Each year the work of the Fine Art students’ Summer Show goes on tour. This year, a selection of work from the full-time Fine Art students at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation (Near Chichester, West Sussex) will be exhibited at Copeland Gallery, part of the thriving creative community at Copeland Park, South East London. The free exhibition titled Any Day Now will run from Thursday, July 14 –Sunday, July 17, 2022 between 12-6pm, with a late opening on Thursday, July 14 between 6-8pm, when there will be an opportunity to meet the artists.   

The exhibition will showcase the work of students graduating from the full-time Fine Art programmes, including Graduate Diploma and MFA degrees, as well as interim exhibitions by first year MFA students.  

Tim Bolton, Head of School of Arts at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation commented: “We are very pleased that after a two-year break due to the pandemic, we can welcome visitors to our Summer Show again. The MFA (Master of Fine Art) is an advanced two-year full-time course with an emphasis on specialist studio practice and the Summer Show is a key element in the students’ journey, allowing them to experience planning and presenting a public exhibition, as well as the chance to show their work and build a greater profile. Students at West Dean also benefit from fully equipped workshops, expert tutors and lecturers, a wide variety of visiting tutors and artists-in-residence as well as access to material from the College’s amazing Collection and Archive.” 

Ruth Heaton is studying for a MFA. She did a summer school course at the Royal Drawing School and heard about West Dean College. She currently lives in Yorkshire with her husband but spends term time living at West Dean, prior to her studies, she was the Deputy Director of Nursing and Director of Infection Prevention and Control at a large NHS teaching hospital in Manchester. About the Summer Show, she said: “The Copeland show is a second opportunity to showcase my work, following on from the Summer Show at West Dean. The London location means that the work will get seen by a broader audience which is so important for networking and professional development in my final year of the MFA. A different gallery space also provides the opportunity to present and curate different works from my portfolio.” 

Sarah Johns is a 2nd year MFA Student. She did a number of short courses at West Dean and then completed the FDAD (Foundation Diploma in Art and Design), followed by the DACC (Diploma in Art and Contemporary Crafts).  Before studying at West Dean, she held a number of roles as Director of Organisational Development and HR in the public sector. She noted:  “The Copeland Gallery is part of a lively creative complex of units, and provides an opportunity to share my work with a diverse, largely London-based audience.  Showing my work in a venue other than West Dean allows it to be ‘let go’ – to be part of a curated show, seen in its own right, and to be judged by an audience who may not have a relationship with the College, and so may be more independent.  Likewise, the preparation and installation of the work in another venue is a useful experience.”  

She continues: “I have been making a large-scale piece, specifically with the Copeland in mind – the high ceilings and large spaces have influenced this.”  

Copeland Gallery, Unit 9I, Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Rd, London SE15 3SN 

West Dean College of Arts and Conservation has an international reputation for excellence and is a full partner of the University of Sussex. For more information on Fine Art study opportunities see www.westdean.ac.uk.  

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