UCOL Blog

Firstly I would like to say welcome to UCOL! Like always, O-Week is AS@U’s way of kicking off the semester with games, food, music and giveaways.

This semester I am a student with my massive one paper! Unfortunately my classes just happened to fall on the O-Week schedule Monday and Tuesday so I couldn’t be there to take photos, however I managed to score a few from AS@U for Day 1 and will try and find some of the powhiri soon as well. I will be around taking photos today though, it’s the Market Day so make sure you come and see all the businesses who are here to offer you special deals and discounts, there will be music, games and more giveaways as in true AS@U style.

Click HERE for the rest of the photos.

Three UCOL Fine Arts graduates are amongst the finalists in the inaugural Sculpture Wanganui event.

Five sculptural works by local and national artists have been shortlisted for installation along the riverfront in Whanganui. The event which starts in mid September and runs for two weeks.
The shortlisted artists are: Daniel Clifford, Paul Dibble, Mikel Durel Browne (in conjunction with Kerry McDonnell and Max Cody), Matt Pine and Sarah Mauvan.  The artists’ works will be installed and on display in the riverfront area, near the new Visitor Information Centre, during the two week event.
Kerry McDonnell, Mikel Browne and Daniel Clifford hold Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from Whanganui UCOL. Daniel also completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Graphic Design at Whanganui UCOL.
Daniel is in Brisbane where he is the project director for the building of an eight storey sculpture by United States artist Ned Kahn at Brisbane Airport.
The Whanganui sculptures will be judged by Rob Garrett, a member of Wellington City Council’s Public Art Panel. The announcement of the prizes, including a ‘people’s choice’ award, will be made at an awards presentation during the event. Each artist will receive a contribution towards the installation and/or transportation costs for their work.
Once the event closes, two works will remain and be sited along the riverfront area. The existing sculptures will be joined next year by the winners of Sculpture Wanganui 2011.

For the first time Palmerston North UCOL will host Top Art 2010, a travelling exhibition of the cream of Secondary School students’ visual arts portfolios.

Two groups of students’ portfolios that achieved Excellence at NCEA level 3 in 2009 will travel to approximately 30 schools, museums, and galleries throughout New Zealand over five months.

Top Art is a chance for this year’s level 3 Visual Arts students to see first-hand a range of high-calibre art produced by their peers in each of the five Visual Arts contexts; design, painting, photography, print-making and sculpture. This year the exhibition includes information from the artists on the development of their work.

The Top Art exhibitions also allow members of the public to see the impressive work which secondary school students are producing.

Top Art runs from 20 to 23 July in the Atrium at the Palmerston North campus and will move on to the Quay School of the Arts in Whanganui from 26 to 30 July.

More than 100 local and international artists will be represented at an exhibition at the Federal Hotel Gallery from 20 July. Alternatives 2010 will feature a variety of photographic images that combine old and new techniques.

Head of Photography at the Quay School of the Arts Rita Dibert says the exhibition attracted a large number of entries from which the final selection was made. The biennial exhibition is coordinated and presented by photography students in the Quay School of Art BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) degree.  The exhibition prospectus was circulated on the internet and on Facebook and artworks from Australia, New Zealand, The United States andWhanganui were chosen by 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Photography Majors.

 “The majority of work is not digital, we wanted to show our commitment to the wet darkroom and a range of photographic processes,” says Rita. “Visitors to the exhibition will be amazed at the diversity of the images using hand tinting, photo-collage and gelatine silver print techniques.”  

“There is also photo jewellery, photography on garments, a large selection of pinhole images from Certificate in Art and Design and Year 1 Fine Arts students, and digital work amongst other aspects of contemporary photography.” 

Among the Whanganui entrants are Cullinane College, Girls High School and Wanganui High School students as well as students in painting, printmaking and photography from the Quay School and recent Bachelor of Fine Arts graduates.
The intriguing exhibition opens on Tuesday 20 July at 5pm at the Federal Hotel Gallery at the corner of Taupo Quay and Market Place, Quay School of the Arts, Whanganui UCOL. Much of the work is for sale. All are welcome.

Alternatives 2010 runs every day between 11.00am – 1.00pm until Saturday 31 July.

Photo: Steve Goff’s Palladium print Fish is one of the international works in Alternatives 2010.  Steve is a well known U.S. alternative photo artist who heads the Photography Department at Odessa College in Texas.

The newest member of UCOL’s School of Nursing’s teaching staff is likely to spend all day lying in bed but she is destined to play a key role in student learning.

Affectionately known as ‘Annie’, the newly purchased state of the art, life-like mannequin is designed for scenario-based training in general patient assessment and care.

Complete with normal and abnormal heart and breathing sounds, and the ability to cough, moan and scream Annie gives nursing students a unique simulated experience of patient care.

Along with simulated lungs and stomach, trachea and oesophagus Annie provides important anatomical landmarks for students to practise basic procedures.

Annie’s functions can be remotely controlled by teaching staff who are able to programme up to ten different nursing care ‘scenarios’ for nursing students to respond to. 

Nursing lecturer Susie le Page says the interactive mannequin replicates an educational experience that is often not possible during student placement.

“Students can take Annie’s blood pressure readings,” says Susie. “They are also able to practice more invasive procedures like intravenous cannulation and intramuscular injections.”

Although anatomically a female, ‘Annie’ can also be transformed into a male patient by swapping genital modules. The ‘skin’ on her arms can also be replaced as necessary.

Photo: First year Bachelor of Nursing student Tareq Barzak takes Annie’s blood pressure. Nursing lecturer Susie le Page operates Annie by remote control.

For further information contact:
Brian Gilchrist
Director of Nurse Education and Head of School
Phone +64(6) 952 7001 ext 70463 or Mobile +64 (21) 190 0055

Fine work by three senior UCOL Fine Arts students and graduates goes on show at the Square Edge Gallery in Palmerston North tomorrow (Friday 2 July).

 The exhibition – titled Between – features paintings and glassworks by Whanganui UCOL Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate Brenda Banks, and current Glass major students Karen McIntyre and Kate Walker. 

 It will run from 2 July to 27 July.

Photo: Painting by Brenda Banks

UCOL Computer Graphic design graduate Charlie McKay has achieved another top national award.

Charlie, who is Art Director of Metro magazine, was named Best Magazine Designer at this month’s Qantas Media Awards.

Judge Matt Martell said: “As I looked at Charlie McKay’s pages, I kept reminding myself that I was looking at design, not reading stories. His intelligent use of colour, typography, illustration and photography draws readers in, entices them to read, read, read. His work stands out through his breadth of styles, depth of understanding of the subject matter and a confidence and competence absent in most other entries.”

After graduating from the Whanganui School of Design with his Bachelor of Computer Graphic Design, Charlie moved to Wellington, and worked free-lance before becoming Art Director of Metro, an urban magazine of music, fashion, food and art with a reputation for inventiveness and award-winning journalism.

Charlie added to that reputation when he was named Supreme Winner, Designer of the Year as well as the Designer of the Year, Current Affairs at the prestigious 2008 MPA (Magazine Publishers Association) Awards.

As Art Director of Metro he is in charge of all the visuals, commissioning the right illustrators and photographers for the specific task. He works closely with writers to create cohesive, interesting articles through design layout and typography. If he doesn’t do the photography himself, he directs and styles the photo shoots for covers, fashion layouts and billboards. But he says for every hour on the shoot there are about three in front of the computer designing.

He says these are the skills he learned at the Whanganui School of Design. He puts his success down to the school’s focus not only on technical ability but also on creative thinking, history and theory.

Hi!

Well last night I went to the What The Frock 3rd year bachelor of fashion students exhibition. Funny though, I turned up at the right place and thought I went to the wrong place so drove around for a bit then went back to where I started.. lucky no one saw me looking like a fool.

The dresses were all inspired by a range of different things from crows to lollies.. a bit random but a bit awesome at the same time! I didn’t stay to long unfortunately but I was sure to get a good look at everyone’s work and take some snapshots. The exhibition will be open daily until the 28th of May between 10am and 3pm at the Federal Gallery in Wanganui (cnr of Market Place & Taupo Quay) and is worth a look if you are even the slightest bit interested in fashion! for event details please visit the event on our facebook page

Here is a quick photo of Laura Barr, a 3rd year fashion student and her work.

Laura Barr - UCOL Fashion Student

For photos of other fashion students and their works please visit http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141273&id=46623618038 and if you would like information on the Bachelor of Fashion programme at UCOL you can check that out at http://www.ucol.ac.nz/Programmes/Fashion/1/overview

Hi again,

Well there isn’t much going on around campus these days.. I guess most of you are deep into your assignments and such.

Last night I was at the Youth Guarantee Scholarship Award Ceremony here in Palmerston North, this is the first of hopefully many. I don’t really have much to report, it went well and there was some pretty good catering (I guess you know why I was there aye!?!) but congratulations to all the students who received the scholarships and all the best with your studies here at UCOL!

There are some photos up on our facebook page, be sure to check them out http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=135253&id=46623618038

Hello again

Congratulations Whanganui Graduates! It was another epic graduation on Thursday in Whanganui and I managed to get a few good snapshots (and some not so good ones) which can be found on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/UCOLNZ?v=photos I even got a sneeky Paul McElroy photo before the graduation started.

Again, thanks to all the hospitality students in Whanganui for all the effort put into the catering. It was epic! everything was crazy miniature as well, don’t even know how you made pies that small.

Next week is the Wairarapa graduation, I won’t be able to make it so if you get some good pictures send them through

On another note, I have once again changed UCOL Blog.. this time I have added some functionality such as groups, forums and activity streams. Basically if you want to make a group for your class/course you can and get all your classmates to login (you can just use your facebook login if you want) and join your group and keep in touch and whatnot. You can have ‘friends’ like on facebook and sync your updates from here to your facebook and twitter accounts. A forum for general chit chat.. just whatever, its open for anyone to make a group of whatever they want and talk about pretty much anything. Its your blog now, use it!

The last thing I want to once again bring up is if you want to add anything to the blog please do! you can email me j.nockels@ucol.ac.nz and send me reviews for movies, restaurants and cafes or you can write about a concert of event or any kind.. I might even just give you a little gift for your trouble I do like to give things away! Oh and changing the subject again.. you know the Wii is in the Leaning Hub now!?! In Palmerston North campus that is. You should go check it out! looks like fun, good on us giving you a reason to procrastinate aye? haha.

Bye for now.