A Level 3 Visual Communications Student at Southampton College, part of South Hampshire College Group, has won the ‘People’s Choice’ Award at the Solent University College Art Exhibition.
Amber Whitear was one of 250 entrants into this popular annual pop-up exhibition hosted at Southampton Guildhall Square. College students were represented from across the South of England, including Portsmouth, Brighton and the Isle of Wight. All artwork was displayed in unique shipping containers, designed to challenge traditional gallery formats.
83 votes were cast in the prestigious ‘People’s Choice’ category and Amber’s artwork scooped over a quarter of the votes, reflecting its widespread appeal and stand-out immersive quality.
Amber commented: “I’ve entered some competitions before but I’ve never really won anything. It felt good because I don’t normally do things like that. It helped with my confidence to win the People’s Choice Award, to be exhibited and to be picked by lots of people. I’ve learned that you just have to find the right audience for your work.”
Beth Fletcher, Photography Lecturer at South Hampshire College Group, said: “Amber’s winning piece represents her photographic style – abstract, and focused on details. Her work often tells a story, and makes the viewer ask questions. Amber works hard, and it shows in her accomplished and experimental projects. Winning the ‘People’s Choice Award’ is a huge achievement and we are very proud of Amber.
“Entering competitions and exhibiting work gives students the chance to share their creativity, build confidence, and see how others respond to their work. It boosts their portfolios, gets their work noticed, and can open the door to exciting future opportunities.”
Amber now has her sights set on a further Level 4 Higher National Certificate course in Photography (HNC) at Southampton College.
Photography students at South Hampshire College Group enjoy a range of internal and external exhibition opportunities during their time at college.
For more information on our visual communications course at South Hampshire College Group please visit our course page here.
