Gill Flett - MA Art & Design
In 1990, the Aberdonian graduated with a BA (Hons) in Three Dimensional Design, specialising in Jewellery, before venturing down a different route and embarking on a three-decade long career as a Police Officer.
Retiring in 2022, Gill had spent the previous three years developing small sculptural pieces to build up her portfolio for applying for the MA Art & Design course which began in the September of her retirement year.
Now settled back into life at Gray鈥檚, how did she find the reintegration back into higher education?
鈥淎lmost everyone else on the course had recently graduated so I did feel I was 鈥榖ehind鈥� so to speak. Formal art education had changed a bit in the 32 years since I left, and I hadn鈥檛 been on the Fine Art pathway previously either.
鈥淚 think I had to step back and understand how contemporary art is about exploring a theme or issue that might be important to you, or of particular interest, which is quite different from responding to a design brief.
鈥淒oing the course on a full-time basis has meant I鈥檝e completely immersed myself in it and it has allowed me to appraise contemporary art differently; I鈥檝e gone from just wanting to make bigger versions of ideas already formed to being open to new perspectives.
鈥淪ometimes it's as simple as a couple of suggestions from a lecturer to make you really step back, evaluate and move forward, better.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e changed direction considerably although I鈥檝e kept some of the ideas I had before coming on the course, I鈥檝e just developed them differently.
Gill鈥檚 final project, which will be on display during the Gray鈥檚 Master鈥檚 Degree Show, explores a range of themes.
鈥淔rom the broad theme of place, time and memory, I鈥檝e been looking at the ageing or degradation of materials in the built-environment, like geology, but of buildings and infrastructure. Connected to the theme I鈥檓 using materials used in the construction setting, such as mortar and rebar.
鈥淎lthough I work in 3D and forms are the most important aspect, most of my research has been photography-based which has really developed my interest in surface texture and colour.鈥�
Second time round, Gill has again enjoyed her time at Gray鈥檚 School of Art and is looking forward to another new adventure very soon as the family move south to London.
鈥淚 feel that in terms of developing I鈥檝e come far in a short but very concentrated timescale which I wouldn鈥檛 have done so just working at home, in isolation. I鈥檝e also met some fantastic people and developed some friendships that will hopefully last long after the course is finished.
鈥淔inding studio space there [in London] is not easy and is costly, but I intend to carry on making work and seeking opportunities to exhibit. One of the biggest challenges facing artists nowadays, in common with everyone else, is working sustainably, particularly finding more environmentally friendly alternatives to some of the materials we use.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to this new chapter but will be sad to leave Gray鈥檚. I waited so long for the opportunity to return and I鈥檓 so glad I did.鈥�
Image credit: Nicole Paterson, Photographic Technician at Gray's School of Art.