Scottish Degree Shows: Ethical Making Highlights
The Scottish Goldsmith’s Trust were delighted to attend, once again, in-person degree shows. Despite how challenging the last few years have been, the 2022 student cohort put on an impressive show.
Among many talented makers and designers these selected graduates stood out for having a strong commitment to ethical making. A passion for social change and responsible supply chains were especially prevalent themes. Here are our Scottish degree show ethical making highlights:
University of Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design.
Rebecca Boyle combines design disciplines, jewellery, and graphic design to provoke social change. Large, Expressive neckpieces hold stickers or an embossing for rubbing, rings provide, wearable, sculptural stamps – all display graphic designs with a political message. Handheld objects and posters also future in this socially engaged collection. Wear Boyle’s jewellery and objects in a public space to generate conversation and provoke political action.
Rachel Adam’s passion for horsemanship is evident in her degree show collection. Adam’s makes use of materials available in the stables, utilising hoof trimmings as an alternative material for jewellery. All silver accompanying hoof trimmings is recycled.
The Glasgow School of Art
Liz Willoughby provides alternative futures for the marine plastics persistently found ashore on Scotland’s west coast. Willoughby is sensitive to the complex issues surrounding marine industries in rural economies, presenting, through jewellery an understanding of the material potential while highlighting the human impact on this landscape. Willoughby describes this landscape as “often romanticised as a wilderness void of people”, presenting these brooches as souvenirs of the Scottish highland and islands, Willoughby describes, a remote place, inhabited by its people and possessed by the Anthropocene.
Samantha Galloway and her jewellery belong in the coastal landscape. Galloway’s collection utilises foraged materials and processes such as casting. The final pieces are remnant of an unknown sea creature that when worn grows on the wearer, fitting with the collections title “Terra Incognita” which translates to unexplored terrain, or the unknown. Samantha Galloway’s commitment to ethical making has seen her Terra Incognita collection shortlisted for GSA Sustainability’s annul prize!
Lucy Pearl Petts presents a visually fun and futuristic approach to the climate crisis. The designs are to act as panic buttons for when the modern world feels overwhelming, whither form social unrest or the climate crisis. Petts is considerate of her collection’s material impact, using biodegradable 3D printed PLA material alongside aluminium. Lucy Pearl Petts has already received great recognition for her collection, as winner of the Creative Enterprise Award and Incorporation of Hammermen Prize.
Sarah Louise McQuarrie recreates memories of light using layers of bio-resin and colourful hand-punched dots. When light shines, these pieces project impressive displays onto the wearer and environment. McQuarrie’s process is slow, intricate, and considerate – she uses a bio-based resin with less environmental impact than those typically used, one that she found through the use of this Ethical Making resource!
Edinburgh College of Art
Cait Beale’s ‘Nu’ Jewellery collection focuses on Brutalist architecture and minimalism. Beale’s commitment to ethical making is demonstrated in her material choice, using recycled precious metals.
It was such a pleasure to engage with students and their degree show collections; to learn about the experiences that influence their creative practice and the future career steps they hope to take. This year, more so than ever, students considered sustainability in their work. Even more students than mentioned above demonstrated their commitment to responsible practice through material choice and design application, evidencing the efforts by Scottish institutions, staff and students alike, to embed ethical thinking into their curriculum and workshop spaces. Congratulations 2022 graduates!