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Kate, who lives near Westhill, Aberdeenshire, and is originally from Manchester, is graduating with a first class BA (Hons) in Fine Art, specialising in Painting from Gray鈥檚 School of Art. 

As Kate approached retirement, she signed up for short courses in Mixed Media, Life drawing, Ceramics and Printmaking at Gray鈥檚, before taking the plunge and applying for a full-time degree in Fine Art. She chose to specialise in Painting, as she was impressed by the focus on drawing and the flexibility to include mixed media.

Gray鈥檚 offered fantastic facilities and she knew it had a prestigious reputation, having spoken to alumni and students who had shared rich and positive experiences.

Kate said: 鈥淕ray鈥檚 impressed me; it had a very 鈥榗an do鈥� ethos and a strong identity across disciplines. I鈥檇 also seen first-hand the quality of the teaching and the supportive community at Gray鈥檚.鈥�

鈥淢y time at Gray鈥檚 has done what I hoped. It鈥檚 taken me round a corner to find a new world, one I may not have found on my own and one I can continue to discover. Gray鈥檚 gives you a lot of autonomy but there are always high expectations and a lot of faith - a great combination!鈥�

Kate produced a stunning degree show project, and was awarded the James Smith Bequest Award for an outstanding body of work centred around spatial, dimensional paintings that are immersive and haptic, mixing 2D and 3D.

鈥淢y degree show focuses on 鈥楶lace Setting鈥� and my practice is based on the idea and invented genre of Unstill Life.  I have created an 鈥楿nsafe Room鈥�, that focuses on engagement, identity, and the dynamic that is human life. I use the lens of the past to consider the present and to tip us towards our future: the real, experienced, everyday kind of future. I encourage people to see the now: the tomorrow, this afternoon, in the corridor, round the corner. I want people to take away a refreshed way of seeing - subliminally and subtly by imprint, as well as through humour and provocation.鈥�

During Kate鈥檚 studies, she experienced some health challenges but says the support she鈥檚 received from her tutors at Gray鈥檚 and 亚博体育官网鈥檚 dedicated Inclusion Centre has been really helpful.

鈥淚 have some of the natural disadvantages of age and a mixed bag of physical and mental capacities. The Inclusion team and Gray鈥檚 tutors have been supportive. Help is always there if you ask: it might be something as simple as having a chair available or sorting out a parking permit! My arthritis, combined with a limited working memory, meant each day could pose different challenges, and could become overwhelming. This was not taken as a limitation 鈥� I was encouraged and felt everyone open and responsive. Some things are crucial when you are struggling; the lift, and the good humour and help from janitors across all staff and peers!鈥�

During Kate鈥檚 third year, she took a studio at , DAS, after placing herself on the waiting list. Now that she鈥檚 graduating, she鈥檚 looking forward to building skills further and developing the contacts she鈥檚 made.

鈥淚 feel I have the beginnings of a positive practice. I am involved with an exhibition, 鈥楥all Security鈥� a pop-up show taking place outdoors at Fetternear Estate stables, July 7, organised by the collaborative group 鈥楨xperimental Use of Space鈥� who put on exhibitions in spaces where art is not usually seen. 

鈥淚 also hope to exhibit in the Scottish Ceramics Gallery, Regency Quay, as part of the Gray鈥檚 鈥�24 Exhibition this summer. My use of the ceramic workshops in Gray鈥檚 through the duration of my honours year and before has given me confidence to continue in this discipline as well as Installation and Painting. I鈥檇 encourage anyone considering a degree at art school, to just go for it! Gray鈥檚 is a fantastic community, and I can鈥檛 recommend it highly enough.鈥�