Still studying at high school in Texas, Alexis says she’s had a love for art and design for as long as she can remember. Beyond the usual hobbies and interests most teenagers her age have, Alexis likes to make sure she dedicates time to her passion for art. “I try to find time to fit art into my day-to-day schedule. I try to follow new art trends on social media and discuss new ideas for art projects with my friends,” she explains.
It was only after a visit to the Central Saint Martins campus that Alexis knew she wanted to develop her passion further and study a short course with University of The Arts London.
“In August of 2019, I went to London and during my time there visited the Central Saint Martins campus and absolutely fell in love! When I got back home to Texas, my mum and I wanted to see if UAL offered any courses that I could take while I was on summer break from school. Much to our delight there was, so from there I registered for the course.”
The course she picked was Portfolio Preparation for 16 to 18 Year Olds Online Short Course offered by Central Saint Martins. Studying – albeit virtually - alongside other teenagers from all over the world who shared Alexis’ interest in art helped her appreciate the practice from a grassroots approach. "The course made me take a step back and really look at the basics of art,’ she says. “Doing this helped me see my own work and other people's work from an entirely new perspective.”
Since doing the short course, Alexis says she feels more knowledgeable on what is expected from her when she goes on to apply for arts schools in the coming years.” I enjoyed having the experience of talking to a real university professor and finding out what is required to get into art school. I am planning to use my new creative skills when I start applying because the pieces of work I created are definitely portfolio worthy pieces.”
For anyone with a creative flair about them thinking of doing a short course with University of The Arts London, Alexis’ advice is simple; “These courses are really amazing, and they will absolutely help you become a future creative professional.”
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