About Polly
Based in the South West, Polly is a Creative Practitioner, Researcher and Educator holding the academic titles Associate Professor of Design Practice, Associate Head of School for Post Graduate Teaching & Programme leader for the MDes Design course at the University of Plymouth. Through her roles she aims to share her knowledge, skills and passion for creating, particularly in her founding interest of clay, which as a creative practitioner she was initially interested in due to its temperamental form and flexibility.
Selections from the story so Far...
Creative Practitioner and Researcher
Based in the South West of England, I am a creative practitioner, researcher and educator with over 30 years experience of making of objects and artefacts. Having initially trained in ceramic craft-based courses both the UK and USA I now work across craft and design disciplines and have the academic title of Associate Professor of Design Practice.
Associate Professor of Design Practice at the University of Plymouth
Associate Professor of Design Practice & Programme Leader for MDes Design.
I leads a group of internationally acclaimed practitioners who teach the thinking, inventing, designing, creating, manufacturing, constructing, building, producing and making of objects and artefacts. I am interested in how things are made, how things can be made ethically and sustainability, how this can be taught; and the nurturing individuals so to develop original creative voices. https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/staff/polly-macpherson
Automation Academic Research Fellow with South West Creative Technology Network.
The South West Creative Technology Network (SWCTN) is a £6.5 million project to expand the use of creative technologies across the south west of England. The network is offering three one-year funded programmes around the themes of Immersion, Automation and Data. https://www.swctn.org.uk/automation/fellows/polly-macpherson/
Associate Head of School - Post Graduate Taught / Enterprise
I have recently stepped into the role of Associate Head of School – Post Graduate Taught, in the School of Art, Design and Architecture - University of Plymouth.
Before this I spent 5 years leading the Enterprise & Creative Industries agenda within ADA developing Academic Excellence and External Enterprise/Creative Industries based activities.
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/school-of-art-design-and-architecture/knowledge-exchange
Low Carbon Devon, Co-Investigator & Creative Industries Supervisor
Co- Investigator researching the low carbon practices of Creative Industries and asking, what are the narratives of low carbon and how can we take action for positive change?
Supported by an investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the three-year £2.6 million programme, supports Devon-based organisations to access research, business support, and engage with the University of Plymouth around the low-carbon agenda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbONaf04DMI
Judge - Kirstie’s Celebrity Craft Masters, Channel 4
Polly was a judge helping 'Kirstie put some of the nation's famous faces to the test on some tough craft challenges' 2019.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/kirsties-celebrity-craft-masters
Judge for BBC Women’s Hour, Crafts Council and V&A Arts Prize.
The Woman’s Hour Craft Prize 2017 aimed to find and celebrate the most innovative and exciting craft practitioner or designer-maker resident in the UK. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/58MxNsfh9jDghnB1G3x7SS/the-woman-s-hour-craft-prize-2017
Advance HE Aurora role model for women
Aurora Advanced HE, development programme for all people who identify as a woman. It is a unique partnership initiative bringing together leadership experts and higher education institutions to take positive action to address the under-representation of women in leadership positions in the sector.
https://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/programmes-events/equality-and-diversity/aurora/index.cfm
Key note presentation 1st China Crafts week, Hangzhou China
Invited Key Note Speaker at China's 1st Crafts Week in Hangzhou - Innovative Design of Traditional Crafts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52YlFddw_y0
Travel
As a keen traveller and adventurer I often think of these two quotes...
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“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones your did do. 
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover" Mark Twain.
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A few pages read so far…..
Alhus, Ahmadabad, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Berlin, Bombay, Chennai, Cambodia, Delhi, Denmark, Edinburgh, Falmouth, Glasgow, Ho Chi Minh City, Hangzhou, Inverness, Jaipur, Kolkata, London, Los Angels, Morocco, Munich, Nairn, Ohio, Phnom Penh, Prague, Pune, Reykjavik, San francisco, Taos, Vietnam, Velencia, Wuxi……………………………….and the adventure continues.
Same same but different!
W / Women / Girls / Nu / Female / Menywod / Ladies / Gulls
As a visual map-maker and maker of objects, I value my freedom to travel, explore, question and observe. Here are a selection images from my ‘same, same but different’ collection of signs.
