Award-winning student artists celebrate return to Brighton’s cultural scene at the Phoenix

Each year, an outstanding student from the University of Brighton’s School of Art and Media is selected by Cass Art and Phoenix Brighton to receive rent-free studio space and other opportunities at the Phoenix venue to help kickstart their artistic career.

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant a lack of opportunities for graduates to showcase their talents over the last two years. Now, with Brighton’s cultural scene back up and running at full strength, all six recipients of the Cass Art x University of Brighton Studio Award - Liberty Cheverall, Hattie Malcomson, Emily Moore, Miranda Forrester, Sophie Hulf and Jessie Yates – have come together to showcase their work spanning painting, sculpture and illustration in the main gallery at Brighton’s Phoenix Art Space.

Graduating in 2021 with Fine Art Sculpture BA(Hons), Liberty Cheverall is the current Cass Art x University of Brighton Studio Award winner.

Liberty enjoys using the audience’s response through interactive artwork, so is delighted to be displaying in a physical exhibition.

Picture from Hattie Malcomson

Liberty said: “It’s an exciting feeling to have an audience finally see my work in the flesh. I was unable to have a physical degree show, so the artwork in ‘Roots’, is similar to what would’ve been displayed at university last summer.

“The bright colours and textures can’t be experienced fully online, physical exhibitions are important to my practice, and how my discipline works.

“I’ve had some incredible opportunities throughout this current year, exhibiting work physically at the Turner Contemporary and digitally at Tate Britain.”

Liberty will be physically showcasing four new artworks for the first time. These were developed in response to a recent project with Brilliant Brighton and the Cultural Recovery Project, both local initiatives responding to the impact of COVID-19 on the arts scene in Brighton.

Liberty described: “The idea of the artworks is to spread community and kindness, yet I wanted to also create works which compliment communications around mental health and emotions. 

“These artworks will be textiles tufted pieces, using soft or adapted wool, with playful colours, shapes and text. Some acting as textiles paintings, and others as soft sculptures.”

Liberty is using her current time in the studio at Phoenix to understand how she would like to present as an artist, utilising the space to create and experiment without financial pressure.

Liberty said: “For me, it feels like time and space to make mistakes. I can’t appreciate enough the physical space, outside my bedroom!

“I am using this time to create connections and understand the technicalities of being an artist. Stepping straight out of university was an intimidating thought, but with the help and support of everyone at Phoenix, they’ve taught me courage and motivation. I want to say a huge thank you to Phoenix, Cass Art and the University of Brighton for this experience.” 

Previous winner Hattie Malcomson, 2020 graduate in Fine Art Painting BA(Hons) is excited to be back at Phoenix, exhibiting three paintings and a lino print, depicting female characters in their own spaces.

Picture from Sophie Hulf

Hattie said: “The paintings express a real confidence and strength, whilst the lino print portrays more of an intimate and vulnerable side to the character.”

Since graduating and completing her year in the studio at Phoenix, Hattie has exhibited her first solo exhibition in London titled “Sisters, Sisters, Sisters”.

The central subject of Hattie’s practice is the process of women empowerment, exploring feminist themes using what she describes as “a simultaneously harsh but attractive aesthetic”. 

Speaking about her time at the University of Brighton, Hattie added: “I found studying painting at Brighton incredibly inspiring. It was such a warm environment to develop my practice in and always felt supported by tutors and fellow students.

“The Cass Art x University of Brighton Studio Award also gave me confidence in my work to motivate me to really try and make it work as an artist.”

Lucy Day, Interim Executive Director of Phoenix Art Space said: “It has been wonderful to host these six talented artists, both through the studio award and in the current exhibition.

“Their work shows a diversity of media, practice and scale and it has been a joy to see the ambition inherent in each one.

“With huge thanks to University of Brighton for continuing to nurture creative talent and to Cass Art for enabling us to support these artists through the yearlong award.”

Visit Roots exhibition is open 4–27 March at Phoenix Art Space, Brighton.

Check out the artists on Instagram:

@libertycheverall
@hattiemalcomson_art
@emilykatillustration
@miranda_forrester
@sophiehulf
@jessiejyates

Apply for the Cass x Phoenix Studio Award 2022