Hello there! This is Zahra Nawal, an international student hailing from Pakistan who packed her entire life in a suitcase to experience the journey of an art school in one of the most amazing cities in the world, London.
What has this art school been for me in these past three months? Everything.
It was a seamless decision for me to make City & Guilds of London Art School my first choice for a Foundation year. This was primarily because of the reviews by the previous students who I interacted with, but equally importantly because of the facilities and faculties this place offers. From open spaces for students, to a wide range of workshops and an array of exceptional tutors, City & Guilds of London Art School has everything an art enthusiast like me desires.
From the outset of my classes, the entire Foundation Diploma in Art & Design course seems to be strategically designed on how to encourage students to venture into unexplored territories. It began with manipulating an open space, laid back sessions of life drawing and delving in the intricacies of geometry. Throughout the first week, we were shuffled into different groups with different people and introduced to most tutors through these one-day classes. As the term progressed, the classes continued with a fresh mix of student groups. This propelled me to get out of my comfort zone and become familiar with as many new students as possible. Engaging in insightful discussions, and offering and receiving critiques, has been a humbling yet rewarding experience to delve deeper into the realm of art alongside making great connections with people.
The first term provided me with a structured pathway that I could rely on with clear instructions given to me in the form of a brief. These briefs are really the pivotal elements if used appropriately, as they are the core of your projects. Despite the provided guidelines, you are given the opportunity to explore. This is a versatile part of the course that primarily makes you learn how to research and develop ideas. Each project is about a week long, and you get a well-informed overview in terms of Fine Art and Design and, to some extent, Architecture, which can help you evaluate your choices for future career. This term is also a vital time to seek insight about different workshops and get a sense of different materials.
Each week was a whirlwind of activity with projects that kept me totally engaged. Fridays, however, brought a welcome change of pace as they were dedicated to Art History. Divided into two separate groups, each week we concluded our work with a tour to different art galleries to explore different Art History themes and write about it in our essays. Through these visits, we had the opportunity to test into various themes and concepts alongside fellow students, engaging in discussions that encompassed diverse viewpoints during these tours.
Finally, the term concluded with the transposition project that students work on for two days. Furthermore, we have to make sure to upload everything onto the school’s electronic portfolio software. Regular evaluation and feedback helps students to maintain their work and prevent tasks from accumulating towards the end. Additionally, we each get assigned a pastoral tutor, to help us explore various courses and start our research for applications for our next step.