen
Raising the BarPrevious Students
26 August - 26 September 2020
To coincide with our Criw Celf West exhibition, we celebrate the work of Kamila Jaworska, Isabella Coombs, Anicia Harry and Rebeca Serban. All are previous Raising the Bar students, who will showcase their development since the programme.
Rebeca Serban
Raising the Bar Alumnus 2018-19
During my Foundation course in Gower College I was able to approach art on a deeper level, and had the opportunity to explore a wide variety of new techniques. Raising the Bar has played such a big role in preparing me for my Foundation course. It has helped me grow as an artist- teaching me to see beyond the obvious, and to realise that there are no boundaries within art.
In my Foundation year I chose to focus mainly on Fine Art, as a result my final major project was from this perspective. The theme of the project was "State of Change" I have explored the theme by looking at the changes within the LGBTQ+ community throughout the years, using primary and secondary research. All of the pieces I have chosen to present here incorporate these social issues regarding LGBTQ+ rights, and their journey through history. Through this project I have managed to get myself a Merit and earn a spot in UWE Bristol studying a BA degree in Fine Art.
"Solidarity"
"Forward"
"The pink party"
Isabella Coombs
Raising the Bar Alumnus 2018-19
Since finishing Raising the Bar, I have graduated with a 1:1 from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David's (UWTSD)in Art and Foundation Certificate of Higher Education. This was a life-changing and eye-opening course; it gave me the tools and experience to embark on Illustration BA which I will be starting in September in UWTSD. The facilities enabled me to experiment and manipulate a various range of mediums and technologies such as sandblasting glass, ceramics, computer gaming, graphic design, photography, fine art, animation, and illustration. I also gained a new set of skills for example collaboratively creating performance art, applying real life topics to my art and creating an appropriate response- touching on elements that I am passionate about like animal rights was also a huge influence on my practice. My dream would be to finish my bachelor's and my masters then progress on to do my PhD. I would also aim to complete my teaching qualification, eventually tutoring in a university setting. Another ambition is to work with children who are disabled, to help them express themselves where they might not be able to- giving them a creative outlet.
“Stretch Marks”
“War Paint”
“Chrysanthemum and Peony”
Kamila Jaworksa
Raising the Bar Alumnus 2018-19
Since completing the Raising The Bar programme, I have gone on to study a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design with UWTSD. The freedom I was given on the course has made me appreciate more experimental approaches, and made me realise that this is the sort of work that I wish to pursue in the future. I would describe a lot of my Foundation work as work that blurs the boundary between graphic design and fine art.
The very last project that I have made for the foundation course, titled A Reflection of Circumstance, is one that I have a bittersweet relationship with. In the beginning, I had plans for the final project which were disrupted by the pandemic. So in amidst the turbulence, I have done the only thing I was able to do at the time - express my frustration and fear. I did this mainly through small pieces of imagery and text. Although concise and graphic in form, this project is very abstract in the sense that I let my emotions guide me in the work, as opposed to a concept. While I was making this project, I wasn't incredibly fond of it. However now I see it as a sort of time capsule that I will be able to reflect upon in the future, to remind me of this strange time. It is meaningful in its own way, and it has grown on me - I like the project now.
The next step in my practice will be to begin my studies at the University of the Arts London, on the Graphic and Media Design course. I hope that this will ground me as an artist, and expose me to numerous different approaches I could take with my work.
“Henner Response 1”
“Keyboard Type 2”
“Turbine Hall Piece”
Anicia Harry
Raising the Bar Alumnus 2018-19
Since Raising the Bar and finishing college I moved away from Wales to Norwich to study at Norwich University of the Arts. When I first joined NUA in September I was studying photography- which was continuing my primary practice from college. However after a few months on the course, I decided that it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing as a job in the future. After consideration and being eager to learn something completely new, in December I decided to switch courses to Game Art and Design. Starting this course has not only helped me to find something that I am very passionate about, but also a potential career path. Through embarking on this change, I have realised that in the future I would like to be involved in 3D modelling of assets and environments.
“Doorway to Nowhere”
“Environment Model”
