Growing up as an Artist

I have always been interested in design, but throughout my years at school, I started to become very interested in art and appreciate all the different types that were available. In 2006, I attended Cardonald College to attend a portfolio preparation course, in which to build up a portfolio to submit to an art school.
Throughout this year, I gained much experience and learned many new techniques. Before attending this course, my views on what 'art' was, was very limited, and this opened me up to a much broader understanding on what 'art' and was could be defined as 'art' was.
There were three main projects throughout the year. The first being a fine art project which was concerned with plants and natural forms. The second was a design project, and the third was a personal project in which we explored an issue of our choice. My chosen issue was homelessness.
Along with these were extra drawing projects, and I also took a life drawing class, which taught me a lot about the importance of dimensions, proportion and the way in which the figure is produced.
After a very interesting year, I submitted my portfolio and gained entrance to Dundee Art School. However, I chose to attend the University of Leeds to pursue one of my other passions which was fashion! Although some aspects of the course I enjoyed, I was not partial to the pattern and construction making which was one of the key elements. I realised that my way of working would not work when it came to the construction. I am not a very particular person. I work by using my mistakes as a learning curve. In art, my 'accidents' often become part of the painting.
After careful consideration, I opted to change to Art and Design, and start again as an artist. So that brings me to the present day, a second year student studying art and design and I love it!