2019 Awardee: Frances Allen

"I hope that this creative direction, along with the industry connections that the RCA can facilitate, will be formative in my career as a Sound Artist."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2019
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Born in Inverness, Frances started playing the piano at the age of 6. At age 11 she took up the saxophone which then became her principal study.

After receiving a distinction in Classical saxophone, Frances went on to study Music at the Reid School of Music, University of Edinburgh, in 2014. Whilst at Edinburgh, Frances studied Jazz saxophone and improvisation with Edinburgh-based saxophonist Zack Moir, and Classical saxophone with internationally renowned saxophonist Richard Ingham.

Alongside performance, Frances began to explore her compositional ideas under the tuition of Dr Gareth Williams. Improvisation heavily influenced her compositional practices and she began to experiment with the relationship between visual art and musical principles. With her work, Frances drew inspiration from a range of 20th century artists and designs.

After graduating in 2018, Frances has gone on to study her Masters in Sound Design at the Royal College of Art, in London. As part of the School of Communication, Frances is interested in bringing together music and design to explore the possibilities for immersive and interactive composition.

How the Award Helped

Frances’ Award has made is possible for her to study at the RCA and to afford the tuition fees for her Masters.

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"I hope that this creative direction, along with the industry connections that the RCA can facilitate, will be formative in my career as a Sound Artist."

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2013 Awardee: Sylvia Law

I am extremely grateful for receiving the Dewar Arts Awards’ support as it has enabled me to develop and pursue my artistic practice and fulfil all of my creative ambitions as a sound artist.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2013
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.sylvia-law.com/
EMAIL:sylviasounds@gmail.com
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/sylvy09

Biography

Born in Edinburgh to a Scottish father and Spanish mother, Sylvia describes herself as bilingual, with a rich cultural upbringing and strong sense of identity.

Whilst studying at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Sylvia was recognised as an artist of outstanding ambition, determination and ability, whose work demonstrated an unusual level of originality.  In 2012, she graduated with a BA(Hons) in Time Based Art & Digital Film and went on to gain the RSA John Kinross Scholarship to embark on a two-month residency in Florence. She spent this time exploring the relationship between sound and space in different architectural locations.  The resulting work was presented at the RSA New Contemporaries 2013 exhibition, which showcases the finest emerging artistic talent in Scotland.

To develop her practice further, Sylvia gained a place on the MA in Sound Arts at the London College of Communication.  Her work encompasses the mediums of sound, spatial installation and site-specific performance, working closely with the human voice to capture and interact with space.

Through her work overseas, Sylvia has proved herself to be a strong ambassador for Scottish arts who is confident and receptive to other cultures.

How the Award Helped

Sylvia received support to help her create ambitious new works for the RSA New Contemporaries exhibition, and for her masters studies.

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I am extremely grateful for receiving the Dewar Arts Awards’ support as it has enabled me to develop and pursue my artistic practice and fulfil all of my creative ambitions as a sound artist.

Back