TRIBUTES have been paid to former UCA Farnham student Kat Garrett, who died after a car mounted a pavement in Guildford, late last month.

Interior designer Kat, who graduated from UCA back in 2008, with a digital screen arts degree, was struck by a Land Rover Defender in Bridge Street, Guildford on Saturday, February 20, at around 1.30pm.

Kat, who was in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, and two other pedestrians were also involved. A man in his 40s remains at St George’s Hospital in Tooting after suffering serious pelvis injuries and a young women suffered minor injuries as a result of the collision.

Kathleen Rogers, Professor of Media Arts and Science at UCA, was Kat’s third-year tutor, mentoring her while she completed her graduate studies on the DFSA course at UCA in 2008.

“We were so sad to hear the tragic news about Kathryn. We all recall Kathryn with clarity as a reflective and sensitive person with many unique personal qualities – we met for regular discussions throughout the year” Kathleen said.

“She was a keen nature photographer and I remember how our conversations focused on how to transform her macro-photography skills based on observational studies of spring flowers, cobwebs at dawn and her cat into what became a beautifully impressive multi-projection video installation.

“She edited together vast amounts of images of flowers with different hues and tones moving slowly through and across large video projections. She loved making work that expressed her themes of abstraction of nature, colour and light and movement and we ensured we kept her work, Orange, Purple and Green as part of the Digital Film Screen Arts archive at UCA.”

Since the accident a petition has been set up for immediate action to be taken by Guildford Borough Council and Surrey County Council, to prevent future accidents. The petition created by Joe Hudson, has more than 1,000 signatures in support, since it was started just over a week ago.

In a statement published online, Kat’s employees interior designers Peldon Rose, said: “We are very sad to announce that a member of the Peldon Rose family died in a tragic accident at the weekend. Kat Garrett was a highly talented and respected member of our furniture team who brought beautiful energy and was much loved.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time as they come to terms with such a tragic loss.”