Hannah Williams is one of the students on this year's Foundation Diploma in Art & Design course at City Lit. She and her classmates will be at ‘Downstairs at the Department Zone’ in Brixton on Wednesday 19th June, to kick off their end-of-year exhibition.
In this Q&A, we find out more about why she chose to take the Founation Diploma, what she enjoyed and her tips for others that are interested in learning Art & Design.
Why did you decide to join the Foundation Diploma Art & Design course?
I was at a crossroad between my personal and professional life and felt I needed to take a step back and reflect all my options. One thought kept revisiting me and that was a long-held desire to study art, but I had no idea which discipline and how to get started. I had looked at foundation courses over the years and found they didn’t strike the right balance of breadth of disciplines covered, and being able to identify a specialism to focus on. The City Lit Foundation course contained a great balance and after completing the Pre-Foundation I was certain this was the right direction for me to take.
Can you tell us a bit more about your time at City Lit?
I have explored a few visual art courses at City Lit. The online taster courses share so much information for a short two hours, hearing the tutor’s passion is brilliant and they are keen to share as much as they can in the time. The six-week short courses share a lot of skills and techniques as well as time to see a personal development. The Foundation Diploma delivers a breadth and depth across the year.
All the tutors are exceptionally giving of their time, specialism and support. I have found if you’re open and curious to learn there is a lot City Lit can offer you.
How did City Lit help achieve your goals/ambitions/dreams?
Stepping back into education part-time was a bold move and I knew I needed to have the right environment to learn in and have steady support around me. This combination was available at City Lit and it has developed both my practical skills and technical expertise.
City Lit has a great balance of combining tutors’ expertise and a mixture of resources available. Through the course, college, tutors and other students, I have rediscovered my love for learning. Having access to a diversity of courses at City Lit means I can continue my learning following foundation and in years to come when I want to extend my skills and specialisms.
Tell us a bit more about your work and the upcoming show.
I am a mixture of excitement and apprehension about exhibiting my work in my first ever show. I have been so fortunate and experienced foundation with a wonderful group of peers on the course this year, and we all support one another. We have 24 exhibitors across print, film, sculpture, multi-disciplinary, ceramics and textiles sharing their work 19th to 22nd June at Downstairs at the Department in Brixton.
Students have used innovate techniques and processes to produce their final projects, we have drawn on inspiration from what has been taught on the course and our own lived experiences. It’s a unique offering only adult learning can share.
My own work is drawn from a personal perspective, which foundation and the tutors has given me confidence to open up and explore. My final piece is a self-contained solo experience which invites you enter the installation, by taking a step up and into the form away from the busy gallery a short moment of introspection. I hope through the experience you’re able to find a moment of calm and reflect to yourself. Please come and see all the amazing work produced from this years’ talented students on foundation.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
I enjoyed learning that great things can come from playful experimentation. I think we forget the joy and awareness achieved through play. Starting foundation, I was experiencing something new every day, across subjects I barely knew. The personal pressure we put on ourselves to be successful or ‘be perfect’ was met from the tutors with be experimental, keep trying, then observe and reflect.
Through this process I learnt new ways of working, what interested me and what I enjoyed doing. Through foundation I also discovered why I enjoyed some activities plus I was able to articulate what I found interesting about the outcomes.
Any tips for anyone interested in joining the Foundation Diploma Art & Design course?
Be open and curious! Open to all conversations with the tutors and your peers, be open to activities across all media because you will discover things you’ll love that you’ve never thought of before. Be curious to learn more about materials, processes, artists and ways of working. Be prepared to learn new things about yourself, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve.
Study Art and Design at City Lit
Explore new and exciting subjects within a range of art and design disciplines, develop your skill set, get the support required to change career or launch yourself as a freelance artist or designer.
