Student wins design competition

18 Feb 2020 10:36
Published by: Daniel Almond

A UNIVERSITY of Bolton student has won a competition for her textile design to be part of a travelling mini arts centre, which will tour Greater Manchester this summer.

Zaynah Arif's curtain design was chosen from 25 ideas submitted by students from the Textiles & Surface Design degree course at the University.

Organised by Greater Manchester Arts, the competition gave students the opportunity to work to a commission and work with award-winning artist Joshua Sofaer from the Cap & Dove project.

Students were given the task of responding to a brief set out by Joshua, inspired by the pattern books in the Bolton Museum & Archives.

First year student Zaynah aged 19, said she was "amazed" when her design was chosen as the winner.

Zaynah, who is from Blackburn originally, but now lives in Blackpool, said: "It sounds like a cliché but when I won I felt like I was in a dream. It was a total shock."

She said: "This has been a fantastic experience, as it has given us an insight into what it is like actually in an industry setting, working to a specific brief and then producing a design within time constraints. I have really learned a lot.

"I wanted to take traditional elements from the pattern from the book in the museum and give it a modern approach in terms of colour and how it flows.

"My mum will be so pleased for me. I have been really stressed about it. I am a complete perfectionist and nothing is ever good enough for me - I always want to make something better."

The arts centre on wheels will visit Bolton on Saturday 18 July as part of the Festival of Hope in the town centre.

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