GSAA 2010
WINNER Julian Davis 
In my practice, I like to explore the idea of space and situation. My paintings take recognisible features, such as buildings, and transport them to uncertain locations. I like to play on the idea of contrast, and use different paint mediums to achieve this. I combine areas of poured gloss paint, with precise linear structures. The notion of ?chance? is also something that captivates me, and as such has become an integral part of my creative process. When I begin a painting, I have little in the way of concrete ideas. Using lessons learnt from the abstract expressionist painters, I am more interested in the physical act of painting, rather than what the outcome is going to look like. Francis Bacon once said that painting is our nervous system being replicated on the canvas. This idea is something I have thought about quite a lot. Much of my work can not be rationalised, it is more of a feeling, something I feel compelled to do, rather than knowing what I have to do. After I have graduated from Kingston, I plan to move more centrally into London, and carry on creating as an artist. An MA is definitely a route I will be looking to go down in the future. Firstly though, I want to experience life outside of education. All the artwork I have created has always been for examination purposes, and I am excited to start creating work entirely for myself.
SHORTLISTED
Robyn Pashley
A photographer studying at Nottingham Trent University, I combine a great knowledge and passion for both modern digital techniques and traditional film. My practice is predominantly based around the nude human body with its compelling and infinite visual terrain. After graduation, I intend to be a freelance photographer continuing my in-depth study on the human body.
Luka Pinto
Skateboarding has always been a major part of my life and in the last two years I have been learning to film and edit skate videos. The work I am showing is two films that look at some of Jersey?s local youth culture, skateboarding, art and music. The first of my films is about five minutes long and shows the progress of a board design, from sanding it down to getting skated. This is my final piece from my last major project of a two-year art and design national diploma course at Highlands College. The second is a 10 – 15 minute long edit of local skateboarding talent with a soundtrack picked and mixed by Sam Barnes. In my skate videos I have been including close ups of our environment, I try to film the bits that we don?t want to be there because they make it harder to skate, but at the same time make us open our eyes and come up with new ideas that make the footage more unique and interesting, rather then everything just being textbook.
Things that inspire me are: skateboarding, skate films (Hold Tight London, Static, 411), music (mainly rap and DnB), artists (Blu, Bo130, Microbo, Dave the Chimp, Was).
Callum Kirkwood
Having just completed my first year at Nottingham Trent University, my interest in Photography has taken me from the course at Hautlieu School to this exhibition. I?ve enjoyed working within documentary and portraiture, focusing on issues within representation as well as the construction of the image.
Samantha Louise Davey
Born in Jersey I started my education at Beaulieu Convent School, continuing onto A-levels. The selection of my GCSEs and A-Levels triggered a passion for art and design, choosing to study all art-based subjects. After the completion of my A-levels I went on to do my foundation diploma at London College of Fashion.
At present I have just completed my BA Hons Degree in Textiles Design, at London Metropolitan University. I specialised in knitting, choosing for my Final Major project to focus on using sustainable materials. Inspiration for this project came from Jersey beaches; this resulted in me giving each piece a name in Jersey French. This combines two subjects that are very close to me: Jersey, and the importance of being a responsible designer.
Freya Rabet
With my work I try to bring more to my designs then just the fabric. I try to challenge myself conceptually to bring unique functions to the clothing, although this does not always translate to the final designs. Thinking about suspension and connectivity I like the idea of taking the mass produced and reversing it into a one off unique piece.