Emily Taylor is one of the four Mike Davies Scholars. She was awarded last year when she was embarking on the first semester of her BA (Hons) Artist Designer Maker: Glass & Ceramics. This scholarship will support her throughout her studies by receiving a financial support package of up to £1,000 per year and bespoke 1-1 mentoring opportunities with Mike Davies CBE.
Talking about how the funds will help her, Emily said: “As the scholarship is over three years this gives me the confidence that I will have the support throughout my time studying so I won’t have to worry and I can truly focus on creating amazing work. Also, having Mike’s guidance for three years means that I will be able to grow in confidence.”
Emily, who is now on her second year, said: “So far, I feel I have improved and gained a great deal of confidence. I have begun to work out who I want to be as an artist and have found a passion in the different processes that I have been learning.
“Over the past six months I have learned a vast amount and developed new skills such as printing onto glass and ceramic surfaces. Although time is limited in the workshops and studios due to the ongoing coronavirus situation, I feel that I have maximised my time well: using the great amount of resources that are available to us, exploring and expanding my ongoing knowledge.”
Emily has also been working hard using digital programmes that have allowed her to show her glass pieces in different chosen settings. She is also planning to continue with the printing process and develop some finished ceramic pieces with these processes on.
She explained: “As facilities are shut, it has been difficult to continue with this practice but with the scholarship funds I will be able to purchase a range of screen-printing equipment to do this, as well as a range of coloured slips and inks that I will be able to apply to the ceramic surface.
“As well as screen printing, other printing such as mono, lino and relief printing are also heavily used within my work and having funds to purchase this specialist printing equipment will be hugely beneficial in the development of my practice and as an artist.”
Emily is also hoping to use the funds to take trips (depending on the COVID situation) to visit some museums that can help her inspire her work. She would also like to do a ceramic internship and she has been looking at different places for this, such as at Gaya Ceramic in Indonesia.
She concluded: “I am constantly developing my work, concepts and themes: looking into new inventive ways in which I can make my creative ideas a reality. I feel that during the past year I have improved so much in not only my artistic abilities but also in the confidence within myself in becoming the best artist and designer that I can be. I am excited for the rest of the academic year and for what the future will bring for me in the creative industry.”