Motto –  ‘It’s the Process not the Outcome”

For me the process of creating is more than just the physical action, it is the choices made at each stage of the creative journey that together forms the unique personality of a final piece. When I am designing for performance my focus is to choose the right medium and technique that best conveys the atmosphere and emotional characteristic of a production. As a result of my passion for experimenting you will find a variety of styles, mediums and techniques in my work.

Qualifications and Experience

Having completed a foundation course at the Epson School of Art and Design I then went to Birmingham City University where I studied Theatre Design and gained a first class BA Hons. While there I discovered I especially loved designing for ballet and opera and went on to do a post graduate course at The Slade School of Art UCL. latterly I completed a PGCE, specifically for years 14-19. My teaching and learning experience is extensive and includes all ages and abilities including young people with SEN and SEMH. Breaking through learning barriers and finding incredible abilities previously disguised is my teaching passion.

On my Showcase page you will find a selection of videos and podcasts demonstrating and discussing the variety of techniques and media I like to use. Below is a time-lapse video from my showcase page, where I am working into life-sized figures which served as the costume designs for Electra and later became part of the set dressing. Design for theatre can take many shapes and this is a good example of the diversity inherent in emotive artwork.

 On my Masterclasses page I offer live classes on Zoom for small groups on selected subjects which aim to introduce aspects of art and design. Some of the subjects covered are: first-hand observation, fashion, costume design and media and techniques. If you are looking to hone specific skills then email me for information  on 1-1 masterclasses. Email:patsy@patsyfraser.com

My Masterclasses are not only useful for students looking to develop new skills but also for those who are open to discovering the visual world and the therapeutic elements within the creative process. 

    “We are the art-making animal”… Simon Schama.

History of Fashion and style around the world forms the core of my continued investigations. When researching and looking for ideas for a period production, it is the layers of information that are present in not only the fabrics, materials and the construction of a thing, but also in the choice of styling which reflects the atmosphere and attitudes of the time. This is true of all manmade things and includes: architecture, furniture, textiles fashion and jewelry. Fashion and textiles are typically the fastest changing elements of design and so give us a detailed view of a point in time.  But annoyingly, due to the perishable qualities of fabrics, garments are often lost in time but rediscovered through painting and sculpture.

Family research includes the investigation into my great, great, grandfather,  Alexander Macdonald, who was the first Head of The Ruskin School of Art. Disliked by Ruskin but supported by the Oxford elite, he remained Head of School for fifty years.