For our final lectures of this year we were introduced to multiple students from the AA2A project we were introduced to earlier this year.
The students were James Lockhart a photographer student, Emma Grzonkowski a painter student, Sophie Bullock a fine art student and Claire Owens a textiles student.
James went to West Cheshire College for media studies but made a switch to photography. He went to do fine art in Chester Uni and moved up to do a teaching degree in Wales. He would find a placement in West Cheshire College and during that time would earn a masters degree in Liverpool John Moore’s. He’s using AA2A for the third time currently and is interested at sourcing information from the internet.
Emma studied at the Uni of Chester and wanted to go the commercial route. She signed with the Washington Degree if Fine Art but is now an independent artist who works alongside galleries. She sells her work through collectors direct and currently owns her own art studio. For AA2A she is currently studying photography.
Sophie studied fine art in Birmingham University who got together with other students to create a personal studio and later on her own network. The focus of her first collaboration project was on low tech. She worked in a bar alongside her studio time. She partnered with the Art Council as a means of selling her art, currently her art focuses on the themes of technology and movement. She later studied at Bristol Uni and tried to experiment with games as a means of interaction with city design and politics and tried to use comedy to make the subject matter more accessible. She went to Manchester ME4 to study art in health and social change. Sophie used AA2A to learn about her personal interests in terms of her art.
Claire trained as a art teacher and started work within a secondary school and taught literature. She would retire from this so she could focus on her art. This is when she joined AA2A in order to educate herself in textiles and the print room and is looking to join a post graduate course in Chester Uni. Her art involves community, she created a image for the Chester Unity centre and places her work in West Cheshire community bids.
Each students gave us plenty of pieces of advice for our potential futures, never lose you sense of passion, always plan ahead, try to link with people, believe in yourself, never fear embarrassment if you talk about money, learn to say no, perceive through the rough times and sometimes go against your teachers.
This was a very education session for me as I listened to the differing perspectives of each AA2A student and to listen to how they all came to be members of the AA2A project. It certainly puts things into perspective for how useful the project can be for me if I wish to proceed further in terms of education around photographers or perhaps a chance to look into another art to expand my abilities.
Adam Elson's Photography 