Arts group scholarship for interior designer

Phillipa Cruickshank, formerly of Riversdale and now based in Christchurch, with her favourite works at the exhibition — stoneware pieces created by Christchurch artist Shona Clarkson which look like packets of fish and chips. Miss Cruickshank received the Riversdale Arts group scholarship, which she will use to study a Bachelor of Interior Design in Wellington.

A former Riversdale resident, now based in Christchurch, received the Riversdale Arts group's arts scholarship at the opening of the Riversdale Art Exhibition on Friday night.

Phillipa Cruickshank will use the $1000 arts scholarship to study a Bachelor of Interior Design in Wellington.

She said she was surprised to get the scholarship as interior architecture was quite different from the usual art mediums the scholarship was given to.

‘‘It's quite a small industry, but it has a big impact on everyone's lives,'' she said.

She said the interior space of a room could affect the mood and mindset of people.

‘‘I watched Changing Rooms all the time when I was little,'' she said.

She said she had known about the exhibition and scholarship as she had lived in Riversdale most of her life and put in an application nearly two months ago.

She said she hoped to open her own business.

‘‘I've been an employee and want to be an employer and interior architecture is one way of becoming my own boss,'' she said.