THE talent and imagination of Solent University art and design students is amply illustrated in the annual end of year degree shows which are open to the public from today (Tuesday).

From celebrating great women in history and mythology, to a visual elements of hip hop culture, over 36 Southampton Solent students’ final projects are on display at the Illustration Degree show.

Senior Lecturer Jonny Hannah says: “The work by our final-year students is once again outstanding, and creates an impressive and colourful exhibition. They have worked hard on their projects and it is great to get such positive feedback from the public. I’m sure these final projects will inspire our first and second-year students.”

Six separate awards have also been given out:

• The Printmaking Ladies Prize - Mia Leo 

• The Paul Osborne Drawing Prize - Archie Gordon

• The Award for Professional Development - Fergus Kirkman

• The Unsinkable Award for Best Publication -Havard Glad

• The Award for Outstanding Achievement - Ida Woldsund

• The Cakes & Ale Press Award for Text and Image - Will Whittington

Paige Dawson’s final piece is based around her love of the rainforest and the undiscovered land within it. ‘Rainforest campaign with a twist’ is an interactive collection of objects that allows visitors to become part of the rainforest. “As an artist I want to create awareness for key elements that can’t help themselves,” says Paige, who, as well as looking at internships, plans to travel to gain a wider understanding of the world.

Women like Marie Curie and Florence Nightingale inspired Mia Leo to tell the tale of the women who changed the world or inspired others to do so. Her advice to other students is to make the most of every opportunity: “The thing I’ve enjoyed most about Solent is meeting like-minded people and the amazing equipment. My advice to other students is to make the most of the equipment on offer, like the print room and workshop.”

The final year show of the Graphic Design students features more than 60 major projects focusing on such diverse issues as sustainable knitting to raising awareness about the difficulties living with dementia.

Programme Group Leader Nick Long says: “The work by students at this year’s degree show is outstanding. They have used innovative and creative designs that create a powerful, striking exhibition.”

Bianca Midboe, 23, wanted to influence more young people to knit through her final project, which includes a banner that took 250 hours to plan, knit and sew.

Her time at Solent has seen her learn lots of new techniques that she will be applying in an internship with the Environmental Party in Norway this summer. “Then I will be coming back to Solent to undertake the MA Visual Communication, where I am planning on focusing on sustainable graphic design,” she says.

Oliver Mills based his project around his grandfather, Gordon Mills, who managed three of the world’s most successful recording artists of the 1960s and 1970s - Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Gilbert O’Sullivan.

The art works are show to the public until Thursday at Southampton Solent School of Art & Design, Level 2, Below Bar, 9 Castle Way, SO14 2BX. Opening Times are: June 16, 10am to 7pm; June 17, 10am to 5pm; and June 18, 10am to 4pm.