Art, Craft and Design Students Build Skills through Research and Observation

Students on the CSN portfolio preparation course, Art, Craft and Design are building on their skills through research and observation.

Drawing is the basis of this intensive, hands-on, workshop and studio-based course.

Students have the opportunity to balance their studies with personalised

time tables leading towards application to 3rd level colleges and Universities in Ireland and the UK. Students who are interested in design areas are encouraged to explore design-based modules where students interested in Fine Art are studio-based in painting and drawing as well as sketchbook studies that include collage and other integral subsidiary modules in graphic design and design (for both fashion and architecture), combined materials, ceramics, sculpture, photography, Art Appreciation, and mandatory modules in Communications and Work Placement.

Students come away from the course with a sense of community in the arts - and an understanding of international trends in the arts that affect Ireland. Research can be done in the CSN library, where there is a fine collection of art and design books or on the Internet. The college has computer facilities, as well as basic tuition for students in Photo shop (through Digital Photography and Graphic Design).

Research Paper-writing is a major focus (midyear) of Art Appreciation, along with continued encouragement, for all students, to attend Festivals and arts co-op plus gallery events in Cork and environs. Guest speakers are part of well-rounded curriculum along with discussion groups, initiated in Communications classes plus tutorial-time, allowing for one-to-one tuition.

For further information about the course, contact Lucy Phelan, Art, Craft and Design - Course Director (021) 4961020, l.phelan@csn.ie or www.csn.ie (Art and Design Department)

Congratulations 2011 Arts Administration Graduate, Áine Holden

Congratlations to Dublin native, Aine Holden, who graduated from Arts Administration Level 6, this year 2011. Aine has just secured a position at the Kendal Museum in Kendal, England. Her duties include Information Desk - front of House duties; management and PR; education programming and working with children.

Aine says everything we did on the Arts Administration course was valuable in preparing her for this opportunity. She did multiple work placements and volunteer placements during her course year, including Culture Night; Jazz Festival; Art Trail; Cork Printmakers and Kinsale Art Week.

She was Project Manger of the CSN February off-site exhibition in 2011, "Drawing Inspiration" where she assisted in hanging the show, invigilated, gave tours to the general public and participated in working with the Family Saturday Workshops. Her responsibilities included taking down the show and dealing with the artists and designers as they collected their work.

A Distinction profile student, Aine represents the standard of highly-motivated student we attract for this hands-on, practical arts administration course. We, the CSN Arts Administration course, are validated (Q-marked) by CHNTO, the former Museum Training Institute , UK, since 2002.

The Kendal Museum's website is: http://www.kendalmuseum.org.uk/

csnartsadmin@csn.ie Carol White, Course Director

www.csn.ie

Jess O’Callaghan, who graduated with flying colours from the CSN Multimedia Course in 2010 recently won a coveted ‘A’ award in the annual YCN Student Awards in London.

On graduating from CSN with a BTEC HND (Higher National Diploma) in Multimedia, she completed a one year 'top-up' in 'Brighton & Hove City College' to gain a BA in 'Digital Media Design'

Read more about it here

Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa will hold a craft sale Wednesday the 30th from 11 am onwards. Items for sale will include ceramics as well as textiles and small furniture design items produced by the Professional Arts Diploma students.  The sale will be in front of the Caretakers office. If this time is difficult for anybody, please pop into the ceramics room on Tuesday morning and we can make alternative arrangements.

Arts Administration students engage with the City: Knowing the Keys to Audience Development

The new group of Arts Administration students are, as always, a special group of individuals. They come from divergent backgrounds. The major factor they have in common is their desire to work with people in the capacity of arts management.

To date, they have been on a Walkabout around all of the major arts organisations in Cork City. This team-building exercise allows the students to begin their writing about the arts, in earnest as well as their interest in photographing people, each other working as well as the vibrancy of the city - including working as management volunteers with the City Arts Office for CULTURE NIGHT; visiting Civic Trust (Festival) House and each individual student being placed in Work Placement in one of Cork's major arts organisations including Cork Opera House; Glucksman Gallery; Art Trail; Cork Film Festival; Civic Trust House; Backwater Artists Group and Wandesford Quay Gallery.

The students are in the process of planning, organising, staffing and working on the 11th Annual Exhibition of CSN student Art Work at Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's, opening Thursday 2nd February 2012. The exhibition is entitled Mind's Eye, and the interpretive planning we are working on includes the "Mind's Eye" concept of creativity, studied by great philosophers and thinkers, such as Albert Einstein. We all see the world through our "Mind's Eye".

Updates on the event will follow. We are dedicated to keeping the public informed about the progress of the Art and Design Department and the participation of the public in our events, exhibitions and open days.

Carol White, Arts Administration, Course Director

Photo - Lucia Creedon, AA student 2011-12

c.white@csn.ie

Creative Ceramics students' work 2010-2011

Last years students : Ciara Crotty, Sam Schulz, Elisabeth Heffernan, Patrick Galvin,
Celia Murray, Nicholaas Bester, Yestin Reboul and Deirdre Fitzgerald produced
exciting ceramic pieces ranging from large and small scale sculptures over functional
and decorative vessels to wall pieces. Here some samples from the end of year show
at CSN.

View more examples here

Multimedia 2nd yrs recent work

Here are 2 of the highlights of this years Multimedia students work at CSN:

Leigh Walsh: 3D Modelling, Lighting & Rendering

Arthur O' Regan: TV Commercial

Flow- TV commercial from Arthur O'Regan on Vimeo.

"The 7 Characteristics of a Good Exhibition: The Moving Edge"

'the moving edge', CSN's May Summer Art and Design exhibition had something for everyone. This year, as always, we followed the exhibition design process that begins with "7 Characteristics of a Good Exhibition".

it must be safe and secure - health and safety of the audience, as well as the work on view, is the first priority in exhibition design. This characteristic is similar across the arts, music, theatre and dance, adapted for each art form.

• it must be visible - a good exhibition has impact pieces at focal points of the route. The eye of the viewer might be caught by something in the distance, something up front and objects throughout the route of the show. Objects are placed for their technique, colour, balance, and excellent craftsmanship. A crowded exhibition confuses the visitor. "Less is more" for a first exhibition for visitor's who come to view work in a friendly environment.


• it must catch the eye - work selected for the CSN exhibitions are selected by tutors and industry specialists. Like any art form, exhibition design focuses on the very best of work created during an academic year in several disciplines.


• It must look good - a freshly painted area is the most appropriate for the good exhibition. Plinths, platforms and accessories are painted in colours that enhance the topic of the exhibition. Good label copy enhances the visitor's experience - and touches such as imagery and thought-provoking quotations carry each person along the route in a personalised way.


• it must hold the attention - predictable exhbitions are not educational or fun. Label copy related to the theme of the exhibition helps the visitor to understand how the artist or designer creates the work. Humour can be used in moderation as well as shock value for some exhibitions. Educational activities might be added along the route of an exhibition - to engage the visitor in the experience.


• it must be worthwhile - because CSN has dedicated annual exhibits in February and May, our intention is to keep each experience FRESH and interesting by showing a variety of changing themes and work from each course involved in the show. Music and educational aspects are always added in CSN exhibition programmes. We include informative guided tours, on-hand staff who can answer questions and provide participatory elements.


• it must be in good taste - when an exhibition is in a college environment, we endeavour to both educate and entertain our audiences of potential students, the general public, the VEC management and the college community. A good exhibition should not offend an audience - we enter into a contract of trust when a show is presented, with the public's permission.

CSN maintains an in-house Student Collection, at Tramore Road, of work from all art and design courses in the college - maintained by Arts Administration.

For information about the Art and Design Department see the website. http://www.csn.ie/

Facebook: CSN Arts Administration (Community)

Carol White, Course Director, Arts Administration c.white@csn.ie

the moving edge, art and design exhibition - opens 26th May 2011, 7-9 PM

Art and design, created by students at CSN during the 2010-2011 academic year, will be on display at the college from opening night, Thursday 26th May 2011 (7-9 PM); Friday 27th May; Monday 29th May through Thursday June 2nd from 10 AM - 4 PM, daily.

The exhibition will be officially opened on Thursday evening, 26th May, at 7:20 PM by Orla Flynn, Head (Acting); CIT's Crawford College of Art and Design, Sharman Crawford Street

The opening will include music in the landscaped CSN garden, under a marquee. Students of Music, Management and Sound at CSN will provide the entertainment.

The best work, selected by course teachers, will grace the ground floor of the college building in an exhibition design created by Arts Administration, for viewing pleasure.

Work will include Art, Craft and Design; Creative Ceramics; Creative Textiles; Access with Design; Multimedia 1 & 2 and Furniture Design 1 & 2. Interactive elements will engage the viewing public, including origami workshops to create 1000 Origami swans, which will be formed into a lantern, dedicated to the victims of the February tsunami in Japan. The swan-folding workshops will be led by students from Arts Administration and Art, Craft and Design.

Group tours will be organised for the public on Friday 27th May; Monday 30th May through Thursday 2nd June (between 10 Am and 4 PM), by checking in with the Information Desk in the CSN foyer. All course areas will be invigilated by students from the individual courses for people interested in the college for both coursework and on-going exhibitions.

For further information, contact: Carol White c.white@csn.ie, (021) 4961020 http://www.csn.ie/

Portfolio Course Emphasises Good Practice - Art, Craft and Design

After six months of intensive work in the studio, workshops, lecture theatre and in sketchbooks - students of Art, Craft and Design are beginning the process of attending interviews for 3rd level colleges and making decisions about staying at CSN for Level 6 courses.

Art, Craft and Design at Level 5 facilitates students coming from Leaving Certificate, world of work, individuals changing careers, people re-training in studio areas after a period of raising families and travelling - providing a skills-based course tailored for the serious art student.

Level 6 Painting with Business is in the preparatory stages - with an eye to running an enhanced "skills-building" course, for the serious art student who wants additional training in preparation for professional practice or to attend 3rd level college with a broader base of specialisation.

CSN offers on-line applications via the college website: www.csn.ie Early interviews will be help in March and May 2011. An exhibition of work from all courses in the Art and Design Department will open in late May - to showcase the work completed this year.

For further information, contact: Lucy Phelan (Course Director) l.phelan@csn.ie

ACCESS with Design Students go into the Community

WoW!! 'Working out Weaving' with local secondary schools and Community groups

Access with Design facilitated three creative and lively workshops at the Tory Top Road Library in Ballyphehane. As part of the Work Experience in-house programme it was the students' remit to share the skill of weaving with members from the local community. The Presentation Girls Secondary School and the Ballyphehane Craft Initiative took part in workshops on table-top weaving using recycled clothing and salvaged bed linen. The work produced was inspiring and the Access with Design students were thrilled with the results - most importantly all of the participants took away a new skill that we hope they will use in craft work in the future.

Hair Raising! - a wig-making day created pieces for the 17th century Restoration play 'She Stoops to Conquer'

Another interesting collaboration was the bringing together of two courses from Coláiste StiofáinNaofa . The Access with Design students organised and assisted in the wig making with the Theatre Production course for a day at the Tory Top Road Library. The buzz and energy was there from the offset and the groups worked well together using an array of materials to produce some really wacky results, as you can see in their up-coming production, 'She Stoops to Conquer'.

Congratulations to ACCESS with Design 1 for the Road Roller Project!

Congratulations to all Access with Design students who participated in the Road Roller Print project as part of Cork Art Trail and Cork Printmakers. The print is currently on view at Cork Opera House. Students also have put together an exhibit documenting the process of creating the linocut print - step-by-step. It is on view at CSN's Laboratory Gallery.

For further information, contact: Debbie Godsell: d.godsell@csn.ie

FREE Saturday Worshops draw huge attention from an adoring public Arts Administration Students "inspire" with Creative Art Activities

Families from all over the Cork area joined together this morning for the second of 3 amazing workshops designed for children and their parents. The experience included a guided tour, story-telling, hands-on workshops - 3 age-specific activities, plus a poetry word-play activity high-lighted by LIVE music by the Music, Management and Sound students form the ensemble, "Nelson's Mandola".

The theme this week was "Under the Sea", drawing inspiration from several works in the show that incorporate sea imagery - jellyfish (by Fiona Cotter); photographs of Youghal Lighthouse (by Eimear Kelleher); Fabric and ribbon stitched net by Nuala O'Reilly-Teegan as well as a mono print by Grace O'Leary. Colour and varied materials gave the 30 strong group of young people a happy experience that allowed for perceptual and cognitive connections.

A third workshop will be held Saturday 19th February at Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's, 11-1 PM. The theme will be "The Emperor's New Clothes" and will incorporate wearable art, fashion and giving identities and clothing to some special lonely wooden visitors at Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's - waiting for "attire".

Join us for the fun. The exhibition closes on Friday 25th February at noon. For further information contact Arts Administration @ csnartsadmin@gmail.com or c.white@csn.ie

Drawing Inspiration opens to 500 people at Cork Vision Centre

drawing inspiration the 10th anniversary exhibition of art and design from CSN at Cork Vision Centre, opened to a huge crowd on Thursday evening 3rd February, 6-8 PM. Student work from CSN has been on view in a unique partnership with Cork Vision Centre, since 2001. Courses on view are: Art, Craft and Design; Arts Administration (event organisers. exhibition installation and weekend events specialists); Furniture Design 1 & 2; Creative Textiles; Creative Ceramics;

Access with Design 1 and 2; Multimedia 1 & 2 and Higher Diploma, Professional Arts - FD. Work was framed by students of arts administration to suit the Lynch System in Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's.

Trish Brennan, Head of Fine Art (Acting), CIT's Crawford College of Art and Design officially opened the show to the Cork public. Speaking on behalf of CSN was Principal, Tim Kelleher and on behalf of Cork Vision Centre, emcee for the evening, John X. Miller - Director Cork Civic Trust and Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's.

Artists, designers and their families, friends and colleagues enjoyed new and humorous exhibition techniques, the ambiance of the Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's amplified by music by ALL BLUES from Music, Management and Sound at CSN. The map of the exhibition, handed out to every visitor, made the show fall together as "one" - not isolating any course - showing the unity of the college courses as a "whole". CSN is well known for quality tuition in a nurturing environment for the pursuit of all the arts.

Weekend workshops began Saturday 5th February - with Origami and Haiku - story-telling and hands-on activities. The swans and whales, boats and fish were all put on the River Lee on the map of Cork to add to the colour and effect of the exhibition when one walks through the front doors. Next weekend 12th - the theme of the workshops from 11AM -1 PM will be "Under the Sea" and on the 19th Feb - "The Emperor's New Clothes" - ALL FREE to visitors - children and adults alike.

For further information, contact Arts Administration CSN, Carol White - c.white@csn.ie

(021) 4961020

CSN Creative Ceramics Student Presents his Work to President Mary McAleese

Former CSN Creative Ceramics student Eoughan Beausang was awarded the Gold Medal of the Gaisce President Award by Mary McAleese in November 2010 at Dublin Castle. Eoughan was a student at the Access Course 2007-2009, and at the Creative Ceramics Course in 2009/2010 at CSN, and had made a table-top sculpture that represents the efforts of gaining the award through small scale figures that are climbing a mountain while engaged in various activities.

Eoghan presented this piece to the President at the awards night, which was very well received. We are all very proud of Eoughan and wish him the best with his future career.

Eoghan Beausang is currently studying Ceramics in second year at the Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork.