I am a Senior Lecturer at The Arts University Bournemouth with particular interest in teaching the skills needed for professional modelmaking, design thinking, and the role that creativity and making have in the design process.
I teach on both BA (Hons) Modelmaking and BA (Hons) Design here at Arts University Bournemouth. As a Senior Lecturer I am responsible for development of development and delivery of the curricula. I work directly with students to teach and help them to develop their work.
I have acted as External Examiner for Special Effects, Modelmaking, and Special Effects Make-Up programmes.
I have advised on the validation of Modelmaking and Design programmes at University of Hertfordshire, Barking & Dagenham College and Arts University Bournemouth.
I previously taught at University of Hertfordshire, as a part time Lecturer and Visiting Tutor.
I have also designed and developed short courses and evening courses at Arts University Bournemouth.
I have a background in professional model making, having worked with architects and designers to realise prototypes and scale models before beginning to teach. I maintain a small workshop and continue to be a 'designer / maker' alongside teaching. My 'Dazzle Chess' design was exhibited as part of the 'Dazzle and the Art of Defence' exhibition in 2019, and I have had lamp designs published in 'Make' magazine.
I am fascinated by creativity, creative thinking and ideation, using this interest to help Arts University Bournemouth students to gain confidence in their ideas, and how they might develop them. My study of Creative Thinking has led to me creating 'One Thousand Terrible Ideas' or 'OKti', a mantra or philosophy that aims to illustrate how quantity of ideas should be valued over quality in the early stages of design projects.
My role as vice President for Education with the Association of Professional Model Makers, aims to aid connections between the association and students of modelmaking. A highlight is the Art Hedlund Student Model Making Competition, which I reimagined as an online event during the Covid19 pandemic. This enabled many more international entries than any previous events and has greatly increased the association's online profile. Search for #APMMawards on Instagram...