Inspiring Students

A while ago I was contacted by my middle school art teacher and she asked me to come into school and talk about the course I am doing and the opportunities available in the creative industries. I was at this school for school years 7-9 but since leaving, the school has expanded to teaching GCSEs too. I would be speaking to year 11s (aged 15-16) who are currently making decisions about their A level choices. 

I put together a short presentation with lots of examples of my work in context and also brought along some sketchbooks to show the design process behind the outcomes. I wanted to get across that choosing an art or design subject to pursue is a lot more than just drawing or painting, it is a comittment and you really have to love it to dedicate so much time to it. I also wanted to say that there are academic elements too like essay writing and that its definitely not an 'easy option' subject. 

It was clear that the art and design teachers wanted to get across the idea that choosing art is not an easy option. There seems to be the idea that if you don't do well academically then you should choose art which is nonsense. They pointed out that I did do well academically at school but it is okay to steer away from stem subjects to pursue something you really want to do and that you're good at. I also pointed out that I knew that I wanted to do art quite early on and had to brush off comments from (non-art) teachers and other students that I could do 'so much more'. The reality is that there's 'so much more' to the creative industry than people think. I thought it was important that students recognised that the world we live in is a visual world and creative talent is needed to cross over into other subject areas like  therapy, the sciences and business. 

The talk went really well and a lot of the students seemed really engaged. There were obviously a few who you could tell had no intention of carrying on with art but thats only to be expected. Some came up and asked questions about my sketchbooks, how I make and sell things and the processes I use - it was really great to have such a positive response to my work and what I had to say about the industry. 

I have to admit I had a bit of a buzz when I left, it was so rewarding to feel like I might have actually inspired someone to pursue a creative career. I really wish I had an experience like that when I was at that stage in school because I think that's what I needed to clarify in my mind that this is a viable option for a career. I am really glad to see things changing in schools and creative subjects are getting the recognition they deserve! 

It was also generally good practice for my presenting skills and making my selection of work and information suitable for the audience. I also know that I have now created a connection with the school as more of a professional rather than just an ex-student and I would be more than happy to go back and do the same or something similar in the future. 

Leeds College of Art Alumni

While I was at the school I got talking to the art and design department technician who actually studied at LCA on the printed textiles course not too long ago. It was really encouraging to talk to someone who had studied in the same place as me and had managed to get a job afterwords. She works as a design technician but still finds some time to do her own work on the side, she is using the job to get some money behind her so eventually set up on her own. It was really good to hear her speak about her plans and it reassured me that its ok if not everything falls perfectly into place straight after graduation. It takes time to achieve your dream job and the things you do on the way towards it are all valuable learning experiences. 

Hannah Waldron Lecture

• Making textiles as research.
• Illustration based on map making.
• Capturing a memory and getting a feeling of a place while learning practical skills.
• Commission work, weaving, printed textiles, own work, designed and manufactured herself. Limited runs and sold online. Book projects and editorial illustration. Very varied practice. 
• Made a book while studying, managed to get it stocked in Brighton and London. Gets your name out there. Expand to products linking to the book.
• Got a job after uni but kept her own practice going alongside. Solo show in Shoreditch, prime location.
• Fist commission after uni - cd case/cover. Folding poster - inventive idea, something different. 
• Home book - V&A.
• Weaving - horizontal and vertical lines/grid used in drawings translates well into this process. Simplify things down to the most essential elements.
• The thinking hand - Juhani Pallasmaa (book).
• research design agencies and studios who you think are doing good work.
• makes the experience of working for big companies better.
• Travelling influences change in her work.
• Mapping - taking experiences and making them into weavings.
• Submit work to competitions that you might not think you fit into. Your work has more potential purposes than you may think. 
• Be aware of context - if you commit you can get pigeon holed, keep it broad. 
• Textiles as research - language, qualities of materials, making connections, stories about journeys and places, exploring contexts for crafts.
• Textiles for retail
• Designing to commission - collaboration , limitations, reaching wider audiences.
• Illustration - map making, freedom from constraints.
• Create your own manifesto while studying to see how far you've come and refer back to when you feel a little lost with what you are doing.

I found Hannah's talk really interesting, especially the relationship she makes between travel and image making. I love the idea of recording surroundings through imagery. Her work is very shape based which connects well with the restrictions of the weaving process. My work, in contrast, is very line based but I definitely feel inspired by the way she translates a location into imagery. It was also interesting to see how her practice has grown from a lot on monochrome imagery to full of colour. I feel I am just embarking on this change right now, I love working in black and white but I realise that this is not always the best option and colour is almost essential for making my work adaptable. 

I was also really interested to hear about Hannah's professional practice, how she gets work, who she works for and how she manages to maintain doing what she loves. Learning about her work for commission, retail, and as research was interesting - it is clear she gets work from a lot of different avenues and I suppose this is what helps her work to continually evolve and be adaptable. One key thing that I notices in Hannah's talk was that she exhibits her work in as many places as possible and her travels have definitely helped her to reach a wider audience. 

Virgin Media Box Response

I thought I would just do an update post on the positive feedback I have been receiving for my virgin media box. It has been so nice to hear that the boxes being painted in Headingley have brightened up the area and the fact that people have taken the time to message and comment on my work online is a really nice feeling! 

[I have blurred out names of personal accounts - I don't know these people personally and don't know how they would feel about their names being used.]

Aside from comments on my own posts, some people and local groups/accounts actually shared my work on Instagram and tagged me in their photos. Obviously I am now glad that I put my Instagram name on the box itself as otherwise there would have been no way that I would have seen these. 

I am really happy and flattered with the response I have received for this and I'm actually feeling pretty proud of myself. I know it's only a small scale thing but I'd not done anything like it before and to get such a positive response is really great. When doing work like this for free, its nice to know that it has actually made an impact and hearing people say that it has brightened their morning is exactly what I was hoping for! It was definitely worth braving the cold.