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As a leading illustrator, wood engraver, painter, author of many books, teacher, and designer for posters, ceramics and glass, Clare Leighton enjoyed a distinguished career on both sides of the Atlantic.
Living in the crafts hothouse of Ditchling in the 1930s Dunstan Pruden was much influenced by the Eric Gill and the Guild of St Dominic, under whose auspices (with Philip Hargreen) he published Silversmithing: its principles and practice in small workshops.
Artist Robin Plummer was Dean of Faculty in Brighton from 1975 to 1989, responsible for the structure under the new polytechnic and for the Grand Parade site and its annexes.
Frederick Charles Herrick was a leading graphic artist following the First World War, having trained at Leicester School of Art and the Royal College of Art, London. He taught at Brighton for many decades.
Karen Norquay led the University of Brighton's provision of arts as Head of School for many years. She is a practising photographer both in the fields of research and editorial photography. Her editorial work explores the still life genre from conforming to the traditional aesthetic conventions to challenging its language and form.
B.Brown@brighton.ac.uk
Professor Bruce Brown retired from the university in January 2016, having been Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, former Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and a Professor of Design. He worked extensively with national research policy and assement, worked as a practicing designer for some years and specialised in design research with an emphasis on the social and cultural effects of visual
Most widely known for his archaeologically informed visual reconstructions of early historical settlements which did much to popularise historic sites and buildings, Alan Sorrell worked in a variety of artistic disciplines from large scale murals to book illustrations, as well as a period as a commercial artist after the First World War
Ethel Mairet’s achievements can be seen not only in terms of her weaving and dyeing techniques, but also in terms of her ethnographic observations, her educational interests and her contributions to the meaning and value of ‘craft’ in the first half of the twentieth century.
"While teaching at Brighton, I also organised exhibitions and oversaw the move of the Printmaking Department to the main Faculty of Art building. I also wrote or co-wrote four educational books on printmaking and used many photographs taken in the department to illustrate methods and best practice."
Born in Margate in 1901, pioneering potter and teacher Norah Braden was the daughter of a lay preacher. Intensely musical as well as artistic, Braden learned to play the violin and was talented enough to reach concert standard; she considered studying music but declined an offer from the Royal College of Music.
Jane Pavitt was the University of Brighton Principal Research Fellow in Design at the Victoria & Albert Museum from 1997 until 2009. Her work focused on later 20th century and contemporary design, and particularly on strategies for presenting design through museum exhibitions and collections. She was the curator of Cold War Modern: Design 1945-70 staged at the V&A in 2008.
Native of Brighton and a teacher at Brighton School of Art in the 1960s, Raymond Briggs trained at the Wimbledon School of Art and the Slade. Since 1957 he has been an illustrator and writer, mainly of children’s books but also adult political satire, stage plays and radio plays, producing iconic work including "The Snowman" and "When the Wind Blows."
"The three year wood, metal, ceramics and plastics course at Brighton Polytechnic was possibly the best thing that ever happened to me and changed my life for the better. I had worked as a graphic designer in Hong Kong for several years and was determined to seek improvement in all aspects of my artistic skills."
Realist painter Sylvia Sleigh was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by Women’s Caucus for Art shortly before her death in 2010. Celebrated for her portraiture and male nudes, she "turned traditional portraiture on its head by presenting the male nude posed as a reclining Venus or odalisque." The Times, Oct 2010.
John Wells-Thorpe studied architecture at Brighton and had a varied career in Sussex and overseas, including becoming Vice-President of the RIBA and President of the Commonwealth Association of Architects, alongside work with several charitable trusts. He is best known in the city for his design of Hove Town Hall building.
E.Aggiss@brighton.ac.uk
Internationally renowned for her innovations in screendance, Professor Liz Aggiss is a performer, choreographer and film-maker. She was a teacher and researcher at the University of Birghton for many years, developing the institutions reputation for performance, particularly screen dance.
Addison Cresswell was a highly successful comedy agent credited with steering the careers of stand up "alternative' comedians into mainstream radio and television during the 1980s.
M.E.Tucker@brighton.ac.uk
Professor Michael Tucker was honoured in 2012 as a Knight: First Class in recognition for his 'outstanding service in the interest of Norway.' His career at the Faculty of Arts included the curation of exhibitions at the Gallery for over thirty years and publications on shamanism, Norwegian culture, jazz and, notably, the work of Sir Alan Davie.
Artist Alison Lapper studied at Brighton and was invited to become a member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA) at the age of sixteen. She uses a range of media, from painting, photography and digital imaging to installation to explore her subjects.
Michele graduated in Fashion and Textiles in 1994 and is now a textile designer for a number of high street stores.
In many ways Julian Freeman’s British Art: a walk round the rusty pier (2006) was a summation of two long spells of work at Brighton. As the Polytechnic’s Exhibition Officer from October 1978 until December 1989, Julian introduced into the gallery’s annual programmes sporadic exhibitions that offered new perspectives to key themes in British art from the 1880s to the (then) present
