Degree show 2016
June 28, 2016
This work is from the Ulster University Belfast school of arts end of year degree show 2016, a small selection of the show I got to see as it was the last day and I was being rushed around by security so apologies to those who aren’t featured! These are simply some of my personal favourites, work that I thought was cool and would be good to show those who did not get to go to the show! The rest of this blog is simply a bit of talking about since university, maybe those who also graduated with me may agree with some of it, maybe some of those graduating will look at it and take from it, I am not trying to tell people or seem all knowing, simply putting my thoughts down.
When I graduated, I wasn’t exactly happy with how it went, how my work turned out, it just didn’t do it for me, even though it meant a great deal to me, it is work I will look to revisit at some stage certainly. What I didn’t realise then and what I know now is, university it is only the beginning, like the actual beginning, sooo much stuff comes after that, mistakes, retakes, questions, crazy amount of questions about how things actually work in the working world, how do I submit for funding? how do I go self employed? what the hell is a tax return are these things not already done for me? I just want to create and be an artist! Unfortunately not, in the world of work when coming from University, you are the baby, you are only starting. you need raised.
So further or higher education, Tec or Uni is only the stepping stone, 4 years to get in the basics and knowledge and try to get an idea of what it is you are wanting to do or create after that. after graduating you got to get out and get experience, network, get involved in projects, ask questions, ask more questions, but trying not to ask too many questions to piss people off. I hate cliques and there’s a lot of them about, the cool kids, more creative than others etc, thats cool but not my cup of tea. I am more for collaboration rather than competition, I think it’s a nicer way to work and in Northern Ireland and I feel a bit more of that would solve a lot of issues regarding the arts.
I look back at University and think what I would give now to have them 4 years now, to just do work, create, enjoy creating, making some more mistakes but having that safety net of university to do so. It would be amazing to do with this maturity and understanding and makes me think that maybe university would have been a good thing to hold off on for a few years rather than 18. Maybe I would have gotten more out of it, but that is only a thought and best not to think too long on such things, thinking too much I feel is my enemy sometimes, over thinking and over analysing sometimes puts me off the idea completely.
What I thought originally getting out to the world and building a career I didn’t realise just how much I still had to learn. The stabilizers where off and it’s suddenly about how you talk to people and how you are received, how they like you, your attitude you behaviours, everything. What are you willing to do? who are you willing to help? if you are willing to get up early and do a 12 hour day ,stay in late, dig deep and just work flat out, those are good attitude to work to have. I think some people won’t agree they don’t want that amount of work, think they are too good for that kind of grafting. I want to be great at what I do, I want to learn more, always trying new things and develop myself and my work. To do that I try to get talking to the best in the business and work with them, assist them, learn from them. Getting to know trade secrets, things you would never learn in a classroom and doing them again and again until you get it right.
I don’t really know if there is a theme in this blog, or more so just talking to those graduating from University now, maybe things I wish I was told or maybe I am just rambling on about things! Regardless, the work above is stunning, great work by great creative minds that will hopefully help boost the creative industries in Northern Ireland and get the help and support they need. I did not get around the entire exhibition so apologies to those that are missed and I could not put everything up, name wise also I don’t have them all, apologies about that!