Art and Design student exhibits at Origins Creatives 2025
Edinburgh College Art and Design student Anna Fergusson was selected to exhibit her work at Origins Creatives, a free exhibition presented by UAL Awarding Body, offering an exciting opportunity for art enthusiasts, critics, and industry professionals in the creative sector to discover fresh, original talent.
Anna, who studies UAL Art and Design Foundation Diploma at the College’s Granton Campus, was selected for her submission titled ‘Stories of Young and Old’, which transports you back to a time you haven’t experienced and makes it feel as real as the present. Through tactile mediums and sensitivity, Anna aimed to honour her Grandparents treasured memories, of James, an award-winning pigeon fancier, and Marie, a beautiful singer who performed in the Edinburgh Tattoo. The project draws attention to the importance of human connection, by using traditional practices in a slow, delicate, contemporary manner; symbolising the passing of old stories onto a younger generation. Every mark, every stain, has meaning.
The exhibition featured outstanding work from students based across UAL’s centres showcasing their talent across the UAL subject areas of Art and Design, Fashion Business and Retail, Creative Media, Music Performance and Production, Performing Arts, Entry Level 3 in Art and Design and Performing Arts, Professional Diplomas, and the Extended Project Qualification.
Anna’ work caught the attention of UAL Awarding Body’s curator, Calum Hall, amongst over 600 submissions. The exhibition took place at the Mall Galleries in central London in the Summer and was open to the public for four days, where people were able to view a diverse range of painting, photography, drawing, sculpture, fashion and more.
Edinburgh College Head of School for Art and Design, Neil Manning, said: “Anna is a fantastically talented student. Her ability to honour tradition while presenting it in a contemporary, delicate way is a testament to her maturity as an artist. Her work is a powerful reminder of the importance of storytelling and human connection, it’s a privilege to see it exhibited and celebrated by UAL."
Anna said: “Studying Foundation, has opened my imagination to the possibilities within the art world. Through exploration and experimentation, I have been supported to grow and develop my creative practice, and establish originality as an artist. Being given the opportunity to have my work exhibited in the Mall Galleries, and celebrated alongside many other talented creatives, was a great privilege, and an experience I will never forget.”
Edinburgh College works in partnership with UAL to offer courses validated by the Awarding Body. Completion of the courses allows students to progress directly into degree-level study at universities across the UK. Find out more about the UAL Art and Design Foundation Diploma course.