Since 2011 Birgitte Kriek has attended a short course at Central Saint Martins every Summer School, and 2019 is no different. From Fashion Drawing Summer School to Create a Fashion Portfolio - Intermediate or Draping Womenswear Design to Patternmaking - Experimental and Explorative Approaches Part 1, to name but a few, Birgitte has been dedicated to developing her abilities in fashion at CSM.
“There’s great creative teaching at Central Saint Martins. You will certainly develop your creativity and cross your boundaries.”
Here we talk with Birgitte about her 2018 Summer School experience upon Helen Bullock and John Booth’s Fashion Drawing Summer School.
Birgitte Kriek
What is your name and where are you from?
My name Birgitte Kriek, I am from the Netherlands and I live in Amsterdam.
What is your occupation?
I teach French language in a secondary school and I am an artist. I make abstract black and white paintings, drawings and collages.
© Birgitte Kriek
What short course did you study on and why did you choose it?
In 2018 I took the short course Fashion Drawing Summer School. Since 2011, I have come to Central Saint Martins every summer to take a fashion short course. Three years ago I took the intensive course, Create a Fashion Portfolio - Intermediate, where a lot of fashion drawing was involved and last year I wanted to develop upon my fashion drawing abilities further.
© Birgitte Kriek
What did you enjoy most about your short course?
I enjoyed a lot of things during the course - being presented with a variety of techniques and materials such as collaging, painting, drawing with different materials and the drawing exercises that challenged us over the varying amount of time we had. I liked working with a different model every day and the invaluable feedback given to us by our tutors (Helen Bullock and John Booth), who remained very professional and enthusiastic throughout. When I started the course I had told the tutors that I was not good in using colours, at the end of the course I realised that I had been using colours throughout the week. It was a very intensive course in which I learned a great deal.
© Birgitte Kriek
How has this course benefited your career and personal development?
My aim is to start a career as a fashion designer, next to being an artist, and I joined Fashion Drawing Summer School to help me work out my designs, as well as complement the previous courses I have taken.
The fashion drawing course has also influenced the way I approach and make my own visual art work outside of fashion. Many techniques covered such as collaging, drawing and painting, were expanded upon and using all sorts of new materials together has definitely enhanced the way I work.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about taking a short course at Central Saint Martins?
There’s great creative teaching at Central Saint Martins. You will certainly develop your creativity and cross your boundaries.
© Birgitte Kriek
What do you believe is integral to the work of an artist, in any discipline?
I believe that curiosity and being open to new things is very important to the work of an artist. And also to “do”. Working and going on with your work, working fast, not thinking about the result and not working for the result is essential! The things you didn't expect to happen will be the most interesting.
What three words best describe your short course experience at CSM?
Stimulating, rich and excellent!
© Birgitte Kriek PIC
