Art and Design students have brightened up Ashford International Railway Station with vibrant new art installations inspired by the ‘Garden of England’. The artwork was unveiled on Friday 27 March, transforming a previously overlooked area of the platform into a striking visual feature.
The project is the latest in an ongoing partnership between our College, the team at Ashford International, and the Community Rail Partnership.
What began as a simple idea – to brighten up the platform – has grown into a large-scale showcase of student talent, designed to enhance the station environment and improve the customer experience.
Students were given a live brief to design artwork inspired by Kent. With almost 20 designs submitted by Art and Design students, two were selected by Ashford Station Manager, Kyle Miller. Printed as seven-metre wraps for an electrical box on the station platform, the chosen designs have transformed the previously overlooked space into an eye-catching feature.
Speaking about the installation, Kyle said: “The quality of the students’ work is fantastic – it’s always first-class.
“What I really enjoy is seeing passengers stop, look at the artwork, and talk about it. It really improves the customer experience, whilst giving the students more confidence and a sense of pride in their work.”
This project has helped students expand their skills, build confidence and develop their individual artistic styles. Knowing that the chosen designs would be installed at such a large scale has been an exciting prospect, with Art and Design Programme Director, Paul Hodge, adding: “I’m very proud of them. It’s important for them to know their work will be seen by thousands of commuters every day. Working to a live brief with a real outcome is invaluable. Hopefully, it will lead to future commissions and opportunities.”
Level 3 students, Liz and Jack, who were delighted to find out their murals had been selected, both attended the grand unveiling at the station. Representatives from the Community Rail Partnership, Kyle, Paul and EKC Ashford College Assistant Principal, Jo Brown, were also in attendance.
Upon explaining his artwork, Jack told us he found inspiration from his father’s childhood. Having grown up in the countryside, Jack used imagery from his father’s hometown to create his ‘Kent landscape’.
Working to such a brief has been an interesting yet rewarding experience for Jack, who explained this was a topic he hadn’t explored much previously, commenting: “I hadn’t created many landscapes before, so I had to step out of my comfort zone to create this design.
“I feel like the project has definitely helped me build confidence in myself, and my art style. Being pushed to try something new has also helped to build my range as an artist. I’d like to go into concept art for games and movies, so working on things like landscapes will only benefit me moving forward.”
Whilst Jack took inspiration from his family’s experience, Liz was immediately drawn to the bright colours and flowers in her local area. Using watercolour, she created large flowers with the hopes that they would “make a bright, uplifting mural”.
During the unveiling, we spoke with Liz who told us: “This project has been really valuable. I now know what it’s like to work to a brief and have my art displayed publicly. That experience will definitely help me in the future.”
Liz added: “It’s really cool and quite impressive to know my artwork is on display, especially at such a large scale. I’m very proud of the final piece. I purposely chose vibrant, bright colours with the hope that it’ll brighten people’s day. I hope it makes people feel happy seeing flowers all year round.”
The murals were part of a larger initiative at the station, with the grand unveiling also including additional projects. Fresh planters filled with vibrant flowers by Foundation Learners have also been added to the platform, along with butterfly designs from children at East Stour Primary School.
This project has proven beneficial for all students who took part. Having the opportunity to work to a live brief and a client to impress will serve as valuable experience for any students who may go on to work as professional artists.
Interested in gaining real experience as a commissioned artist?
Learn more about our Creative and Design courses today.
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