ARCA residential courses – blog

Each year, Missenden Abbey nominates learners for City & Guilds Medals for Excellence, an annual competition whereby nominees compete on a national level with other candidates, all producing creative work of an exceptional standard. This year, three outstanding learners were nominated, Frances Barker, Rosemary Jagger and Annie Rogers.

All three nominees were successful, two being awarded Medals and the third Highly Commended, an award given to candidates who narrowly missed achieving a medal. This really is an outstanding achievement for all three learners, their inspiring and hard-working tutors, and for Adult Learning at Missenden Abbey. Unusually, and in recognition of the success of the learners and Missenden Abbey as a centre for excellence in creative courses, a representative from City & Guilds will be coming to Missenden Abbey to present the successful candidates with their awards on Friday March 2nd.

Award winning work by Annie Rogers (top left), Frances Barker (right) and Rosemary Jagger (below left)

Frances Barker: Certificate in Felt Making – Medallist  

Tutor: Jenny Compton

After being diagnosed with a physical difficulty that threatened her ability to continue with felt making,Franceswent on not only to complete her course but to develop felt making techniques using a washing machine, producing innovative and high-quality pieces, particularly quirky hats.Franceshas been approached about writing a book on machine felting, has sold a number of her pieces and has demonstrated historic and modern felt-making skills.

Frances was keen to thank all the staff, both teaching and support, at Missenden Abbey, saying, ‘I am still on cloud nine, but it would all be pointless without your excellent courses and tutors. It still all seems a little unreal. I half expect someone to tell me I’m dreaming!’

Rosemary Jagger: Certificate in Life Drawing – Highly Commended

Tutor: Varvara Neiman

Through her talent and dedication, Rosemary has achieved remarkable progress in Life Drawing in a short time. She has achieved a high standard of skill in painting and drawing and has also developed a thorough knowledge of the cultural and historical aspects of the genre. Rosemary is always open to experimentation with new media, enabling her to produce exciting and original pieces of work.

Annie Rogers: Diploma in Machine Embroidery – Medallist  

Tutor: Pam Watts

Throughout her course, Annie showed innovation and originality combined with technical expertise that was truly outstanding.· She researched every aspect of her work with meticulous attention to detail and her knowledge across the breadth of machine embroidery is immense.

On achieving her medal, Annie commented, ‘The last few years have been a complete voyage of discovery. The course has both challenged and inspired me and I am grateful to the enthusiasm and commitment of Pam Watts, my tutor.

To be nominated in the first place gave me a great sense of satisfaction and pleasure; being awarded the medal was genuinely a complete shock and surprise! I am absolutely thrilled and delighted and feel an overwhelming sense of achievement and pride. I would like to add my thanks to the staff at the Abbey for their support.’

Staff at Missenden Abbey are so delighted with the success of all three learners they cannot praise highly enough the inspirational teaching of Jenny Compton, Varvara Neiman and Pam Watts, which enabled the learners to exceed their own expectations and achieve such recognition in their respective subjects.   Speaking on behalf of Missenden, Lorna Spencer adds “We are proud of the standard of all our tutors at Missenden Abbey and feel that this recognition of excellence in teaching and learning belongs not just to the learners and tutors involved, but to all of our excellent learners and tutors!”

For further information about courses at Missenden Abbey email dcevreham@buckscc.gov.uk or request a brochure via www.arca.uk.net

Tags: Buckinghamshire, Missenden Abbey