Rhianne Burgess - Fine Art BA (Hons)

I chose to study Fine Art BA (Hons) at DMU because it offered a great Foundation Degree in Art and Design. From this, I had a year to explore the university and its workshops. I studied Fine Art to learn and engage in a variety of processes and methods that can help me to establish as a professional fine artist. I also wanted to understand what being an artist can bring to industries and societies. I wanted to understand what it means to be a contemporary artist in the current art world.

We are encouraged to be experimental and push the boundaries of our personal ideals which always creates a positive and successful outcome in our practices. We do have the professional advice from tutors which are constantly available to help when necessary. The studio work is my favourite aspect because we have all the workshops and studio spaces to use which means that we have no boundaries to produce interesting work that we are passionate about.

The staff have always been enthusiastic and helpful. They are constantly available to have a quick chat and you could always book a tutorial with tutors if you needed in-depth help outside of our timetabled lessons. They all have relevant professional backgrounds and have always given us great advice about being a professional fine artist.

My trip to Cyprus with #DMUglobal enabled me to practice my professional fine art skills and allowed me to undergo a residency in another country for a week. This trip made me work with other artists and learn the culture of a different country. It also provided me with an experience that can now enrich my CV and support my artist career. I also had the chance to visit New York with #DMUglobal and we were given the opportunity to explore the renowned art world of the city.

This trip was vital for our Contextual Research module as we could research many artworks and artists whilst we were out there. This in turn improved and developed our own artistic practices because we were so inspired.

After I graduate I wish to explore teaching, curation and gallery management, and I am also interested in following a professional artist career and getting involved in national and international residencies as well as forming collaborative exhibitions in Leicester.