Then and now – what happened
to UCA’s design class of 1974?

A group of alumni who graduated from one of UCA’s founding art colleges – the Maidstone School of Art – have commemorated the 50th anniversary of their graduation with a “then and now” look at their work and careers.

06 Sep 2024

The 14 artists all learned their trade under the banner of Graphic Design, which at that time encompassed Communication Design, Illustration and Photography. As well as a reunion lunch, the group also produced a booklet with a side by side of their work from their original graduation show, their work today and a blurb about their post-Maidstone life.

Russell Mills

After studying at Maidstone College of Art, multimedia artist Russ went on to the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1977. Since then, he has exhibited internationally and has created numerous site-specific, immersive installations in the UK and abroad. He is also known for his award-winning album covers for the likes of Brian Eno, Nine Inch Nails and Peter Gabriel, and book covers for the likes of Samuel Beckett and Ian McEwan. He has produced work for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Reuters, Logica, Toshiba, Oporto Expo 2000 and the British Council. He has also created films, set and lighting designs for some of the most innovative contemporary performers, choreographers and musicians, and for the Festival of Visual Music in Lanzarote, the Brighton Festival and the Punkt Festival in Norway. He has produced soundworks for film, radio and performance and under the name Undark, is a visiting lecturer at the Royal College of Art and has lectured and examined at colleges and universities in the UK, USA, France, Portugal and Ireland. He was Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of the West of England and Glasgow School of Art. You can see more of Russell's work on his website.

Paul Martin

"After Maidstone I spent three years at the Royal College of Art. Then, in parallel with part-time teaching at Cambridge College of Art and Middlesex Poly, I gained experience in a variety of sectors including publishing, museums, toys and games. In 1984, I started The Paul Martin Design Company which grew, over 30 years, to work for a wide variety of local, national, and international clients. In 2012 I stepped back from the day-to-day running of what had become known as PMDC to set up Paul Martin Studio, which takes on both commissioned projects and those of a community ‘pro bono’ nature – providing that there is an interesting problem to solve and I feel that ‘design can make a difference’. It also provides space and facilities for my printmaking activities – a passion for the last 20 years. I’m a trustee of both The Edward Barnsley Workshop and Petersfield Museum, where I have been heavily involved in a £4m expansion and refurbishment project. I’m also co-founder and Creative Director of The Iconic Card Company." Check out Paul's instagram page for more.

Matthew Alexander

Matthew Alexander seeks to transcend the conventional boundaries of a landscape of marine artist. His paintings not only inspire contemplation but also offer viewers a momentary escape into his unique perspective, revealing the inherent beauty and drama in the ordinary.

Dave Barkworth

"My career in five sentences! After graduation I worked in London for two years before heading back north to Leeds. After a few job changes, I started Dab Hands Design. In 1993, we emigrated to Canada and I got a Professorship at Humber College. Now I live on my boat in Florida and play guitar at least four nights a week. I built this one (above) about four years ago."

Sally Castle (nee Grover)

"My favourite piece of work is always the current one that I am working on, but I do enjoy having a coffee in Reading’s Forbury Square looking over at my standing stone, which I designed in 2002. Previous highlights were the design of Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery book (BBC, 1982) and more recently the design, lettering and illustration of Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince (Two Rivers Press, 2022). Coincidentally, I notice these are 20 years apart, all many moons ago from my first job working with Colin Forbes at Pentagram." See Sally's work on her instagram page.

Jane Hughes (nee Pleasance)

"Fifty years on…Made and sold prints (litho, etching, silk screen, linocut). Taught all sorts (printmaking, photography, graphic design and drawing) on foundation courses for 15 years. Illustrated all sorts (except cartoons) – including advertising, corporate, packaging and publishing, and illustrated and wrote and co-wrote 50 books or so.  Wrote and published short stories, poems. Edit and write for a quarterly local magazine. Oh, and I’ve produced a Christmas card every year.  Still like puns and colouring in!"

Ann Hawksley (nee Kearns)

"After three years teaching in Leeds, my sister and I set up in various west end studios as story board artists. In 1985, I started painting portraits which fitted in better with raising children. By the 90s, I’d begun to diversify into oil painting taking part in exhibitions and was represented by a few galleries. Each year I take part in Putney Open Studios and am on Instagram."

Mona Beisegel (nee Holzapfel)

"Up to now and since I left Maidstone, I’ve been teaching art, doing performance art, a bit of illustration, working for an interior decorator for hotels doing murals, lettering, paint effects etc, teaching English, and translation. And then finally started painting. Quite a mixed bag."

Rob Kitchen

"After leaving Maidstone and then spending three more years at the RCA, I bimbled about, gritting my teeth in publishing for a year. Eventually, I tried my hand at advertising as a junior Art Director. Nirvana! I then worked at several agencies over the years and was made Creative Director at three of them. The Araldite campaign got me a bundle of awards fairly early on (before you ask, yes, the car really was stuck there with Araldite; believe it or not, you can’t tell lies in advertising). 27 years later, when people realised I was getting on a bit, my career began to fizzle out.

"I then moved down to Cornwall and taught creative advertising at Falmouth University for about 13 years. The anti-tourism poster was just done for a laugh, but it was also to show students that when a headline says the opposite to an image, the message works more strongly.

"Now, having retired, I spend my time gardening (when it’s not raining) and have started taking landscape photographs with my very analogue pinhole camera (when it’s not raining)."

Nina Klanczkowski

"I only worked for a small graphic design studio – basically me and the boss, all in the heart of London! I had such a good time although hours were ridiculous. But I gave it all up. Have since loved being in the countryside again – my love of animals and nature has always been there. I did make a good living out of design for gardens and loved being ‘hands on’ in the garden Before I go can I say thank you all for helping me. I had so many difficult times during Maidstone. You all helped. Maybe you didn’t know it. I remember and am grateful. Still loving plants and life."

Colin Merrin

After graduating, Colin worked as an animator, including on the Jackson 5 cartoon series. From there, he began working in education, first as a teacher before supporting students with emotional and mental health difficulties. From there he became a headteacher of pupil referral units, and finally a part-time local authority behaviour advisor, Ofsted inspector and teacher trainer before retiring in 2017. Alongside this he’s has art on display at solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Cornwall Museum, Bankside Gallery, London and exhibitions in France, Italy and the USA. He’s also been an elected member of the Royal Watercolour Society since 2009.

Carol Parker (nee Meadows)

"After college I went into teaching art at secondary schools and eventually adult education. When I retired, I had time to start producing art for my own interest. Having moved back to the coast, I draw my inspiration from the seaside. I am also a beachcomber, so the sea also provides me with material for my assemblages."

Paul Slater

"I’d like to keep it simple, one or two paintings that sums up the stuff I’ve been doing recently and a few flippant words. Where do I see myself in ten years’ time? Hopefully back in Hunstanton."

Michael Atkin

Michael’s work is heavily based on tradition, with hand-made etchings, lino prints and wood engravings central to his work. He uses antique printing presses from the 19th Century, including two Albion press, a Columbian platen press and a Britannia platen press. For etching, he uses a Harry Roachat etching press. Above you can see Michael's ‘Going home’ etching and aquatint, which has been accepted for the Ferens Open Exhibition, which runs until October. You can see more of Michael's work on his instagram page.