Bath Spa University

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Fine Art

This studio-based course offers studies in Painting, Sculpture and Media, and is taught by practising artists with strong exhibition profiles.

For more information about this course please visit the Bath School of Art and Design website.

The aim of the course is to develop your understanding and creative potential in the visual arts. For four days a week Fine Art students work in studios and workshops on individual programmes of work agreed with tutorial staff. For one day each week there is a programme of historical and theoretical studies: Contextual Studies. Together these enable you to develop studio skills and skills in research, analysis and communication and to become more informed about the historical, critical and social context in which you are working.

All staff are practising artists, most with international exhibiting experience and there is also an extensive list of visiting staff. Together these bring a wide range of opinion and expertise to your work. Some staff teach on our undergraduate and Master's programmes.

You will be able to choose from a wide range of disciplines, working in areas from painting and sculpture to photography, video, live art, sound and digital imaging.

After the introductory part of the course you decide on the balance of your work in discussion with staff. You can use one or a combination of these means.

We expect you to work with some initiative from the beginning of the course and to develop your self- confidence and critical ability as the course proceeds.

Course Structure and Content

Year 1

Year 1 is designed to introduce you to a range of studio practices, to different attitudes and approaches to the making of artwork and to a variety of means for the realisation of visual ideas.  You can:

• Work in painting, sculpture or media throughout the course or move between these disciplines (with the agreement of staff);
• OR opt for the varied weighting between Main and Contextual Studies (four modules in Main Studies and two in Contextual Studies, as opposed to five modules in Main Studies and one in Contextual Studies).

During your first year you spend three days per week in the studio on individual work and periods in:

• Introductory courses to photography, printmaking, video, computing, and methods and processes in painting and sculpture;
• Contextual Studies which includes the history of art and design;
• Aspects of Contemporary Art Practice (ACAP): lectures, seminars and visits concerned with contemporary issues in Fine Art.

Drawing and note-taking are encouraged throughout the course to collect information and develop ideas. Models can be available for individuals or groups.

Contextual Studies

The Contextual Studies Year 1 programme is in two parts. The first deals with key concepts and practices in Fine Art since 1900. The second part addresses ways in which we construct meanings when looking at visual objects through a consideration of methods of interpretation and analysis.

Year 2 and 3

In Years 2 and 3 the pattern of the week continues much as Year 1 and there are increasing opportunities for a choice of direction and a more concentrated focus on specific topics. In the second half of the year work begins on the selection of a subject for individual study and on its research. This study is completed in Year 3.

Teaching Methods and Resources

You will be taught through individual tutorials, group studio discussions, seminars, lectures, practical workshop sessions and study visits to galleries and museums in the UK - mostly free of charge - and abroad, recently Paris, Berlin and New York.

Staff have a wide ranging expertise and vary in their contribution to the course from full-time to one day per week; there is also an extensive list of visiting lecturers. You will be expected to work with a considerable amount of initiative. You will exhibit or perform your work within Bath Spa and possibly outside and make presentations of your work.

You will be encouraged to participate in competitions, festivals and exhibitions and will have the opportunity to work within the community.

You will have good studio space and access to a series of well equipped workshops for all appropriate processes, including a drawing studio, word processing facilities and a specialist art and design library.

Visiting Staff

Amanda Beech; Glenn Brown; Cathy Dalwood; Graham Day; Matt Franks; Rebecca Fortnum; Gerard Hemsworth; Stephen Hepworth; Greg Hertault; Catherine Kinley; Lisa Le Feuvre; Tim MacMillan; Sandie Macrae; Craig Martin; Mariele Neudecker; Tina O'Connell; Kay Pallister; Mark Pearson; Sean Rainbird; Barry Schwabsky; Rosie Snell; Julian Stallabrass; Michael Stubbs; Amikan Toren; Mandy Ure; John Wood.

Part-Time Study

The course can be studied on a part- time basis over a period of five years to honours degree level. Part-time study usually consists of 12 hours per week attendance plus ten hours of independent study, amounting to 60% of the weekly requirement for full-time students.

Assessment Methods

84% studio work, exhibitions and presentations, 16% essays.

Awards and Achievements

• Gethin Jones (2006) - Prizewinner Mercury Prize 2006 Art Competition;
• Lauren Porter (2006) - Knitted Ferrari exhibited in national newspapers and exhibited at numerous venues;
• Andrew Selwood (2006) - Sculptures exhibited by Anthony Hepworth, Bath;
• Jemma Hickman (2006) - BANA Graduate Prizewinner;
• Lisa Simmons (2006) - exhibition at Hotbath Gallery, Bath;
• Lisa Kibble (2006) - exhibition at Sherbourne House, Dorset.
• Ross Walker (2005) - Exhibition at Bartlett's Gallery, London;
• Nina Dolan (2003) - Exhibition at Beaux Arts, London;
• Graham Dolphin (1998) - Drawing, entitled 'Steps', commissioned for the Great North Run;
• Kelly Taylor (1997) - Director of 'Gavin Brown's Enterprise' in New York;
• Louisa Fairclough's (1994) - 'Meet', a four-screen film installation opens at the BRSI Queen's Square, Bath;
• David Risley (1994) - Own gallery, David Risley Gallery, in Vyner Street, London;
• Colin Ledwith (1993) - Curated major survey of video and film work to be exhibited at the Museo D'Arte Contemporanea, Donna Regina, Naples.

Alumni from the Fine Art course include Glenn Brown (who exhibited at the Serpentine Gallery) last year, and Paul Harrison and John Wood (whose videos are exhibited widely in both Europe and America, and recently as part of a survey of British video art at Tate Britain).

Amongst our other graduates: Laura Ford; Nicholas May; Nicholas Pope; Peter Randall-Page; Nigel Rolf; Michael Stubbs; Alison Turnbull and Suzy Willey all exhibit widely.

Entry Requirements

Standard art and design requirements.

A portfolio of work, plus paintings, lens based media (or a photographic record of these as appropriate).  A short written piece relating an exhibition you have seen.

You will receive advance information about the selection process. The interview panel normally consists of two staff.

Those accepted onto the course are normally expected to do some preparatory work before arrival.