The Dyer Craft of Dundee, one of the city's Nine Incorporated Trades, will present awards to textiles students at the University of Dundee tomorrow,June 25.
In a new venture to foster links with education, the Dyer Craft will present cash prizes to Jennifer Steele from Constructed Textiles and Printed Textiles student Laura Mitchell.
This is the first time the awards have been presented and from now on annual prizes will be awarded to students of the different disciplines within School of Design.
Jennifer and Laura impressed the judging panel, made up from Dyer Craft representatives, with their creative use of colour.
Grant Lindsay, Deacon of the Dyer Craft and one of the judges, said, "The Dyer Craft wants to encourage relations between the Nine Incorporated Trades and education since it is important that this historical organisation has links with contemporary activities. We decided a prize giving would be an ideal way to achieve this.
"We had a difficult time choosing two winners as there was a fantastic range of high quality work but we finally decided on Jennifer and Laura since they impressed us with their creative flair and use of colour."
David Herbert, Graphic Design course director and a member of the Dyer Craft, said, "This represents and excellent initiative by the Craft to recognise the creative talent at Duncan of Jordanstone. It is also encouraging that the award is to be made annually on a rotational basis across the diverse range of design disciplines."
Note to Editors:
The Dyer's craft in Dundee dates back to antiquity but was formally recognised in 1590, when it became the ninth of the city's Nine Incorporated Trades.
In 1996, due to a decline in the textiles industry, the trade was opened to non-dyers - although it maintains links to textiles and use of colour. The Dyers Craft incorporates around 40 tradesmen from Dundee and the surrounding area and, despite having moved on with the times, still uses the original 500 year-old "lockit" or minute book at its meetings.