In the lead up to our 2025 Graduate Shows, we’re celebrating the creativity and talent of our graduating students by sharing their stories and showcasing their incredible work. We spoke with Illustration BA(Hons) student Teddy Baron about the course, their influences and advice to their younger self.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

I’m a mixed media installation artist, modelmaker and filmmaker. I love to create strange evocative settings and characters. I’m very influenced by immersive theatre design, circus and old rituals.

What made you choose your course?

I wanted to live in Brighton! There wasn’t a performance design course but the illustration course here has a great reputation for being very open to all kinds of visual communication.

Can you tell us about your favourite part of your studies and how it helped the development of you and your practice.

My favourite part was the ‘design for performance’ project in second year. I got to be a lead on the set design team and act in the performance itself. It really solidified that I love collaborating with others and working in theatrical ways. It also started a love of building with reclaimed materials.

Can you tell us about any staff who particularly inspired you?

The Photo Video Unit Technicians Richard, Kirsty and Rachel and Matt have always been real champions of my work and helped me to document my models in atmospheric ways. The third year illustration team have also inspired me to take my work seriously and seek out opportunities.

What does Brighton mean to you now?

Brighton is the place where I learned that anything can be found on Freecycle, and where I got more into wild camping and foraging. It feels like a playground for creatives with lots of amazing community organisations.

Can you tell us your plans after graduation?

I’m planning on getting into puppetry, volunteering at an adventure playground and starting to email everyone I can find who is involved with scenic design.

Finally if you could give your 17 year old self any advice about going to university what would it be?

Sign up for everything, have a go at whatever looks interesting and USE THE FANCY CAMERA GEAR.

If you’d like to see more of Laurence’s work, you can view his website and Instagram @teddybaronmakes.

Find out more about our 2025 Summer Shows where large parts of the university turn into a huge free exhibition space.