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.