Present and incorrect: our show @ Rag Factory, off Brick Lane, 10-12th December

WOW! we're now all madly preparing for our annual showcase- more to follow, but click on flyers for information!

Private view 5-9.30pm Friday 10th December

Show open Saturday 11th December 11-7pm, Sunday 12th 11- 4pm

We are photogirls! Fashion photography shoot inspired by Charlotte Mann

Today we had the brilliant 'We are photogirls!' in for the day for Year 12 and 13 BTEC National Diploma students 'Geek-Chic' One-Day Fashion Photography Workshop.

Students learnt about the different roles within fashion photography, and split into groups taking on roles transforming themselves into a creative team, becoming photographers, art directors, stylists, hair and make up designers and models.

They were introduced to the work of Charlotte Mann and introduced to techniques she uses to make her fashion backdrops, and design and drew their own fashion backdrop for the afternoons shoot.

We will have these and more photos on display in the forthcoming Rag Factory show, 10-12th December.

Croydon Regeneration project with McAlpine Construction

Over the first 5 weeks of this year our year 13 Design Pathway students have been working on a project for a live client, McAlpine Construction.
Their brief was simple - Create a series of inspiring images that presented the regeneration of Croydon in a positive light.
These images were then submitted to the client and are to be displayed at the Davis Training Suite in central Croydon which overlooks the site of the Council hall the is currently under construction. Not only will they be on display inside the building but some were also selected to be displayed on the hoardings around the building site and to be part of the visitors guide book.
The work has also been taken on by the Croydon Clocktower and will go on display as part of their Are we here? A Festival of Place. Their work will be on display in the Balcony Bar area of the Croydon Clocktower from the beginning of November.
This project has been an amazing experience and an unbelievable opportunity for our students to work with such a high profile client on a live project that has an enduring outcome.
I would like to offer our thanks to McAlpine Construction and Janine Jasper and the Croydon Clocktower and Sam Hunt.
Here is a little taster of what will be on display in and around Croydon:

Year 13 BTEC National Diploma Art and Design Trip to Berlin

Last month we took our year 13s to Berlin for 4 days between the 3rd and the 6th of October. Having been to Berlin two years before we were all very excited with the prospect of returning and getting to re-visit the city with a new set of students.



The students spent their 4 days in Berlin exploring the Art and Design heritage of one of europes oldest and most vibrant capitals with a main focus on using their experience to inform their upcoming specialist pathway projects. It wasn't just the Art and Design side of Berlin that we experienced but rather we made the social and historical sides of the city a major part of the trip with visits to the Check Point Charlie museum and the Jewish museum.



Berlins rich and diverse heritage gave our students a broad range of influences and start points for their projects with the Visual Arts pathway focusing on craft practices and social history whilst the Design pathway focused on the range of design styles influenced by Berlins East and West history. Not only did we get to see it's historical past but one of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Tacheles Gallery which is an artist commune that has taken over a derelict shopping mall in the Scheunenviertel area of Berlin. With all of the ethical, moral and recycling elements of the Design pathway project this was particularly useful for them.

All in all it was an amazing trip, the students and staff had a great time and enjoyed it thoroughly, with no problems other than a slight hiccup with some luggage on the way out it was one of the smoothest school trips we've ever taken!