Inception receives glowing reception
Posted on Monday 10th September 2012
Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Guy Harkin at Inception exhibition
University of Bolton MA Fine Art students, Siobhain Moakes, Sharon Forrest, Tracie Shaylor and Stuart John Hine, have received a glowing reception for their latest exhibition, Inception.
Also known as the Encompass Collective, their final year show is being held at the University’s Innovation Factory and saw the town’s Mayor, Councillor Guy Harkin open the exhibition.
After a look around the show – which is home to art tackling concepts ranging from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder to biogenetics and science fiction – Cllr Harkin said: ‘It gives me a great pleasure to open this show. It has a wide depth and variety that showcases the huge amount of artistic talent we have right here in Bolton.’
So impressed was the Mayor that he purchased a piece or art from each artist and urged the exhibition’s patrons to put their hands in their pockets as well.
The artists’ tutor and Fine Art lecturer at the University, Alan Buckingham was equally impressed with the standard of the show. He said: ‘These four students are brilliant and the ambition of this show is just incredible. To fill a space this size with original work of such a high standard is a testament to the work and effort they have put in, but also a testament to their obvious talent.’
And while the patrons were full of praise for the artists, the artists themselves – while sharing feelings of pride – were also sharing feelings of relief.
Sharon said: ‘It is going really well! At first it was just a big relief that we got everything up on time. But now we’ve had a chance to relax, take it all in and see other people enjoy our work, it is a great experience.’
Siobhain added: ‘We’re delighted at the response we’ve got so far, people seem to be really relating to the art and concepts we’ve created. It’s always difficult opening a show. As much as you love the work you create you can never anticipate what other people will think.’
Stuart said: ‘We’ve all worked very hard to get this done to this standard and to see the space filled with people, including my friends and family, is the best reward.’
John Merrill from the prestigious National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS) was also at the opening. Speaking of the exhibition, he said: 'It is a very good show. It is nice to walk around such a great space and take in what is a very high standard of work.'
John was also attending the show to present Tracie with the final cheque of her NADFAS bursary which she won in 2011.
He added: ‘I’ve always been impressed by the breadth and depth of Tracie’s ideas. The concepts of her work and the different mediums she uses to portray them are always very original. And the enthusiasm she has for creating her work is always in abundance and it's hard not to get caught up in it.’
