UHI Inverness art students celebrate with end of year Graduate Showcase

UHI Inverness art students will celebrate their achievements and how far they have come as artists, when the UHI Art and Contemporary Practices Graduate Showcase opens at Inverness Creative Academy next week.

The showcase takes place at the UHI Inverness studios at Inverness Creative Academy and features work by BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Practices students’ Isla Jacobs and Jemima MacDonald. 

Both students have been with UHI Inverness for seven years, joining on an access level art programme and progressing all the way through to honours degree level.  

The showcase celebrates the achievements of final year students, highlighting their creativity, innovation and talent, through a combination of mediums including portrait, mixed media and sculpture. Jemima’s work is self-reflective and recognises society’s mental health tsunami, while Isla’s work is inspired by the horror and film noir. 

Award winning artist Frank To, art lecturer at UHI Inverness, said: "As both a lecturer and a contemporary artist, I am extremely proud of my students and how far they have both come. The students started out at SCQF level 4 and have worked so hard to progress through to BA (Hons) and SCQF level 9. Although part of their academic journey has been through a global pandemic, they have embraced and flourished with the blended teaching approaches, and are now part of a new, young and exciting generation of Scottish contemporary artists. Their degree show is testimony to both their resolve and passion to succeed within the creative and cultural sector." 

Professor Chris O’Neil, Principal and Chief Executive of UHI Inverness, added: “I would like to congratulate Isla and Jemima on their exciting and inspiring Graduate Showcase. I am always impressed by our students and the resilience and determination they continually demonstrate in their studies, regardless of the subject being studied. Isla and Jemima have used their experience through the pandemic to create work that is informed and skilful, yet inciteful, playful and challenging. The exhibition is open to members of the public, and I would urge anyone with an interest in art to attend.” 

Isla and Jemima will graduate this summer. 

The Graduate Showcase will be open from 12noon to 2pm, Friday 13 to Thursday 19 May, and will be followed by an exhibition by HND Contemporary Art Practice students, which takes place 28 and 29 May.  

Photograph opportunities are available at the UHI Inverness studios at Inverness Creative Academy. Please contact Frank To to arrange.  

For more information, please contact Helen Aird, Marketing and PR Executive, UHI Inverness or telephone 01463 273315/07584616252.