An award-winning artist will return to Northampton College to share her university experiences with current art students and help them develop their work.
Heather Taylor-Watson was runner-up for the prestigious NN Prize 2024 organised by Northampton New Contemporary Art (NNCA) which shines a light on University of Northampton Fine Arts degree students who have created outstanding degree show presentations.
Heather, who moved to the University of Northampton after completing her Art and Design studies at Northampton College, was recognised for her third year BA (Hons) Fine Art work. She is now studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) which will qualify her to teach primary school children.
Speaking about her award, Heather said: “I felt immensely proud that my art was recognised.
“My work was screen-based and worked with the architecture of my 'comfort' spaces, such as my bedroom and my fine art studio. I digitally mapped these and abstracted them based on various coded pattern works I had made previously. By abstracting them I sought to make the viewer feel uncomfortable in the spaces I find most comfort in.”
Heather is keen to return to Northampton College, where she studied from 2019 to 2021, to share her experiences with current students because of the support she received from the College and Art and Design teacher Jayne Williams.
Heather said: “Northampton College really supported me. When I arrived, I had just left secondary school and I was not really sure what I wanted to do.
“The College and Jayne helped me to rediscover my love for Creative and Fine Arts which prompted me to want to embark on an undergraduate art course at the University of Northampton. Jayne had a lot of knowledge about routes after college and really supported me every step of the way to getting into university.
“I had an incredible time and there was never a boring day in the art classroom!
“It will be great to return to the College and broaden the art students’ knowledge, just like mine has been through college and university.
“I’m excited about passing on lots of knowledge about my university experience and fine art to the College students and talking to them about the significance technology holds in the current art world.”
Art and Design teacher Jayne Williams said: “Heather is a fantastic artist, and we were thrilled when she was named a runner-up for NN Prize.
“We’re really looking forward to her returning to Northampton College later this year to share her valuable experiences with our current students.”
