Jonah had always liked to draw, but had never considered it could become something more than a hobby. After finishing school he took A-levels in maths, physics, psychology and art. To begin with he focussed on maths and psychology, as he found these the most interesting, but towards his final year he realised that art was his calling.
He applied to Eastleigh College to study the Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, which gave him another year to think about whether he would want to progress to University. Jonah most enjoyed the workshop element of his course, where he got to meet new people and try new forms of art.
Jonah identifies his strengths in conceptualising his work. He said, “I like to put a lot of thought into what I do. I want to communicate with people, and I want them to be able to understand and relate to my work.”
In stark contrast to school and Sixth Form college, Jonah found the most challenging part of his course to be the emphasis on independent working: “Having to manage deadlines, especially for creative work, is hard… but it makes you rely on yourself and become more confident, which is what you need to be able to work independently in the workplace.”
Jonah first heard about the Slade School of Art through one of his tutors. Slade is part of University College London (UCL) and is one of the best art schools in the country. The application process is extensive, and Jonah couldn’t believe it when he was offered a place. He said, “The feeling I got from the workspaces was incredible. I can’t put it into words, but I just knew it was for me.”
Despite enjoying all art forms, Jonah is most looking forward to experimenting with oil painting, especially on a larger scale, in addition to film photography and filmmaking.
The Foundation course gives you confidence, which transfers to everything. I learned a lot about myself - I found my own voice, and realised how I like to work best.
One of Jonah’s favourite things about Eastleigh College is how diverse it is, with so many different people from different backgrounds.
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