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The Solent - The Open College of the Arts

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The Solent thumb

The Solent


There was a lot of exceptional work submitted at the last assessment event in March, but the one piece that could not be ignored was Avril Lewis’ level 3 project on the Solent. The finished piece is huge; at something like six by four feet, it is not really possible to convey the impact such a large work in a video. Here Pat Moloney, Course Leader for Textiles, concentrates on the preparatory work.


Posted by author: OCA

26 thoughts on “The Solent

  • Fabulous inspiring work.
    It puts a spring in one’s metaphorical step to see the heights that OCA students are scaling.
    Well done Avril!

      • Thanks a lot Rob…
        Avril, not much I can add to what the others have said, but congrats on a beautiful project. I’m sure you’ve enjoyed doing it, as it certainly looks so.
        Thanks for sharing.
        Dewald

    • sorry, no other photos, but there is a promotion for the OCA featuring this, due to be published in several magazines, such as ‘Coast’.
      avril

  • Amazing Project, the sketchbooks are really inspiring, makes you want to up your game, Congratulations Avril, well done!

  • I’m so pleased to see a textile project profiled, and what a fantastic piece of work it is. My house is overflowing with textile samples, and now I know how to make a sketchbook for them. Thankyou thankyou!

  • The work is a delight to see in its own right and also as an example of the fine work being done in Textiles. Well done, Avril, and thanks to OCA staff for the video.

  • It’s great to see handmade paper in a Textiles project. As a papermaker myself I appreciate what goes into producing something like this. I had a good look at this work first-hand when it came in to be assessed, and it is really stunning! I grew up in the Solent area and the whole project is very evocative of the place itself – it brought back memories for me…

    • I have discovered the versatility of papermaking and really enjoyed making it from seaweed (quite difficult), sea kale, and flotsam such as bamboo washed up on the Solent shoreline. It was quite difficult to dry out flat in some cases!

  • I really like all the textures and immersion into the subject matter. Excellent work! I also find West Wittering a good source of inspiration.

    • yes, that is the problem. I am waiting for an exhibition locally, but, as my tutor said, it is a shame to put in so much work and for it not to be displayed.

  • I have been in love with the Solent all my life. I have painted waves from there. Well done on your work!

  • Amazing work. I’m planning to start the OCA textile degree course in the autumn and this inspires me to begin asap.
    Brilliant work.

    • It is hard work, but the tutors are very supportive. I have found all the textiles courses extremely professional. A lot is demanded, but it makes one determined to meet the high requirements of the OCA.

  • What an absolute pleasure to see. The project is a wonderful set of work, well done Avril. It is good to know how far the term ‘textiles’ can be taken and developed. To showcase work like this is an inspiration to other textiles students. I am working through OCA Textiles 1, and this has been a good opportunity to learn about how sketchbook work all hangs together and how it also is part of the end product. It would be great to share all final assessment work. Thank you to everyone responsible for presenting this.

  • What a fantastic piece of work and thank you for sharing it with us. I love the way you started with an image up in space and worked to terra firma – an ingenious idea.
    Well done
    lesley

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