Laura Thomas-Walters, PhD Candidate from the School of Anthropology and Conservation was awarded funding from the Postgraduates Community Experience Awards to support her ‘Kent PhD Quilt’ project.
The project goal was to provide Kent PhD students an opportunity to explore alternative ways of communicating their research, while enhancing their own well-being through mindful creativity. This visual and tactile representation of the breadth of research undertaken at Kent provided a unique form of public engagement.
PhD students and the Graduate School participated in workshops led by Laura. During these workshops, Laura encouraged students to distil their research into its core essence, and to think about how that could be represented visually. Laura then introduced them to the concept of fabric applique, and gave tips for creating an appealing piece of artwork. Each student was given a 15” square block to create a fabric collage that symbolises their PhD. These blocks were then sewn together by Laura, with the help and support of the Canterbury Quilters Society to create a stunning research quilt.
The Kent’s PhD Quilt was formally unveiled at a small reception on Tuesday 30th April in the Colyer-Fergusson Foyer. It is now go on tour around the country to be exhibited at a number of quilting competitions and events.
Visit the Graduate School website to see the final quilt and the level of detail that has gone into making each block. You can also learn about the research behind the artwork.
“I wanted to provide an opportunity for Kent PhD students to explore alternative ways of communicating their research, while enhancing their own well-being through mindful creativity. I’ve been quilting for a few years, and create textile portraits of endangered species to help raise awareness and funds for them. Quilting is both a really fun pastime, and a fun way of engaging people in my work.
I thought a visual and tactile representation of the breadth of research undertaken at Kent would be a unique form of public engagement. Kent’s PhD Quilt is the first of its kind. Each quilt block was created by a different PhD student, representing the core concept of their PhD. Quilting was done in collaboration with the Canterbury Quilters Society.”
Laura is also a member of the Kent Public Engagement with Research Network. You can contact her via the KPERN page.