Victoria Squire

Teaching interests

Teaching interests include typography, bookworks and exploring the crossing of the boundaries of the graphic design subject areas.

In Graphic Communication with Typography the team have been working with Glen Crust (the learning skills advisor) on a project ‘group learning in studio based environments’ and with all year groups in ‘getting the best out of each year’ which I have been involved with.

I have been a member of the UPC HELP CETL management committee where strategic planning is made regarding overall developments. This committee has also viewed and approved applications for CETL Fellows and CPD awards. The Art & Design South West Subject Forum also has five major learning and teaching research projects in progress within the HELP CETL. These projects were identified as being of significant importance within the forum and key academics with interests in these areas are now taking this research forward into smaller communities of practice.

 

Staff serving as external examiners

External examiner: BA Hons Creative Industries, Southampton Institute (2005-2008)

External examiner: BA Hons Graphic Design. University of Wales (Pending)

 

Research interests

My visual practice seeks to contextualize myself in relation to my environment and beyond, both physically and spiritually. The practice manifests itself through a wide variety of outputs such as typographic, bookworks, photographic, installation, collections, and breaking the boundaries of the art and design subject areas.

Re-current subjects/themes
Collections, categorising, archiving, lists, mapping, organizing, sequencing, routine, control, motherhood, the mundane, priorities, purpose, spirituality, identity, selflessness, serving others,reality, wilderness, isolation, being at peace, finding oneself, time, nature, coast, finding silence, freedom, adventure, risk, escape, faith, looking outwards, looking inwards, the big picture the small picture, the great divide, the light, words, notations.

Current research
My practice focuses on ‘the great divide’ of motherhood and freedom. The tension between control, organization, routine; the mundane, and finding oneself in the ‘wilderness’ where there is adventure, risk, spontaneity, escape.

The research investigates the selfless nature of motherhood, providing love, inspiration, enthusiasm, devotion and time - of which can be seen as a legacy (putting in time to develop the next generation). This is alongside the day-to-day necessities; the mundane and seemingly unseen. Real peace can be found in the simplicity of the mundane. Love for the children becomes deep as the self surrenders to simply giving.

The counterpoint of this is finding oneself, finding silence, finding the light. The research is currently investigating whether this can be found (and if so when and how) in the reality and identity of motherhood. Can a mother go to the wilderness away from control? Can a mother find freedom like the early pioneers? In this century can a mother find adventure in motherhood?

 

 

UoP Research group membership

Message 

Other research

http://victoria-squire.blogspot.com/
http://www.message-research.org/
 

Creative practice & artistic projects

March 2011
Text + image = message
Message Research group exhibition
Crosspoint, Roland Levinsky building UoP

'A journey to stillness" (Digital print)

April 2009
Bookwork exhibition
UoP Sherwell Centre

"Motherhood and the mundane" (Bookwork)

July 2008
Postcard, poster, eflyer produced for 'Inhale and Hold'. A Dance in Devon commission for Big Dance. Funded by Dance in Devon, Big Dance, Plymouth Dance, Dance South West, Arts Council England, Devon County Council, Dancing Devon - Devon Dance Festival 2008.

June 2008
Installations, bookworks, text based visual work, publicity and promotion produced for 'Hollerday'. Smash Boys in collaboration with Stacked Wonky Dance Company site specific performance. Commissioned by North Devon Theatres for North Devon Festival. Funded by Arts Council England, Lottery Grants Awards for All, Make the Move Performing Arts and North Devon Festival.

January 2007
'Journey' exhibition
Swansea

'The Voice of McCleash' (Letterpress)

 

Publications

A journey to stillness published in Varoom magazine Jan 2011

BOOK PUBLICATION : Getting it right with type,
Laurence King Publishers Ltd.

REVIEW: How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul, Adrian Shaughnessy. AOI Journal December/January 2005/6

REVIEW: Designing Type, Karen Cheng, Laurence King Publishers Ltd. June 2005

REVIEW: Type & Typography, Phil Baines and Andrew Haslam.

Laurence King Publishers July 2003

REVIEW: Becoming Designers: education & influence. Esther Dudley and Stuart Mealing

AOI Journal August/September 2001

ARTICLE: The book as a vehicle for creativity; cross-pollination of graphic design

AOI Journal February/March 2001

 

Conferences organised

Guest speaker Alan Baines, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design. Discussing VLE's in Art & Design. Art & Design South West Education Partnership, October 2005, Plymouth

'Assessment/embedding PDP' Art & Design South West Education Partnership, June 2005 Dartington

‘Developing the forum’ Art & Design South West Education Partnership, June 2004 St. Olaves, Exeter.

 

Other academic activities
Member of University Rare Books Committee

Approval/validation events:

FdA Communication & Media Arts, North Devon College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), May 2006

FdA Digital Visualisation, Truro College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), April 2006

FdA Music Performance, North Devon College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), April 2006

FdA Performance Production, Exeter College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), stage one only 2006

FdA Video Production, Exeter College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), stage one only 2006

FdA Action Photography, Truro College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), stage one only 2006

FdA Media Advertising, Truro College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), May 2006

FdA Graphic Design & Multimedia, City of Bristol College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), May 2006

FdA Graphic Design & Multimedia, Weymouth College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), May 2006

FdA Spatial Design, Plymouth College of Art & Design, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), July 2004

FdA CAD Visualisation/FdSc CAD Technologies, City of Bristol College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design) May 2004

FdA Silversmithing & Jewellery, Truro College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), April 2004

FdA Fashion, Plymouth College of Art & Design, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), April 2004

FdA Illustration, FdA Ceramics, FdA Fine Art, North Devon College, external academic (Subject Forum Chair Art & Design), March 2004

BA Hons Creative Industries validation, Southampton Institute, external academic, January 2004

BA Hons Digital Art & Design validation, University of Plymouth, 2002