Two talented students from Shrewsbury Colleges Group, Grace Greening, and Ruby Clarke, have achieved remarkable success by winning a design competition for creating new merchandise for the renowned local tourist attraction, Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings.
The competition, organised by the Flaxmill Maltings, aimed to find fresh and innovative designs that would captivate visitors and represent the unique charm of the mill. Out of numerous entries from aspiring designers from the college, the exceptional creativity and artistic skills of Grace Greening and Ruby Clarke stood out, earning them the top prize.
The college was approached by the Flaxmill Maltings to create some designs which could be used and sold in their gift shop. They were looking for a fresh approach to the designs of their products.
The Flaxmill presented us with a professional brief of what they were looking for, with Amazon vouchers provided by The Heritage Fund, which funded £20.7million of the restoration of the site, being on offer for the best design. They intend to take that design forward into production, with the name of the designer underneath and information about our college too.
The Flaxmill chose 2 designs from Grace and Ruby but will display all the students’ work in an exhibition, scheduled for July alongside the winning designs.
Grace Greening and Ruby Clarke collaborated to create a stunning collection of merchandise that includes T-shirts, tote bags, mugs, and postcards. Their designs feature vibrant colors and intricate details that beautifully capture the essence of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings. The inspiration behind their designs stemmed from the history of ‘The Grandparent of Skyscrapers’, the building that launched a thousand skyscrapers.
‘We are absolutely thrilled to have our designs selected for Flaxmill Maltings,’ said Grace. “This opportunity has been a fantastic experience, allowing us to apply what we’ve learned in our courses and showcase our creativity.”
Ruby added, ‘Seeing our designs come to life and being appreciated by the community is incredibly rewarding. We are grateful for the support from our teachers at the college.’
Helen Morgan, Curriculum Director, expressed immense pride in the students’ accomplishments. “We are incredibly proud of Grace and Ruby for their outstanding achievement. This success is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and the high-quality education we strive to provide at the college.
Lisa Hudson, a spokesperson for Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, praised the winning designs: “We are delighted to feature the creative work of these talented students in our merchandise collection. Their designs perfectly capture the spirit of the Flaxmill Maltings and will undoubtedly resonate with our visitors. We look forward to showcasing their work in our gift shop.”