THREE soon-to-be graduates of a Scottish art school have won top prizes at a prestigious UK-wide design awards ceremony.
Nick Fitzpatrick, Finlay Grant and Ying Huang, all students at the University of Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, won big in the New Designers Awards.
New Designers presents work from 3000 hand-picked design talents from across the UK, celebrating fashion, textiles, jewellery, metalwork, glass, ceramics, crafts, furniture and more.
Fitzpatrick, a product design student, took home the Lakeland Home Design Award, while Grant achieved the Goldsmiths’ Company Award for his jewellery and metal work. Huang was awarded the Printed Textile Design Award.
Fitzpatrick was praised for his Inclusivitea project – which consists of a trio of kitchen products to help elderly people and those with disabilities. He said the award has given him a “massive confidence boost” as he prepares for the next stage of his career.
“To have my name attached to a brand as prestigious as Lakeland is a huge honour for me and I look forward to collaborating with the Lakeland design team in future,” the student added.
Grant’s bold resin jewellery, designed for his Splash project, won his success. The collection of brooches and neckpieces is inspired by the pattern and distortion found in swimming polls.
“I have been thinking about going to New Designers since first year,” Grant said. “I’m very excited to be a part of it and to further my skills through the Goldsmiths company.”
Huang’s project “Wandering down the garden path – joy of print” draws from her experiences walking in nature among botanical gardens and wild paths. The prints, made using traditional printing methods, incorporate tree trunks and flower patterns.
“I am interested in traditional printing methods because for me, it is a very tactile experience – I can feel their texture, weight, and appreciate their quality,” she said. “I believe that to make the future a better place, it is important to reconnect to the past and to understand previous traditions.
“Winning has given me more confidence to step out my comfort zone and seek more traditional craft opportunities. I will be continuing my traditional craft journey and I am excited to start the Textiles MA course at Royal College of Art in September.”
The New Designers event is usually held in London in person but took place online due to Covid-19 restrictions – a physical showcase is planned for 2022.
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