Art Student Wendy's Uganda Project Exhibited at Liverpool's Bridewell Studios

Throughout history, some of the most powerful and timeless messages have been conveyed through forms of Art, and our Art Foundation Diploma students have used the opportunity in their year with The Sixth Form College to do just that.

Wendy Garnett’s ‘Experience: Uganda’ final composition for her Foundation course is an installation piece with a personal yet vast concept at heart. Very successfully exhibited publicly at Bridewell Studios and Gallery in Liverpool, Wendy harnessed the memories and impressions of her time volunteering in the East African country of Uganda to create a sincere piece with a binary meaning.

Students on the ABC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media are encouraged to push the boundaries of their own skills through knowledge, confidence and independence, which Wendy has certainly done with ‘Experience: Uganda’.

She said: “The work is very personal and all comes from me and my experiences in Uganda. I knew I wanted to do something big that challenged people in a way, and an installation needs an audience, which is why I thought of exhibiting at Bridewell Studios.”

A former student of Pensby High School, 19-year-old Wendy volunteers through The Church of the Good Shepherd in Heswall which is part of the Rock of Joy Trust – to whom all of the exhibitions proceeds were donated.

The Rock of Joy is a mission to advance education, health and well-being in Uganda and Wendy has spent two different periods in the country, teaching in local schools and helping in the communities.

Wendy said: “The thing that struck me the most when I first went over to Uganda was the positivity of the children in the schools. They were all smiling and laughing and wanted to play with you. They were so enthusiastic about what you were teaching them and so positive about being educated. It was mind-blowing to think that they could be so happy when they lived in those conditions.”

Along with teaching in the schools and raising awareness about dental and menstrual health, Wendy was part of a malaria prevention scheme which saw more than 1000 nets being put up in the homes of the students that she taught, and that notion became a centrepiece of her exhibition.

Wendy explained: “I made things that were colourful to represent that positivity that I found through the children and the mosquito nets are symbolic of a sort of negativity with the threats that the Ugandan people face. I had some work under the nets though, so that being under them would feel safe and protected – like a sanctuary for the positivity.”

Heading to Kingston University London after the summer break to take a different direction in publishing, Wendy fully appreciated her time and the development offered through the Foundation Diploma at the college.

She said: “It was such a big year for me to figure out what I wanted to do next. I also really wanted to see what more I could do with my art. I’d always done textiles but I wanted to learn something else and develop my skills. It’s really helped prepare me for Kingston. I’m a bit terrified because it’s so far away from home but I’m really looking forward to it.

“I’m so glad I did the foundation year. I’ve made some great friends in our little foundation family too!”

Wendy Garnett Bridewell Exhibition