BNU Art & Design Show: Mature student Jayne Bailey showcases deeply personal installation 'My Waiting Room'
Jayne Bailey's installation My Waiting Room will surely one of the most personal works at this year’s Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) Art & Design Show (26 June-1 May).
The mature Fine Art student, 63, describes graduating from BNU as “the fulfilment of a life ambition” after setting aside her creative aspirations for more than 40 years while building a career in education and leadership, and raising a family.
Designed as a reflective “waiting room”, her final degree installation is a mixed-media interdisciplinary space filled with objects, symbols and memories drawn from Jayne’s life and family history.
Created in response to losing her mother-in-law to dementia, the installation explores memory, grief, love and the personal objects that carry emotional meaning through time.
“Watching someone you love slowly lose their memories is devastating,” said Jayne. “I began thinking about the objects, places and fragments of life that carry emotional meaning, and how art might preserve or honour those memories. I wanted to create a space that encourages people to reflect on their own precious memories and legacies.”
At the heart of the installation is a striking chaise longue constructed from the rusted frame of a 1980 Kawasaki motorcycle (1980 being the year in which Jayne met her husband). Combining metalwork, carved oak slats and hand-crafted detailing, the chair acts as both a sculptural centrepiece and a place of reflection.
“Every element of it is symbolic,” Jayne said. “The rust represents time, travel and a life lived. The oak slats reference memory and family, and there are 22 slats because my mother-in-law was a leap-year baby who died aged 88.”
The piece also incorporates hand-forged elements inspired by Jayne’s Māori tattoo, while recurring rose imagery reflects family and love – and draws on High Wycombe’s furniture-making heritage. A local resident for more than 24 years, Jayne became fascinated by the symbolic significance of chairs, both personally and within the town’s history.
The installation combines metalwork, woodwork, laser engraving, painting and mixed media – and wasn’t without its challenges.
“It was incredibly challenging,” she said. “The project evolved from sketches, notes and late-night ideas into a fully immersive installation made up of multiple pieces. I worked closely with the university technicians in metal, wood and fabrication workshops, and I couldn’t have created the work without their support.”
Jayne also credits Fine Art course leader Messua Poulin Wolff with helping her rediscover her identity as an artist.
“For many years I introduced myself as an educator or a businesswoman. Now my name is Jayne Bailey and I’m a
contemporary artist.”
Looking beyond the degree show, Jayne hopes to continue developing as an artist through exhibitions and artist residencies. More than anything, she hopes visitors leave her installation reflecting on their own memories and relationships,
Jayne added: “I’d like visitors to leave thinking about the importance of preserving memories and valuing the seemingly small things in life that become emotionally precious over time. I hope the work reminds people to keep those memories close rather than hidden away.”
Visitors are invited to experience this work in person at Buckinghamshire New University’s Art & Design Show 2026. The show brings together innovative work from final-year students across art, design and creative disciplines. Visit here for full details, opening times and to plan your visit.
