University collaborations are so important to us here at AVA! We have seen an amazing amount of talent in 2021, coming from recent graduates and current students. Teaming up with multiple educational institutions across the country has been a huge highlight for us. Allowing us to see first-hand the work of talented new designers as well supporting them to get their foot in the door of industry by handing out a few AVA training prizes.
MMU end of year design show
Winner: Rachel May – view profile here
“Rachel May wowed us with her fresh and creative approach to design and we loved the diversity in her work! Congratulations Rachel, she really brought a vast variety of work to the table.”
Highly commended: Briony-Rose Murtagh – view profile here
“We commended Briony-Rose Murtagh. While she is unfortunately not the winner, we admired her incorporation of contemporary and political visuals in a traditional pattern style. Her artistic expression was really unique.”
Exposed designers design show
Winner: Lauren Barclay – view profile here and view website here
“Lauren’s painterly style is simply beautiful, dynamic, lose and free. Her botanical collections are expressive, fresh and joyful. Her collections are bright beautiful and uplifting, a real delight to look through.”
Winner: Robyn Faye Gauld – view profile here
“Distinctive drawing style: Robyn’s attention to detail blew us away! Robyn’s instantly recognisable, stunningly sophisticated Asian inspired art works have been very sensitively developed for the interiors market.”
Bolton University design show
Winner: Emma Grace – view profile here
“It was Emma’s gorgeous use of colour and her beautiful graphic floral motifs that originally caught our eye. Emma’s work is extremely commercial and has a lovely movement through it. Each page of her sketchbook is a mini artwork in itself. We felt that Emma had demonstrated excellent versatility, growth and development. She has a very strong sense of colour and creates some wonderful colourways and graphic compositions.”
We can’t wait to see what these new designers bring to the industry and where they will take their careers. We wish them all the luck for the future!