Reflections on a Foundation Course

Reflecting after a year's Art Foundation Course

As my art foundation course comes to an end, I’d like to reflect on the year.

Rowan Briggs Smith exhibition at the Garisson Chapel

I now can’t imagine going straight to a degree without having done a foundation course; being given the time and space to make my own work, guided by my own interests and the materials I want to use. To understand the ways of working and developing ideas that work for me. I understand it’s a privilege to have that time, and to be enabled by others.

I’m going to really miss the weekly life drawing classes. I’ve really appreciated the value in dedicating a day to observational drawing, where you can create space from personal ideas and tune more purposely into the hand-eye pathway. In each session I found myself finding moments in the drawing/painting/collage where I particularly enjoyed the way lines connected, or the tonal variation between two shapes, and it reminded me of the formal qualities of making art that I love. I think being given enough time to give attention to these moments helped me understand intuitively where I can find similar moments in more conceptual work.

Rowan Briggs Smith

Over the year, language became an increasing guide for me and my work.