How important was Drawing to your course of study?
We did 3 hours figure drawing and 2 of 'general' drawing per week, so in theory it was reasonably important.Was the Drawing tuition up to the standard you need?
For me personally - no. Some staff were ill-equipped to teach to the required standard, and were also reluctant to impose technical standards, despite it being a technical course.The Course I Did
Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art), majoring in Printmaking
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
I really enjoyed my art school experience. I've got mixed feelings about how much benefit I gained from it: I gained good printmaking skills, but when I was at art school, the standard of technical drawing and painting tuition was not great - a hangover from the values of the 70s. My drawing when I left art school was really quite weak. On the upside, we got exposed to a fantastic range of art.
There was a fair bit of 'petty politics' among both students and staff, but you have to let that stuff not distract you.
My favorite memories are of the trips to art festivals - I saw Maguy Marin's 'May B' contemporary dance, and went to a performance of the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs of Henryk Gorecki.
The school I attended was part of a university, so I was able to undertake many Humanities units, which gave me a lot of inspiration and fed ideas into my artwork. I also enjoyed many pleasant afternoons in the shady outdoors bistro, drinking wine and discussing art and life!
Lessons Learned
- You need to find the right school for your aims. There is a lot of choice around now.
- Learn to manage your time and money so you can focus on work
- Be open to opportunities
