Hereford College of Arts 170 Years

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We’ve been interviewing artists, illustrators, sculptors and tutors for an exciting new oral history project celebrating the 170th anniversary of Hereford College of Arts (HCA). Yes, you read that correctly: 170 years!! Quite some achievement. Hereford’s Elementary school of Art and Design was set up at both Scudamore school and the Free Library in 1853. In its time the college has moved to various locations including Castle Green, Folly Lane and College Road. HCA is one of only four specialist art colleges in the country. 

As part of the 170th anniversary, Catcher Media have been commissioned to provide video oral histories from a cross section of people that attended the college as students and/or tutors. We’ve spoked to Judy Giles, a contemporary of Walenty Pytel at the art school when it was based in Castle Green, who has had a fascinating life after being fostered at a young age. She is now retired but continues to paint.

She told us lots of fabulous stories of her times in the late 1950s and early 1960s. One time she sneaked back into the college building through a gap in the window after the arts ball one winter, as she’d missed the last bus home to Bromyard and was freezing cold. Once in, her and her friends huddled around the boiler and slept on the tables!

She spoke highly of the inspiring and committed tutors at the college and how she went on to manage her own design companies in London.

Shona Warnes was an art student in 1970. By then the college had relocated to Folly Lane – a new era, a time of long-hair, acoustic guitars and rock. She described what a special time it was and how, all these years later, she had stayed in touch with many of the people from the course.

One of her tutors gave her and a friend free drawing lessons out of college time, and Shona said she’d never forget the tutor’s kindness and the excitement of being surrounded by all of the artworks in her home.

Shona went on the be an art teacher and wrote and illustrated a series of children’s books which were published.

Mark Houghton has been an art tutor at HCA since the late nineties, and told us about the value of an arts education, and how, as a ‘naughty student’ himself, he could relate to those from underprivileged backgrounds or who were having a harder time. He also reflected that the students and their work, and discussions he had at the college were continually informing his own practice as a sculptor.

We’ve spoken to lots of interesting people while researching this project, and we’re unable to film everyone but many thanks to those who’ve given us their time to talk about their time at HCA, and about how its affected their lives. It’s been a real privilege to hear your stories. 

Watch this space – we’re going to be editing some of the videos very soon, and we’ll share them with you.