2021 Awardee: Aya Fetah

Receiving the award has helped me in every way possible, I was able to buy supplies for my course and not worry about the costs and just be able to get my head down and work away and produce work with a high quality standard. I am so grateful to be able to receive the Dewar Arts Award - it has allowed me to even explore and be more creative then before as I was very limited.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2021
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.instagram.com/ayafetah_designs/
 
 

Biography

Born in Holland, Aya moved to Scotland with her family at the age of nine. This involved learning a new culture and language at a young age. As a result, Aya found subjects such as maths and English very challenging, but she was able to express herself through art. She has pursued this interest, and was accepted into Glasgow School of Art to study Textile Design, which she described as a “dream come true”. At GSA, Aya specialised in Embroidered Textiles, and was described by her course leader as a motivated, committed and enthusiastic student.

How the Award Helped

Aya’s Award supported her studies at Glasgow School of Art, enabling her to purchase art supplies, fabrics, yarn and materials. This allowed her to experiment and develop her craft in ways that were not previously possible.

Since the Award

After graduating from Glasgow School of Art, Aya was accepted to Birmingham City University to pursue a Masters’ Degree in Surface & Textile Design.

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Receiving the award has helped me in every way possible, I was able to buy supplies for my course and not worry about the costs and just be able to get my head down and work away and produce work with a high quality standard. I am so grateful to be able to receive the Dewar Arts Award - it has allowed me to even explore and be more creative then before as I was very limited.

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2023 Awardee: Erin McQuarrie

The Dewar Arts Award has provided vital funding to set up my studio in the Scottish Highlands and purchase essential weaving tools. I would like to sincerely thank the committee for all their encouragement and support.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2023
AGE AT AWARD: 29
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:http://www.erinmcquarrie.com
 
 

Biography

Erin McQuarrie is a textile artist and researcher from Glasgow based in the Scottish Highlands. She believes ancient methods of making provide an innovative means of interpreting and responding to contemporary life. Through textiles McQuarrie reacts to the everyday – the language of warp and weft is her vocabulary, providing an antithesis to our fast-paced consumerist society, an outlet to explore health and wellbeing, and a platform for historical recovery.

Erin completed her BFA in Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art (2018) and her MFA in Textiles at Parsons School of Design, NYC, on a Fulbright scholarship (2021). Her work has been exhibited in Scotland and internationally, including Jane Lombard Gallery, L’Space Gallery, Mana Contemporary, The Royal Scottish Academy, and New York Textile Month.

How the Award Helped

Support from the Dewar Arts Award enabled Erin to finance an enclosed studio space and acquire essential tools for her practice. By purchasing a Saori floor loom, Erin is able to produce more ambitious textile work at a larger scale than with handmade tools at home. The studio also provides the space needed for lengthy dyeing and weaving processes.

Since the Award

In 2024, Erin presented her first solo show ‘The Time Between The Lights’ at The Briggait in Glasgow.

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The Dewar Arts Award has provided vital funding to set up my studio in the Scottish Highlands and purchase essential weaving tools. I would like to sincerely thank the committee for all their encouragement and support.

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2017 Awardee: Rhianne Goldie

Rhianne Goldie

"Being granted the Dewar Award has opened new doors for me. It has given me the opportunity to discover my true passions and interests within the design industry...With this grant I have been relieved of financial stresses, enabling me to focus fully on my education and career."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.instagram.com/rhiannegoldiedesigns/
 
 

Biography

Rhianne completed her undergraduate degree in textile design at the University of Dundee, and at that point felt she was unfinished with her studies. She went on to study an MA in Fashion and Textile Design at Heriot-Watt University.

Initially, Rhianne’s intentions were to enhance and develop her knowledge of heat-sensitive inks on textiles for fashion. She found her focus shifted throughout her studies, and she developed great interest in material exploration.  This led to exploration of worldwide, environmental issues associated with plastic pollution in the ocean.

Working with single-use plastics, Rhianne began to think outside the box and to push the materials to their limits. She utilised pre-existing design techniques to create innovative, body-adorning textiles in order to raise awareness of ocean waste.

How the Award Helped

Rhianne’s Dewar Arts Award supported her masters studies at Heriot-Watt University.

Since the Award

Upon completion of her masters, Rhianne’s university recommended she continue her research further at PhD level.  This prospect encouraged her to push her practice further than she had ever imagined.

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Rhianne Goldie

"Being granted the Dewar Award has opened new doors for me. It has given me the opportunity to discover my true passions and interests within the design industry...With this grant I have been relieved of financial stresses, enabling me to focus fully on my education and career."

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2018 Awardee: Jean Oberlander

"I am so grateful for the continued support in my education, it means so much to me"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.oberjean.co.uk/
 
 

Biography

Jean gained a First Class Honours Degree from Gray’s School of Art, where she studied BA Fashion and Textile Design. The course enabled her to experiment within both spheres of material and body using hand and machine knitting. Her degree collection won the Alexandrina McKenzie Legacy Award, a Highly Commended in the BP Graduate Design Award, and was selected for the Visual Arts Scotland Graduate Showcase at the Royal Scottish Academy.

In 2017 Jean moved to London after gaining a place on the MA Textiles course at the Royal College of Art, specialising in Knit. Her MA dissertation received a distinction, and she gave a paper at the “In the Loop” knitting academic conference in July 2018.

Jean continues to work between the body and space to create knitted pieces that are both familiar and unfamiliar. She uses knitting, mark making and writing in her practice to convey the metaphors of the knitted stitch. In the future, she aims to build on her MA and continue to push the boundaries in knit further.

How the Award Helped

Jean received a Dewar Arts Award to support her MA studies at the Royal College of Art.

On achieving her award, Jean said: “Without the Dewar Award I would have not been able to attend the RCA at all. The support meant I was able to pay for tuition fees and materials, without which I would have not been able to make work of any standard. I am so grateful for the continued support in my education, it means so much to me and being on this course has enabled me to build more confidence in my work as well as making connections and experimenting in a supportive and innovative environment. I am eternally grateful for the support in making sure I am able to build a better future for myself.”

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"I am so grateful for the continued support in my education, it means so much to me"

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2018 Awardee: Lois Langmead

"I am extremely grateful for the support. Without the Award I would not have been able to accept my place."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.loislangmead.com/
EMAIL:loislangmead@gmail.com
 

Biography

Lois moved to Glasgow in 2011 to embark on a BA (Hons) in Communication Design at the Glasgow School of Art, specialising in Illustration. She graduated in 2015 with a First Class degree. The depth of her research for her final projects made a great impression on the assessment team, both for the eloquence of her writing and the manner in which her ideas were firmly embedded and evident in her making. One of her degree show pieces, a delicate, intricate, finely worked sculptural embroidery went on to win the student Jerwood Drawing Prize for 2015. From there, she remained in Glasgow and continued to self fund her practice.

Lois has exhibited throughout the UK. She has proved herself to be a thoughtful and imaginative artist with a strong research ethic and excellent analytical skills. She is adventurous and playful with her practice, serious and personally engaged with her work and sensitive in her use of materials. This gained her a place to study on the MA Textiles Mixed Media course at the Royal College of Art, enabling her to further her practice alongside her academic development. This offered the ideal next step for Lois, who finds engagement with textiles fascinating, resourceful and experiemental.

How the Award Helped

Lois received a Dewar Arts Award to support her postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art.

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"I am extremely grateful for the support. Without the Award I would not have been able to accept my place."

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2016 Awardee: Emily Martin

"Without the Dewar Arts Award I wouldn’t have been able to begin studying my MFA in Textiles this year, thus not having access to the necessary space and equipment to develop my skills and ideas. I will always be grateful for this support."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2016
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Emily Martin was born and raised in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.  From there she moved to Edinburgh to commence her undergraduate studies at the Edinburgh College of Art.

Proving herself to be an exceptional student, Emily graduated in 2013 with a First Class Honours Degree in Textiles.  She received the John L Paterson Award for Best Graduating Degree Show, as well as the Worshipful Company of Dyers Prize.

After graduating, Emily stayed in Edinburgh.  She worked for Walker Slater, a local tweed clothing retailer, and for Artlink, an arts and disability organisation. This provided much inspiration and learning for her developing practice.

Emily is a screen-printer at heart, who considers the environmental impact of the process. In 2016 she was accepted onto a two-year MFA course at ECA, enabling her to fully explore the possibilities of natural dyes in textile printmaking.  Her aim is to develop these into sustainable contemporary clothing that will appeal to a wider audience, and also incorporating hand embroidery.  This is Emily’s hand craft of choice and she is passionate about keeping the skill alive and relevant today.

How the Award Helped

Emily received an Award to support her MFA studies at the Edinburgh College of Art.

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"Without the Dewar Arts Award I wouldn’t have been able to begin studying my MFA in Textiles this year, thus not having access to the necessary space and equipment to develop my skills and ideas. I will always be grateful for this support."

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2015 Awardee: Christopher McEvoy Barton

"The Dewar Arts Award has let me pursue a masters at the Royal College of Art, to hone my skills and perfect my craft."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2015
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://christophermcevoy.com/
EMAIL:christopher@mcevoytextiles.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ChrisMcevoy93

Biography

Descended from a family of mill workers and a Calton weaver,  Christopher McEvoy Barton brings a rich heritage to the discipline of textiles design. Specialising in woven textiles, Christopher is a keen researcher whose work shows continued innovation.

Having grown up in North East Glasgow, Christopher chose to study at the Glasgow School of Art. During his time there he won numerous awards for his achievements, including the Glasgow’s Incorporation of Weavers Prize, The Gillian Purvis Award for Primary Research and Glasgow’s Incorporation of Weavers Award for Innovation.

Christopher has successfully gained opportunities to work with top named designers, such as Niki Jones, and was approached to design a ’50 Years of Strathclyde’ graduation cap for the University of Strathclyde. He has interned at Bespoke Atelier, Centex Exports and for the couture weavers Malhia Kent in Paris.  Whilst there he learned about small high end production of cloth – a theme that he has carried on into his own practice.

A passionate ambassador for Scottish textiles, it is Christopher’s dearest ambition to support the textile manufacturing industry in bringing jobs back to Glasgow.

How the Award Helped

Christopher received an award to support him in undertaking postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art.

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"The Dewar Arts Award has let me pursue a masters at the Royal College of Art, to hone my skills and perfect my craft."

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2014 Awardee: Kim Norrie

I feel that being submerged in the heart of the British design industry is the best place for me to develop and learn my craft whilst continuing my education at the Royal College of Art. I am hugely grateful and honored to receive a Dewar Arts Award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.kimnorrie.co.uk/
EMAIL:kimnorrie.co.uk@gmail.com
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/CoKimNorrie

Biography

Kim is a Scottish textile designer raised in the small town of Kirriemuir in Angus. She lived and studied in Aberdeen for four years where she achieved a First class BA (Hons) in Textile and Surface Design.

Having spent a year as Graduate in Residence at Grays School of Art, Kim held various workshops for textile students and gave one-on-one tuition.  She then went on to gain a place on the MA in Textiles at the Royal College of Art, London.

Kim’s work is greatly inspired by relationships with people and places she has felt connected to.  She received a great response at her undergraduate degree show where she won the Design in Action Award for Commercial Poetical, and again at New Designers 2013 where she won the New Designers Christy Carpets Association Prize.

In addition to her Dewar Award, Kim was also awarded a QEST scholarship to support her masters studies. Her ambition is to establish her own brand within the British textile industry, whilst continuing to support the learning and development of others.

How the Award Helped

Kim received a Dewar Award to support her studies on the MA in Textiles at the Royal College of Art.

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I feel that being submerged in the heart of the British design industry is the best place for me to develop and learn my craft whilst continuing my education at the Royal College of Art. I am hugely grateful and honored to receive a Dewar Arts Award.

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2012 Awardee: Adil Iqbal

My aim is to push the boundaries of arts and crafts...through collaboration between communities

YEAR OF AWARD: 2012
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.adildesign.co.uk/
EMAIL:info@adildesign.co.uk
 

Biography

Born and raised in Edinburgh, Adil studied Clothing Design and Manufacture at Heriot Watt University. Since graduating he has built up an impressive portfolio.

Adil’s designs have been showcased at celebrated fashion weeks in London and New York. He has worked with high profile labels including TataNaka and Hugo Boss and has been featured in Vogue. He now runs his own label Adil Design.

Through his work, Adil explores themes of society, culture and time. He incorporates “echos of his travels and his Pakistani heritage”. He has a passion for cross cultural collaboration that promotes the sharing of knowledge and skills.

How the Award Helped

Funding from the Dewar Arts Awards will support Adil’s project work connecting weavers of the Outer Hebrides with embroiderers of Chital, Pakistan. Adil aims to develop an exchange of ideas and techniques, establishing a craft dialogue between the two regions. A series of workshops in Scotland and Pakistan will produce innovative design work consisting of collages, hand drawings, embroidery and digital printed fabrics. Celtic Folklore will be interpreted and translated into contemporary hand-loomed textiles, culminating in a travelling exhibition.

Through this project, Adil hopes to create a bridge between communities and promote cultural awareness between Scotland and Pakistan.

Since the Award

2008 Vogue Feature
2009 Scotsman Feature
2012 Scotsman Feature

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My aim is to push the boundaries of arts and crafts...through collaboration between communities

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2008 Awardee: Katherine Brown

This is a really exciting time for me, and I look forward to letting the Dewar Award trustees know and see how this internship shall shape my career.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Edinburgh-born Katherine studied textile design at Duncan of Jordanstone Art College, in Dundee. She specialised in knitwear design and says of her knitting that “as well as wearable, [it] is also conceptual. Involving storage and folding concepts it is very structural and matches very well with Bless’s aim at ‘designing the perfect product’”.

In her final year at art college, Katherine was seen to find her own voice and technique to express her perception of design through textiles. She approached her studies with maturity, intelligence and wit as her confidence grew in her chosen field.

Katherine set her heart on working for BLESS, considered to be a cutting-edge European design company and secured a 3-month unpaid internship with them through her own efforts. Spending time in their studios will enable her to broaden her professional design understanding.

Katherine also exhibited her work at the 2008 BraveArt (now entitled, ROAR).

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award is helping towards the short internship with the Berlin-based international design company, BLESS.

Since the Award

As an intern, Katherine did a lot of running around for her BLESS colleagues to source materials for the collection being worked on for Paris Fashion Week. Because they knew of her passion for knitting, they asked Katherine to handknit some of their designs. Some months after she returned to Glasgow, Katherine was thrilled to see one of her handknitted pieces in a fashion magazine. She is now back in Glasgow working on a new collection. Katherine writes, “BLESS was an invaluable experience that has already started to shape my career.”

Katherine’s work was showcased in our 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Roots to Shoots. Find out more here.

A short film from Katherine, which formed part of our 10th Anniversary Exhibition: Roots to Shoots.

Knit One, Kill One is “a humorous exploration of an inner torment and love-hate relationship with knitting. Katherine Brown showcases her Masters’ Collection inspired by cult TV series Twin Peaks in a short film, which plays with the idea that knitters and serial killers share behavioural patterns.”

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This is a really exciting time for me, and I look forward to letting the Dewar Award trustees know and see how this internship shall shape my career.

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