Art ancestry: Iona is third generation to graduate

A talented art student has become the third in her generation to graduate from the University’s Manchester School of Art, following her father Inigo in 1970, and her late grandmother Jean in 1933.

Iona Ford continued the family tradition when she graduated yesterday (July 14) with a First in BA (Hons) Fine Art and History at a ceremony at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, with her father proudly watching.

Creating large-scale sculpture, installation and performance work, Iona has been directly inspired by the work of her father and grandmother and said: “Hearing about their experiences and studies definitely made me want to explore Manchester and see where their stories came from.

“Although I never got the chance to meet my grandma, both her and my dad’s art pieces, plus my dad’s anecdotes about his and my grandma’s time at the School, have been a big part of my university journey.”

Inigo Ford studied Fine Art at the historic School and graduated in 1970, having created a portfolio of avant-garde work including a 6,000-word dissertation featuring the words ‘Andy Warhol’ repeated in coloured felt tip.

A successful artist throughout his life including in recent retirement, he still paints and creates contemporary mixed media pieces which are exhibited and sold locally near his home in West Cumbria.

Iona’s late grandmother and Inigo’s mother Jean Winstanley graduated in Sculpture from the same school in 1933, making her one of only a few women to go on to higher education in what was then a male-dominated environment.

During Jean’s time at Manchester School of Art she sculpted a series of intricate busts and death masks, some of which Iona and Inigo have held on to, both treasuring for artistic inspiration.

Eccles-born Jean attended son Inigo’s end of year degree show in 1970, shortly before she died. Speaking about his family’s experiences of the school, Inigo said: “It has been nice to watch Iona grow and develop her art practice while in Manchester, from her foundation year to her degree. I have enjoyed discussing our different experiences of art school and Manchester, as I did with my mother.”

Iona and her family join other celebrated alumni to have studied at the second oldest art school in the UK including artists LS Lowry, Adolphe Valette and Sylvia Pankhurst. Last year saw the School’s Grade II listed Grosvenor West Building open its doors for the first time since a major refurbishment.

Speaking about Iona and her family’s success, Professor Martyn Evans, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, said: “I am deeply impressed by every one of our students graduating from Manchester School of Art, especially those who have been inspired by previous talented alumni.

“It’s wonderful to see the admiration and respect that Iona holds for her father and late grandmother, and I’m delighted she was able to continue the family tradition at such a dynamic and historic school.”

Speaking about her time at Manchester School of Art, Iona said: “I feel really grateful for coming here and for experiencing what my dad and grandma did all those years ago.

“I’ll never have a studio space as good again. It gives you three years to just explore and experiment, and I’m so grateful for that.”