Jenifer Bush. Fertility Goddess. 2004.

Silkscreen print, gold cord, wire and dyed tampons on canvas. 20 inches x 15 inches.
Jennifer was investigating crucifixions; this resulted in a series of photographs where she assumed various crucifixion-style poses. The images were digitally manipulated and silk-screened onto canvas. The canvas was then stretched over frames and displayed in the shape of a crucifix connected by a gold cord that wraps around her wrist. The top canvas includes a crown of thorns embellished with blue flowers. The flowers are made from tampons and they are blue because that is the colour of the dye used in TV adverts to show how absorbent they are. This piece represents Jennifer’s extremely painful periods and how she felt she was being crucified every month.

Hyun Young Kim. There Are Lots of Ways to Die. 2004.

Hand printed, stuffed fabric doll. 11 inches x 8 inches x 4 inches
Lots of Hyun's work was about death and the many and varied ways there are of being killed. This is one of a set of six dolls all made from different self-designed silk-screened camouflage fabric. Each one has been injured in different ways (eyes hanging out, leg missing etc). Hyun progressed to complete an MA in animation at Kingston University and is now studying for a PhD in the USA.

Eleanor Beaumont. Body. 2003.

Starched muslin, light box. 65 inches x 40 inches x 20 inches.
Eleanor was working with themes of insecurity and vulnerability. She used the foetal position as her starting point and produced a series of drawings across a range of media and then small clay maquettes. To move the work forward she created a remarkably life-like, full-size plaster cast of one of her fellow students. The final stage in the creative process was to take a sheet of muslin and drape it over the statue; she then starched the fabric. When the fabric was dry it became stiff; she removed the fabric (that had assumed the shape of the body) and threw the statue away. The finished piece was displayed on a specially made light box so light shone through the thin, hollow gauze making the figure even more ethereal and ghost-like.

Richie Foley. Icon. 2003

Papier mache, fairy lights and enamel paint on Volkswagen bonnet. 60 inches x 38 inches.
Students were set a project on the theme 'Mexico' to tie in with the major Aztec exhibition in London and the opening of 'The Mexico Gallery' (street art/folk art) in Hampstead. Richie discovered during his research that Mexico was the only country still producing the old style VW Beetle. Building on this knowledge he bought an old Beetle bonnet from a scrap yard and turned it into a sculpture. The painted surface is a representation of typical religious folk art paintings found in most Mexican homes. He embellished it further with small buttons depicting religious figures and drilled a series of holes into which he set fairy lights; there is a light behind the ventilation grill. When turned on the whole piece glows in the dark. The sculpture featured in an exhibition of our students' work at the Mexico Gallery and was sold on the opening night for £950.00!

Emma Snow. You Can Have Your Kate and Eat It. 2003.

Milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate on canvas. 30 inches x 20 inches.
As part of a project based on 'Mexico', Emma researched around the topic and discovered this was where chocolate was first developed; she decided to work in chocolate. After first making sculptures out of it she tried painting with it. After much experimentation she devised a methodology and produced this canvas entirely out of chocolate. It is a portrait of Kate Moss gorging on the confection and is called ' You can have your Kate and eat it'; even the white background is made from chocolate.

Adrian Parsons. Beauty Boy Make-Up Kit, 2002

Digitally manipulated images printed on cardboard box, containing customised make-up. 13 inches x 11 inches x 4 inches.
Adrian was a student in the inaugural year of the Access course and was the first to be offered a place at university. He went to the London College of Printing (now called London College of Communication, University of the Arts). This particular piece was concerned with making a product that appeared to be one of many in a department store but on closer inspection revealed itself to be something extraordinary.
When he was a small child he was never comfortable playing with guns, cars and toy soldiers; he much preferred the dolls and dressing up. Never allowed to wear make up as a child, Adrian takes revenge on society with a fully working 'Beauty Boy Make Up Kit' so you can be 'pretty like Mom!’

Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at Working Men's College, Camden, London

The Working Men's College is the oldest college of general education in Britain and is, after The Royal Academy Schools and The Royal College of Art, the oldest arts college in Britain.

The Foudation Diploma in Art & Design course is for students who wish to make an application to a degree course in the field of art or design. This is a highly successful course with a 100% success rate in terms of placing students on appropriate degree courses. The course offers a solid introduction to the basic skills and ideas that inform art and design practice and goes on to introduce students to methods of dealing with the creative process. At the same time the course encourages them to discover their individual abilities and direct them towards the particular area of art and design which they wish to study.

This full time course lasts for one year (3 days per week for 32 weeks). 

This site represents a small selection of work from former students.
If you require further information or wish to join the course please contact Tony Jennings at:

email tonyj@wmcollege.ac.uk

mail The Working Men's College, 44 Crowndale Road, London NW1 1TR, UK

telephone 020 7255 4719