A former Kingston College student has completed her Fine Art degree at Kingston University and invited the tutor who first helped her step into the classroom to attend her final degree show - marking a powerful full-circle moment in her educational journey.
Molly, who began her studies on Level 2 Art and Design, recalled how severe anxiety had previously kept her out of education for several years. In a heartfelt message to tutor Hayley Baker, she wrote: “On one of the first days I started college you encouraged me into class and if you hadn’t been there that day I don’t think I’d be finishing my fine art degree this year. I’m extremely grateful.” After completing Level 2, Molly progressed to BTEC Level 3 Art and Design with us before moving on to university, where she has now developed a distinctive artistic practice.
A multimedia artist, Molly’s work spans textiles, acrylic painting, glass, printmaking and digital media. Her practice explores themes of care, identity and sensory experience, drawing on ideas of femininity, nostalgia and “cute” aesthetics. Reflecting on her work, Molly said she is interested in how making can create “care, connection and reflection,” shaped by her lived experience as a neurodivergent woman and her working-class background.
Tutor Hayley Baker, who attended the degree show, described the reunion as deeply emotional. “Molly’s journey is exactly why I do this job,” she said. “Seeing her complete her Fine Art degree - from that anxious young person who could barely walk into a classroom to the confident artist standing proudly beside her work today - is something I will never forget. Moments like this remind me why teaching is such a privilege.”
