Meet Polly Macpherson
Associate Head in the School of Art, Design and Architecture
- Associate Professor of Design at the ñ and Award Leader for the Designer Maker pathway in BA (Hons) 3D Design.
- Associate Head of School ñޓ Enterprise.
- Automation Academic Research Fellow with South West Creative Technology Network.
- Judge for BBC Womenñޙs Hour, Kirstieñޙs Celebrity Craft Masters, Crafts Council and V&A Arts Prize.
- Advance HE Aurora role model for women.
- International adventure seeker.
Polly named as judge on C4ñޙs new show
Polly Macpherson is one of two judges on Kirstieñޙs Celebrity Craft Masters. Due to air from 1 July, each day will see celebrities go head to head to win Kirstieñޙs craft trophy after a day with a professional craftsperson who will teach them to make three items. Polly said:
ñޜPeople enjoy the physical process of making things. The excitement of being able to take a lump of clay, for example, and make a pot out of it ñޓ and to say, ñޘI did that!ñޙ With life being very digitalised now, physically making something is great for mental health and that feeling of achievement whatever the level of craftsmanship.ñޝ
Polly answers some quick-fire questions
What do you do and what motivates you to do it?
I do a lot of ñޘthingsñޙ, however I have the academic titles of Associate Professor in Design, Award Leader for Designer Maker and Associate Head of School ñޓ Enterprise... in real terms, what I actually ñޘdoñޙ includes the leading of and teaching on a course that focuses on the designing, making and production of objects and artefacts. Plus, I lead the Enterprise and Creative Industries agenda within the School of Art, Design and Architecture.
Learning by doing
My motivation is centred around celebrating the importance of the haptic ñޘlearning by doingñޙ mode of creative growth, supporting and guiding ñޘDoersñޙ to achieve full recognition for their amazing achievements.
Clay: flexible and temperamental
As a creative practitioner I was originally interested in the astonishingly flexible and temperamental material of clay and the different ways I could translate the ideas in my head or sketchbook into objects.
"As I developed my making career it became apparent that I was more interested in sharing my knowledge, skills and passion for creating rather than making to sell or pay the bills."
"When it comes to university work my proudest accomplishments are, and have always been, being a part of the teaching, guiding and development of creative people achieving their goals."
#PressForProgress
Whilst I do have hurdles to climb I am also fully aware that I have privileges and canñޙt be complacent. For me is about questioning when required and working to support, guide and speak up for those who feel they canñޙt.
The Global Gender Gap report 2017 states, ñޜWe are more than 200 years from global gender parityñޝ. This doesnñޙt surprise me, however as an optimistic female, parent of a female and teacher of females I am an activist for parity and will always work hard for fairness.
We are at numerous tipping points and have broken down many barriers in this last year, however itñޙs important to keep ñޘcalling it outñޙ, not accept the bad or so called ñޘnormalñޙ behaviours and rules just because ñޘthatñޙs how itñޙs doneñޙ.
Waking up the ñޘexplorer geneñޙ and finding ways around or breaking through the boulders is for me a progressive and powerful way forward!
What do you wish people would stop asking you?
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;What's for supper?
What app on your phone do you use the most?
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4Podcasts ñޓ current favourites are Fortunately, The Guilty Feminist and Reasons to be Cheerful.
What do you wish you had more time for?
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<Exploring the world ñޓ ñޘI havenñޙt been everywhere, but itñޙs on my listñޙ ñޓ Susan Sontag
Evolving design teaching in a changing education climate
Fresh from judging on Channel 4ñޙs Kirstieñޙs Celebrity Craft Masters, Polly Macpherson discusses how BA (Hons) 3D Design has adapted to students' needs.
ñޜWe have had to adapt our programmes in order to make sure everyone studying with us gets to explore a full breadth of design thinking, making and processing, using a range of materials, to find their own direction.ñޝ
Find out more about our BA (Hons) 3D Design course
