Should I go to university?

That’s the first question you should ask yourself. I thought I’d explain why I decided to apply, after adamantly proclaiming I would never go back into education just a year earlier.

I studied fine art and photography (long story, the two got a bit mashed together as it were) for a good three and a half years, earning a Finnish vocational degree at the end of it. There is no equivalent in the UK for it that I know of, but essentially it’s a three to five year course (depending on how long you take to complete it, some people do it in under three years while others really take their time!) which you complete after secondary school from the age of 15 or 16 upwards.

Now, at the end of my arduous studies I did repeatedly say I didn’t want to study again. Never, ever, ever, ever…

What changed?

I spent half a year job hunting. As many before me have said, it is REALLY boring. I did a bit of freelancing, some commission work, and generally spent my time being a reclusive artsy type. Some good did come of this mind you, my artwork improved in leaps and bounds thanks to all the free time I had, I saved up a bit of pocket money doing some computer game illustrations during the summer, and I even gathered up my courage and started up my own Etsy shop. 2014 was a good year in that respect, and I’m proud of what I achieved on my own. However…
As many in the art industry will know, it’s very difficult to progress without connections, or a good community to work with. Now, that’s not to say there isn’t potential here in my Finnish hometown, because there is. I joined a wonderful knitting group for foreigners, full of lovely ladies who continue to inspire me to this day with all their fabulous creations. I’ve attended as many local arts and crafts markets and fairs as were available, and even had a stall at the massive Christmas market last year (in Finland you don’t really get little markets each weekend like you do in the UK, instead there are a few really big events each year). Still, it didn’t feel like I was really getting anywhere. I’d spent half a year living with my granddad in Eastbourne in 2013, and one thing that really leapt out at me was the amazing cultural community in the area (mainly thanks to what I’d call the art capital of the south coast, Brighton!). Why was there nothing like that in Finland?

 I took some time to weigh up my options:

• One was to make my long-time dream of owning my own little shop into reality. After a lot of googling, chatting with the local unemployment office, and researching the practicalities of running a brick and mortar shop, I realised I wasn’t prepared for that. This did lead to having a go at starting up my online shop, and thus far that’s been a pleasant way to occupy myself, even if I’m not exactly raking up the cash! 

• The second was to try and get my work into books or magazines. I sent off email after email, compiled portfolios, and chatted to other artists in the hopes of learning the tricks of the trade. I got approached by a writer or two, who disappeared after hearing I expected payment for my work. Eventually this idea fizzled out, for the time being at least. I needed to make connections, and that just wasn’t happening.

• The third option was university. I thought about it long and hard, and realised it could be the solution to my problems. I wanted to meet other artists, people in the industry, and find a good community. I also wanted to spend more time learning new techniques, really focus on refining my skills, and get into the more commercial path of art and illustration, instead of sticking with my preexisting knowledge in the high brow fine art area. Oh, and going back to England was also a plus. 

So that’s how I came to my decision. Next, I’ll write about the roller-coaster that was applying through UCAS…Fun!