Online Illustration cohort spend two days partaking in insightful talks, workshops and gallery visits

The day opened with a talk from Falmouth’s BA(Hons) Illustration on-campus course leader Nigel Owen, who shared with students the importance of building up networks and contacts for the professional world of illustration. After a lecture on his own reportage practice, the talk was followed by BA(Hons) Illustration (Online) course tutor and Falmouth-based visual artist Peter Blodau taking the student illustrators out for a drawing session.  

Kit Mead, BA(Hons) Illustration (Online) lecturer, followed with an introduction to the history of the 20th century artists who made Cornwall their home and inspiration. The talk focused on Alfred Wallis, the fisherman turned artist, whose simple compositions with basic materials acted as a starting point for making ‘primitive’ memory paintings inspired by the reportage session.  

The day was rounded off with all involved making portable concertina sketchbooks with Illustration lecturer Suzi Kemp. These were all used on the second day of the trip, where the students spent the day in St Ives, visiting Tate St Ives to see the work of artists such as Marlow Moss, Naum Gabo and Patrick Heron. The day also included a trip to the stunning Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

When the students were asked how they found the two days, first-year student Cassie Huws shared how it was “truly inspiring”, a sentiment fellow student Emma Brunton agreed with, stating the experience was a “positive, enriching and utterly brilliant two days.” 

Discover what you can create with BA(Hons) Illustration (Online)