One of my favourite parts of Year 13 was completing work experience and using outside resources to generate material for my AS art project. I chose to do my work experience at Seacourt Print Workshop in Bangor where I created a series of prints using Intaglio dry point, salt etching and drypoint on vinyl. All year 13 art students will get a chance to visit Seacourt for a day to complete prints and after that I loved it so much I wanted to go back!
I went for three days and learnt how to use all the machines and all the different techniques. I saw the lightbox, the dark room, the sanding equipment and the rolling machines. I printed onto paper, t-shirts and tote bags. When you just go for it and you are creative with your mediums, you can come up with unique ideas. It was a freezing three days in February but thankfully the printing room in the Warehouse was warm. I met three Dutch girls who were interning and enjoyed eating lunch with all the other artists-in-residence. The independence and maturity required from year 13 while they complete work experience gives us a lot of skills for our future and allows us to make contacts in the field of our choice. I will never forget this opportunity to feel like a professional artist and to be inspired by all the unique work around me.
I also spent a weekend after this at a ‘Screenprinting for Music’ tutorial at Belfast Print Workshop where I was taught by Neil Kerr to create, expose, and develop my own imagery onto a screen ready for editioning. I then screenprinted my design onto paper in three different stages. It was a slight nightmare when I got ink on my velvet jacket! I learnt that it takes a lot of physical strength to screenprint. I came out with 6 A2 ‘event’ style posters with my own record player design for my AS art. It was an amazing opportunity and I learnt so many new techniques. I used my own initiative and personal research to make my art project stand out and achieve the highest marks possible. I’m glad I completed both these workshops and came out with material for my AS art, work experience and an array of new skills. What have you got to lose?
Betsy B
