The Old
Pocklingtonian
Development and School News
Art and Design Campaign
Launched
Ltd which makes studio furniture for the music and
broadcast industries, also benefited from the Art and
Design Centre’s creative and exploratory spirit.
and manufacturing technology. The designs also
incorporate the space to display pupils’ creations, to
provoke debate and inspire others.
In the summer term 2015, a major fundraising
campaign was launched for a new Art and Design
centre in support of the next phase of the School’s
strategic development plan.
As Guy said: “The ethos of exploring different
materials and media in an ever-evolving environment
is something I feel the Design Centre instilled in me
and I still use to this day.”
Pocklington School students past and present
are excited by the fundraising campaign, and the
possibilities it opens up.
When the current Art and Design centre opened in
1969 in the days of Nigel Billington and John Jeffery, it
was one of the first of its kind in the country to unite
the disciplines of art, craft, design and technology
under one roof. The department has always fostered
a sense of collaboration and cross-fertilisation of
ideas, while maintaining a watchful eye for new ideas
and technology.
Isobel Smith, a contemporary puppeteer and artistic
director, said: “The Art Department was always a
magical place for me, where anything I could imagine
was nurtured into being… the facilities were fantastic
and we were encouraged to find our own voices.”
Creativity is a wonderful talent – but to make a
commercially successful product also requires focus
and attention to detail, which is why the interrelation
of the two disciplines is so important.
The School now needs to raise £3million to create
a new modern art and design building, large enough
to inspire the pursuit of traditional arts and crafts,
and also provide cutting-edge facilities for digital
imaging, editing, animation and computer-aided design
Many OPs have already attended one of a number of
campaign receptions that have been held at School
and in London to share the School’s plans for the
project. So far the plans have been warmly received
and well supported. If any OPs would like to find out
more about the plans or think they may be able to
help contribute to a new Art and Design Centre to
continue the School’s long tradition of producing
great minds that are creative and adaptable enough
to lead the way in our ever-changing world, please
email Susan Kay, Development Officer, kays@
pocklingtonschool.com.
A glance at some of the careers of former Art and
Design Centre students demonstrates the ‘real life’
value of the innovation, collaboration and crossfertilisation of ideas, which is at the centre of all its
teaching.
Former pupils include the late Mark Fisher (58-68),
the architect known for creating spectacular rock
music sets for the likes of the Rolling Stones, Pink
Floyd and Robbie Williams. He was a designer of the
Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and
was also involved with the 2012 London Olympics.
Xavier Pick (82-90), the official war artist for the MoD
in Iraq in 2008, leading fashion stylist Jodie Nellist (9000) and Guy Wilson (76-81), owner of AKA Design
Toddler group ad AW.pdf
Reggie Allen Plaque
A new plaque has been erected in memory of former
Chemistry teacher and Housemaster R T E ‘Reggie’
Allen who was at Pocklington School from 1936 to
1974.
The idea for the new plaque was kindly initiated and
funded by OPs Andrew (40-43) and John Dunning
(35-38) and Peter Blacker (40-46). They attended
the OP Summer Reunion in 2013 and, during their
tour of the school grounds, came across the existing
plaque by the dawn redwood tree planted next to the
cricket pavilion in memory of Mr Allen. They noticed
th ] H \]YH