20.06.06
University College Falmouth textile design student scores hat trick in major national awards

Sheona Quenby, who is currently in her second year of study on University College Falmouth's BA (Hons) Textile Design course, has walked away with three top awards at the prestigious Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA) Design Directions Competition 2005/6, The Eddie Squires Bursary of £750 for Outstanding Contemporary Printed Furnishing Fabric Design, The Sir Frank Warner Memorial Certificate and The Sir Ernest Goodale Memorial Award of £500.

The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA), was founded in 1754 by artist and painter William Shipley in order to 'advance enterprise, enlarge science, refine arts, improve our manufactures and extend our commerce.'

Today, the Society, which has a 25,000-strong Fellowship that includes Karl Marx, William Hogarth and Richard Attenborough, continues to encourage and promote Shipley's original manifesto through programmes and lectures based on Encouraging Enterprise, Moving Towards a Zero-Waste Society, Advancing Global Citizenship, Developing a Capable Population and Fostering Resilient Communities.

Design Directions is the RSA's annual student awards scheme which sets a range of challenging, thought-provoking and socially-minded design related tasks that comment on and reflect upon the changing role of the designer in relation to 21st century societal, technological and cultural developments.

Sheona Quenby responded to the competition's 'Tropical Fusion' brief, the aim of which was to create a design that transcended the cliché of what 'tropical fusion' might ordinarily be interpreted as. Other criteria included the consideration of climate change and migration patterns, as well as the fusion of incongruous images.

"I decided to create a virtual reality by looking at how climate change could potentially change our planet aesthetically, and combining exotic imagery such as leopards and tropical flowers with urban formations and cityscapes," explains Sheona. "I am delighted to have won these awards and am going to use the money to help support me through my summer work placement at Zandra Rhodes, and to produce more digital print samples for my graduation show next year."

"It is really exciting for our course to have achieved success in such a high-profile competition," comments Dr Simon Clarke, senior lecturer in Printed Textiles on the BA (Hons) Textile Design course. "A major win at the RSA situates us at the top of the tree with other leading textile design courses both in this country and internationally. Sheona's focus, commitment and motivation combined with the knowledge and experience she has gained from working with our excellent digital printing resources in her first year have all contributed to this well-deserved success."

Sheona's work is currently on display in the RSA Design Directions Awards Online Exhibition 2006 at www.rsadesigndirections.org. Over 1,600 students entered this year's competition and previous winners include Jonathan Ive, designer of the iPod and fashion designer, Betty Jackson.

For further information please contact Jilly Easterby, Public Relations Officer, University College Falmouth on 01326 211077 or e-mail: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
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