Six years after graduating from her Fine Art degree, and spending the intervening years making her living as a freelance artist, Jane Young returned to the University to study for her Masters. With an ambition to both continue her practice and teach, the MA Fine Art student says the scholarship she gained has helped her come closer to realise those ambitions.
Jane, 57, graduated BA Fine Art in 2013 and will complete her MA Fine Art in 2021. Originally from Whitburn, she now lives and works as a fine artist in Barnard Castle, commuting to Sunderland to continue her studies.
Jane successfully applied for the Robson Art & Design Masters Award, which is now open for applications to MA Design and MA Visual Practice students.
“I felt that the experience and knowledge I had gained over the 6 years since graduating had enabled me to identify the main focus of my art and I felt ready to take on the challenge of an MA in order to refine my practice.
“I had the same studio space as I had when studying my BA. I managed to work in my studio space for the first module of the course and then when the Covid-19 Pandemic struck I began to work from home. This led me to experimenting and creating work outdoors in nature in and around the village where I live. My favourite aspect of study has been the experimental process of creating work using some new materials and also the opportunity to look in much greater depth at the concept of my work.”
Jane was supported in her studies with a DOSH (Development Office Scholarship) award. The Robson Art & Design Masters Award supports the ambitions of Sunderland Masters students studying Design and Visual Practice.
“Thanks to the award I was lucky enough to go to London to visit various exhibitions at The Royal Academy, The Tate Modern and The V and A.”
The award also allowed Jane to buy materials that helped her expand her practice as a working artist.