How a new generation of creatives are engaging with the natural world

Published on 23, September, 2024

The next generation of artists is set to take centre stage at this year’s MA Degree shows at the University of Sunderland.

Student who studied MA Visual Practice and MA Design will be exhibiting their final projects over the coming weeks, displaying the scope of the talent that they have to offer.

The show will be taking place at the Priestman Building at the University’s City Campus on September 23-27 for Visual Practice students – with later shows on October 15-31 for students studying MA Design.

Professor Kevin Petrie, Professor of Creative Practice at the University, said: “Holders of a Master’s degree are working at the forefront of a discipline, and this is the case with the creatives showing in this exhibition.

“They are using their skills in the visual arts to reflect, challenge and enhance the world.

“Many have already been recognised for their talents in media coverage, success in competitions and by being awarded scholarships. This is just the beginning, so it will be exciting to see where these exceptional creatives go next in their career journeys.”

Below are some of the University’s talented students whose work is being exhibited at this year’s MA Degree Shows.

Photography – Colin Pickett

The industrial landfill site at Lynemouth in Northumberland has become the subject of Colin’s body of work which is exploring the impact industrial waste has on the site, on the surrounding area and the environment.

His work captures the decades of dumped waste along the coastline that started in 1934 until 2005.

Colin said: “I wanted to produce a body of work that reflected a global environmental issue.

“With well over a thousand similar coastal waste sites in Europe alone, with every landmass having a large volume of coastal landfill or waste sites vulnerable to rising sea levels, this project provided the impact I wanted to depict.”

Colin added: “The work has involved a fair amount of research as well as attending the site in all weather conditions so at times it's been quite arduous. However, this does bring its own rewards when all of the work starts to yield worthwhile results.”

Fine Art – Kasia Parker

The connection between art, nature and science has become the subject of Kasia’s work which aims to create an immersive environment for audiences.

Using a range of mediums including drawing, printmaking, and installation, Kasia has strived to work in a sustainable manner throughout all her work.

Kasia said: “In the past few years, I’ve been making my own botanical inks from plant materials such as walnut shells, vegetable scraps, and flowers.

“Their unique properties influence my work's aesthetic, producing effects like reticulation, mixing in ways unlike mass-produced pigments, and even shifting colour over time.

Kasia added: “Research plays a vital role in my process, especially in documenting and evaluating my ideas and experiments. Although my work falls under the realm of eco-art, it is quite poetic and playful, embodying what could be considered subtle activism.”

Kasia was also the recipient of the Art and Design Global Challenges Scholarship 2024, a fund devised with architect Mike Davies CBE to support students undertaking a project or opportunity to develop a creative practice which may benefit others while tackling current global challenges.

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Ceramics – Paula Aziz

Looking to the past, Paula has taken her love of archaeology, geology and nature and translated it over history to create a body of work that depicts the north-east landscape using ancient Greek ceramic techniques.

Her work uses wild clay foraged around the region, including places like Hexham, Lindisfarne, and Herrington Park, to create abstract paintings, ceramic glazes, and wild clay forms.

Paula said: “Working full-time my whole adult life in a stressful retail environment, bringing up two sons, and at the age of 49, I had a heart attack while on holiday in Brugge. I used this second chance to address what I felt was missing - Creativity.”

Paula added: “I won the Richard Studham Award in 2022, which allowed me to study Byzantine art, history and ceramics at the British School in Athens.

“This insight into ancient Greek ceramic techniques and visiting archaeological sites in Athens, Corinth and Sparta greatly informed my practice.

“I aim for my painting's texture and colours to capture the essence of our rugged and beautiful north-east landscapes, which are the blueprint for the forms and surface glazes that nature has provided me.

“My time at the University of Sunderland has changed my life and has highlighted my love of learning and research. The future holds exciting new opportunities for residencies, collaborations and travel.”

Paula received funding during her studies from the University’s Mary and Brian Archer Fund and the Future Fund . She has also received funding from the Northern Potters Association and the Edward James Scholarship.

Glass – Jiayun Ding

Using the medium of glass, Jiayun has explored the philosophy of existentialism, particularly the human struggle with absence or presence in our surroundings.

The installation examines this through the very tools used for glassblowing, creating pieces that illustrate the process of glass making and how that reflects the cyclical nature of life.

It aims to provoke audiences to reflect on their own human condition, the meaning of life and what it means to make sense of those ideas when confronted with them.

Jiayun said: “With my deep interest in existentialist philosophy, I have attempted to articulate philosophical concepts through glass as a form of art language.

“Using the artworks as a platform for communication to encourage viewers to engage with the works of art, interpret the information conveyed by the works, and interpret it in their own understanding.

“This creates a dialogue concerning artist, artworks, philosophical ideas, and viewers.”

Jiayun has previously won the international Stanislav Libenski prize for glass in 2023 and her past work was selected and exhibited at the International Festival of Glass Biennale 2024 this summer.

If you are interested in studying MA Visual Practice at the University of Sunderland, find out more here.