Diane Morris
Life-long learner Diane Morris took her illustrations to the next level with a Master of Design (MDes).
After completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1985 and a Diploma of Education in 2004 and working as a secondary school teacher in design and photography, Diane sought a postgraduate design programme that could enhance her technical and artistic illustrations.
"I've continued to embrace personal educational challenges as a way to engage and extend myself. Over the past decade, this has led to conversations with several universities about their masters' programmes," Diane says.
Illustrations by and a discussion with Senior Lecturer at the School of Design Innovation Dylan Horrocks convinced Diane that the Master of Design (MDes) at Te Kura Hoahoa—School of Design Innovation was the right choice.
Diane recalls, "I knew of Dylan Horrocks' high standing in the comic world and had attended his workshop as part of the Hawkes Bay Readers and Writers Festival some years back, so this delivered the perfect opportunity to me. After a lengthy conversation with Dylan and with support from my employer, Woodford House, I enrolled".
The flexibility of managing the timeline of her final creative project and thesis under the supervision of Dylan Horrocks appealed to Diane.
"The flexibility of being able to study in the evenings and at weekends and by having regular Zoom meetings with Dylan meant I could continue to live and work in Havelock North", she says.
In the Masters' Cohort Design Exhibition, in August 2023, Diane exhibited a printed prototype of her final creative project, a 250+ page graphic novel titled The Writing Desk. It included a poster that showcases the main characters and a collection of bookmarks and postcards.
The Writing Desk conveys an immersive experience of what it was like to live in late colonial Aotearoa New Zealand for contemporary readers. Diane aimed to impart the value of family history and drew upon reference material from her ancestors.
"Having the project work exhibited has elicited some great feedback as well as enquiries about where the graphic novel may be purchased. To this end, I am currently pursuing publishing options for The Writing Desk."
"My supervisor, Dylan Horrocks, proved to be exemplary in every way, and I am indebted to him for his patience, vast comic and graphic novel knowledge, and his endless support of my project," Diane says.
Diane plans to continue her learning journey by continuing to teach at secondary school and exploring the graphic novel format through new projects. However, further study may also be an option.
"I may commence a PhD when I eventually retire."