English
Gaeilge
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to choosing your course?
My name is Marie Murphy, and I live near Derrylin in Co. Fermanagh, on the border with Co. Cavan. I attended St. Mary’s Primary School in Teemore, followed by St. Aidan’s High School in Derrylin, where I completed my GCSEs. I then attended St. Kevin’s College in Lisnaskea to complete my A Levels, which ultimately led me on to my current journey here at ATU Sligo, where I am studying Fine Art.
I researched different colleges before deciding where I wanted to study, and ATU stood out to me because of its reputation for hands-on learning and its practical focus. I have always had a strong passion for art, and I wanted to pursue a course that would challenge me to try different approaches to creating art.
I found exactly that at ATU Sligo. When I attended the open day, I spoke to students and lecturers, looked at the students’ portfolios and had the opportunity to walk around the art studios. I was particularly interested in seeing the ceramics and 3D room, photography, printmaking and drawing facilities. These are all areas that I have really enjoyed exploring during my three years here so far.
What are your favourite modules on the course? Please let us know why they’re your favourite modules to give prospective students an insight into your course.
I have really enjoyed all of the modules because they were completely different from anything I had done before and pushed me outside my comfort zone.
Photography was one of my favourites. I really enjoyed choosing a subject and then taking photographs to tell a story or record a journey through different places, people or landscapes. I was also shown how to use different lenses, lighting techniques and effects on my camera, which helped me develop my work and understand photography in a much more creative way.
Ceramics was another area I really enjoyed, particularly because I had already worked with clay before. It was fascinating to be able to create different things from a piece of clay, decorate them using slip or coloured glaze, and then fire them to create the finished piece.
Printmaking also allowed me to let my imagination run wild. I could create my own design, carve it into lino and then use it to produce prints. I really enjoyed seeing how an idea could be transformed through the different stages of the printmaking process.
Is there anything else about your course that you particularly enjoy or find beneficial? For example, work placements, practical projects, etc.
I found the work placement both beneficial and enjoyable. In third year, there is a module called Work in Context, where I had to find a work placement for a few weeks. I returned to my previous secondary school, St. Aidan’s, where I helped in the art classroom.
I worked with students from different year groups on their art projects, guiding and advising them as they developed their work. I also helped the art teacher with this year’s GCSE art classes. Having completed my own GCSEs, I understood how intense the process can be, so I found the experience very rewarding.
As part of the Work in Context module, I also interviewed a local artist to gain an insight into an artist’s life. I researched how difficult it can be to establish yourself as an artist and build a successful career. I created a book containing all the information from the interview, along with photographs of the artist’s work. Doing the interview gave me a great insight into what it is like to work as an artist and provided me with valuable advice about what I should be thinking about after I finish at ATU.
The course also gives you the opportunity to develop practical skills. In first year, I was taught how to make a stretcher, put the canvas onto it and prepare it for painting. I thought this was a very practical and useful skill to learn. Having the opportunity to work on group projects and take part in real-world simulations has also helped to build my confidence and develop my ability to work with others.
What is the best thing about your course that you think new applicants should know?
The best thing about my course, I feel, is that you have different modules each year. This gives you the opportunity to challenge yourself and develop your skills with the help and guidance of the lecturers. It also allows you to upskill and broaden your artistic abilities by trying different techniques and working with different materials.
In the studio, you get your own studio space where you can work and leave your art materials and projects. This is particularly beneficial when you are working on a piece and want to leave it in place so that you can return to it later.
There are also dedicated studio spaces for photography, ceramics and 3D making, as well as printmaking. For each module, the lecturers come around and speak to students individually, offering advice and seeing how everyone is getting on with their work. I find this one-to-one guidance really helpful.
If you were speaking with a first-year student about to start your course, what advice would you give them?
The best advice I would give to a first-year student is not to be afraid to challenge yourself and try something new. Make mistakes and learn from them, or embrace them if they end up enhancing your piece. I found that sometimes the mistakes I made actually improved the final work. Step outside your comfort zone and have fun while creating, as that is one of the most important things. Try different styles and techniques that you might not be used to — you could surprise yourself with what you are capable of creating. I would also encourage you to talk to students in the years above you and ask them for advice based on their own experiences. Most importantly, talk to your lecturers if you need help or advice with your work. The community within the studios is one of the best resources you will have. Everyone has valuable advice to give based on their experiences over their years at ATU. So, as they say, it’s good to talk!
If you are involved in sport, volunteering, working or have other passions you pursue outside of your academic life, can you tell us about that?
Outside of college, I enjoy restoring and painting damaged outdoor ornaments and religious statues. I have recently taken up crochet, which I really enjoy. I also enjoy pressing flowers and experimenting with different types of flowers to see how successfully they press. I have used some of the pressed flowers in my artwork, which has allowed me to bring some of my interests outside of college into my creative work.
What are your plans after ATU and what long-term goals are you aiming for?
As I enter my final, fourth year at ATU, I am still undecided about which path I would like to follow after graduation. Teaching is something I would be interested in pursuing, particularly after completing my work placement in my former secondary school. The experience really encouraged me to consider teaching as a possible career and showed me how much I enjoy helping and supporting students with their art.