Art Life - University for the Creative Arts

PROFILEMike HealyNational Diploma In Art and Design Year 1 - 2006-07Headwear by Archie Fitzgerald,Leah Fisher and Mike Healy.Photo: James ButlerMike went to Barton CourtGrammar School and foundthe pressure to succeedacademically incompatible withhis personality. He dropped outduring his A Level course, anddecided to apply to UCA. Hequickly compiled a portfolio andwas accepted on to the NationalDiploma course.‘It took about a year to get intothe arts school mode of thinking,and as I was a latecomer, ittook a while to make friends,but I realised it was the rightenvironment for me. Thingswere relaxed, and it helpedme to concentrate… so I wasproducing more work than I didat school. I was much happier.Art is my life now, I’m reallyenjoying my studies. The strangething is that I think the art schoolexperience has made me moreinterested in the subjects Iwasn’t interested in at school.’Mike has just finished the firstyear of his degree course in FineArt at Norwich, and has donewell. ‘Now I am looking forwardto next year, when I will try andpush myself harder.’It showedme a moreprofessionalapproach to art.It was a whileago and I’velearned somuch since andalthough I’mhappy with mywork then, butI’d like to goback and putmore effort andthought intoit. Nonethelessit was a goodexperience,working in agroup, workingsculpturally,being partof a photoshoot, workingwith TurnerContemporary –are all extremelyvaluable thingsthat haveundoubtedlypushed my workfurther.37