We interviewed our students Pamela, Irina, and Nelli to give you an impression of our Academy.
In this student interview, you will learn a lot about the experiences and impressions of our student Nelli. She gave us a brief insight into her student life. Thanks a lot for this! I hope you will enjoy reading it.
About her:
After graduating from high school, I first studied architecture, but I quickly realized that it was not for me. In the same year, I started studying history and cultural studies. I mainly studied art education, art history, and educational science. I am currently completing this course of study.
Why are you at the Academy?
To learn the bases of drawing and painting, because, in my opinion, they are the foundation for your own artistic style.
How did you find out about the Academy?
On-line, while looking for art schools in Germany that teach the traditional, naturalistic handcraft.
How do you finance your studies?
Fortunately, I have support from a sponsor who repays me half the tuition. I pay the other half partly by BAföG and partly by giving private lessons.
How often are you here?
Once a week, the whole day – 6 hours a week.
Career aspirations. What would be your dream job?
I would like to work with children and adolescents, to give them the support they need to implement their desires, ideas, and goals regarding art, whether on the art-pedagogical or art-therapeutic level is still uncertain. Above all, it is important for me to pave the way for aesthetic education processes among individuals, in order, among other things, to raise awareness on the perception of one’s own environment.
Working as an illustrator in the field of media and design also seems to me to be an attractive objective. Due to my studies, I came in contact with digital media like Photoshop, which have aroused my curiosity in this area. Particularly in connection with naturalistic art, we could create exciting jobs.
What goals are you pursuing personally and professionally?
I am looking for the “perfect” medium for my artistic work. My goal is to develop a style in which I can later recognize myself. I would like to try as much as possible. In particular, the intermedial fusion of different materials and tools, such as watercolor with pencil or drawing connected with digital image processing. All this has great potential because it has the capability to create a wide range of design options.
Everyday life. What does a typical Academy-day look like?
Normally, the day starts at the Academy with a cup of coffee. We chat and talk about our own projects. At half past nine, the lessons begin. So we start working on our own projects. The special thing here is that not every student does the same thing. On the contrary, all have different conditions and preferences, which are reflected in the selection of the projects. The teachers help us decide which project to work on, leaving, however, enough room for freedom of choice. The choice of objects, their position, and the overall composition, for example in a still life project, is left to the students. This opens up different design possibilities and offers an individual connection to the resulting, artistic work. During the work-in-progress, we receive help and pieces of advice both from a technical and a content point of view. The lessons are individually tailored to suit the students particular learning style. Consequently, there is no room for competitiveness or performance pressure, which is very nice and refreshing. The teachers walk around in the rooms and give assistance.
After lunch, a model often arrives, because in the afternoon we normally study the human anatomy. There are many new faces as workshops take place at the same time as the lessons of part- and full-time students. We use this time also to look at each other´s works. Exchange is very important here because you have the opportunity to have a break from your own work for a moment and to gain a different view of things. My day at the Academy ends with me cleaning my brush, palette and of course myself 😉
Do you have a part-time job?
Yes, in the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt as an art education assistant.
What do you do in your free time?
I like to visit exhibitions, play guitar and jog.
What does art mean to you?
Art is for me a mean of expression and a shelter at the same time. Every time I stand in front of the easel, for a second, there is only my picture, the process and me. In my opinion, the process is the most exciting thing here, as often different emotions lead to unthinkable things, and then it happens that you start to repaint paintings which you don´t like anymore even though they were at an advanced stage. You could compare the painting process to a roller coaster ride. By every depth, you draw your conclusions and thereby learn to appreciate the next height even more. The whole process is so intense that at times you fall into a kind of flow and I find it hard to stop. Therefore, I often leave the Academy one to two hours later than planned.
Art is not about having the prettiest picture. We should actually rather develop a feeling for the materials and their use. It’s about the order of color in its consistency and brilliance. And it is about seeing in forms and thereby gaining the ability to decompose even the most complex objects into their simplest components. It is therefore about simplification and, at the same time, about increasing our perceptions. Ever since I paint, I have been finding myself, in everyday situations, observing objects and people in a more attentive way. The characteristic, form, color and material play a crucial role. My gaze has changed and I now pay attention to every detail. I perceive more and begin to be interested even in the most trivial and irrelevant things, and that is so much important.
What is your motivation?
My motivation is the result of my passion for art. When you enjoy doing something, it’s easier to set goals and work towards them.
How do you like the Academy, how is the atmosphere here?
The atmosphere is warm, relaxed and international. You meet like-minded people and talk with them about what brings us all here: art. You meet people with exciting resumes, job profiles, and artistic views and purposes. I always enjoy spending time here 🙂
In our Student Interview series, we conducted more interviews with our students and shared their experiences of studying art at the Academy.
Take a look at our student interview with Irina and our student interview with Pamela.
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