City centre canvas honour for Swansea student

20 May 2024

You can’t miss the creative talents of MDes Surface Pattern and Textiles student Susan Down, which are currently displayed in the heart of the city centre and being viewed by thousands of pedestrians and motorists!

A smiling student standing in front of a giant canvas on the top of a University building in Swansea which features her work.

Susan’s work is featured on The Canvas, an 8-metre x 3 metre public art initiative situated on the front of the University’s Dynevor building. It’s changed each term, with a different Swansea College of Art student commissioned by the University to produce a new image that can both challenge and inspire audiences.

The latest canvas is from Susan’s collection called ‘The Botanist’ which features textiles that draw inspiration from distinct groups of studied florals. These groups encompass British Wild Blooms, Evergreen Plants and Poisonous Florals. The plants categorised within these subsections are the primary influence behind the creation of motifs, the design of patterns and the selection of colours. The collection focuses on fashion, lifestyle accessories, and textiles, bringing the allure of florals to fabrics.

Susan said: “This project places a strong emphasis on hand-drawn motifs and imagery, allowing me to explore my style as an artist. By combining loose, expressive floral forms using traditional mediums such as watercolours and inks with digital software, I have been able to create intricate designs. From drawing and painting to screen printing and digital fabric printing, each step in my design process has contributed to my growth as a Surface Pattern and Textiles Designer.

Susan will graduate next summer from the MDes programme, and wants to venture into the creative industry, whether it involves collaborating with other creatives or working within a company.

“The prospect of working alongside talented individuals sharing ideas and collectively bringing projects to life really excites me,” she added.

The BA and MDes programmes offer a multidisciplinary exploration of textiles, materiality, pattern and making in the far-reaching contexts of fashion, interiors and beyond. Currently ranked Top 3 in the UK, and No.1 in Wales (Guardian League Tables 2024,) these UWTSD programmes consistently rank highly in the broad field of Fashion and Textiles within Higher Education.