Design2Sell at Plymouth College of Art

Talented young artists and designers from the Plymouth College of Art are getting ready to sell their own hand-crafted products at the popular annual Design2Sell event. This year their products will not only go on sale at the College but also in the City Centre.

A private view at Plymouth College of Art on 6 December will mark the start of Design2Sell, which will continue at the College until 12 December. For the first time ever Design2Sell will also have a presence in the city centre this year with a pop-up shop opening on Cornwall Street on Saturday 3 December at 9:00am.

This is the perfect opportunity for festive shoppers to purchase beautiful and distinctive Christmas gifts made by the designers and craft-makers of the future. Every item on sale is completely unique and there is a wide selection of home wares, ceramics, jewellery, metalwork, textiles and fashion accessories.

As part of Design2Sell this year, local schools have been invited to take part in an exciting competition to design handbags and t-shirts. Eight finalists have been selected and they will find out whether they have won the competition at the Private View on Tuesday.

The eight finalists from Eggbuckland Community College, Goosewell Primary School and Tor Bridge High attended workshops at Plymouth College of Art to turn their designs into professionally produced products with the help of students on the Extended Diploma Fashion and Textiles course. The finished products will also go on sale at Design to Sell.

Gayna Hine, a teacher at Eggbuckland Community College where four of the finalists were selected, said: “This has been a fabulous experience for our students; having the opportunity to develop their designs into a finished, sellable piece has given them a unique insight into the design profession. They have really developed their communication skills working alongside student designers from the College.”

The year-on-year success of Design2Sell can only be put down to the hard work and talents of the students who organise the entire event. Over a period of just 10 weeks the second year students on the Extended Diploma in Art & Design and Fashion & Textiles courses plan and bring to fruition this exciting event.

Art & Design Course Leader Tweeny Vanmierlo said: “This is an exceptional experience for the students who have started a business from nothing. They are working together as a team whilst also working individually to design and make their own unique products to sell.”

Student Jessica Connelly from Ivybridge has made decorative mirrors and photo frames out of recycled paper to sell (pictured above). She said: “I have really enjoyed the hands-on approach to setting up a business from scratch.” Another student, Becky Howard from Callington, is making cupcake cushions and broaches and described the experience as worthwhile saying: “If you are going to be a designer it’s important to learn all the steps.”

For further information about Design2Sell and to get a sneak preview of some of the work that will be on sale please visit www.plymouthart.ac.uk/design2sell.

For more information visit http://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/design2sell