![The Second Line](https://www.mmu.ac.uk/sites/default/files/styles/page_header_half/public/2022-05/image1%20v2_0.jpg?h=f7cbcdf5&itok=P1lzs2KQ)
Research theme: Making and Materiality
Promoting creativity and innovation in design research and practice through the study of making and materials, including the production, use and reuse of materials.
About our research
About our research
In the Making and Materiality group, our research is focused on material, technical and process innovation. We develop creative, practical and novel solutions in both analogue and digital processes.
We find things out by doing and making, and by thinking through making. Our practice-based design research is open ended and exploratory, and led by our intuition, skills and experience.
Our interaction and experimentation with materials results in:
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the creation of artefacts
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the production, use and reuse of materials as a source of experience or emotion
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thinking through methods, concepts, aesthetics and style
Using this applied knowledge, our vision is built on sustainable development and awareness of social, economic and ecological issues. We are also experts in traditional making practices, including 2D and 3D forms. We use textiles, glass, ceramics, wood, metal, illustration and graphics.
Collaborative partnerships with other disciplines across artistic mediums and materials are at the centre of our approach.
We are interested in hearing from potential PhD candidates with proposals in the areas we cover.
Selected projects
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Key publications
Mann, G (2016) Poise: Artistic realisation of the viscosity within Georgian Glass, Artefact
Beecroft M (2016) Interlooped Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials Hangzhou, China
Beecroft M (2016) 3D Printing of weft knitted textile-based structures by selective laser sintering of nylon powder, IOP science online
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Key exhibitions
Mann, G (2021) Poise, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, National Centre of Craft and Design exhibition
Mann, G (2021) The Leith Pattern
Mann, G (2021) The Second Line
Egan, K (2021) Out of Place, British Textile Biennial and Textile and Place conference online exhibition
Morfill, S (2016 to 2019) Rules that order the reading of clouds InDialogue at Nottingham Contemporary
Grimshaw, D (2018) Crafting the Digital: an investigation into material and process-led digital making Craft Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham
Morfill, S (2019) Found Gestures Hyde Park Exhibition Chicago, USA
Dixon, S (2017) Passchendaele: Mud and Memory The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas
O’Neil, CJ (2016-17) Clay Networks events, residency, exhibitions and artefacts Denmark and UK
Morfill, S (2015) The naturalness of strange things Five Years Gallery, London
Kettle, A (2015) Map to the Future Lloyds Register, Southampton
Organisations we work with
![Crafts Council logo](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2022-03/Crafts%20Council%20logo.jpg?itok=ryrOirbG)
Crafts Council
![Design council-Logo](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2022-03/Design%20council-Logo.jpg?itok=C2coIaSd)
Design Council
![Science and Industry Museum logo](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2022-03/science-and-industry-museum-logo-vector.png?itok=eE1oHPuz)
Science and Industry Museum
![Arts Council England logo](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2022-03/Arts-council-logo.png?itok=4pK9lyvQ)
Arts Council
Contact information
Contact us
For general enquiries about our Community, Culture and Heritage research group, you can contact us via the email below.