The journey to becoming a Senior Art Technician.
Music and art played such an important part for me growing up. I was incredibly lucky to have the support of some great teachers and technicians, who enabled me to find a place I could shine.
Art college enabled me to express myself in metal and clay. One of my lecturers, called Jacob, suggested I try using metal to create my characters. I booked an induction in the metal shop and before you know it, I was hammering old car panels, and tack welding bits and pieces to make strange forms out of reclaimed materials. Art college made me question my future in art, but I felt strongly that I wanted to become a designer of some kind and, if possible, make cool stuff.
I trained to become a professional model designer at university in 2004 and was fortunate enough to be involved in exciting experiences throughout my career. I made concrete flaming logs for the set of Brothers Grimm that would just miss falling on a Grimm brother in the shot (lookout, Matt Damon!). On the other end of the model-making spectrum, I was involved in the development of iconic architectural buildings such as One Blackfriars (aka. “The Vase” or “The Boomerang”) and the redevelopment of The Granary, at Kings Cross in London. It's so awesome to go back to London and see some of the models I helped to make become full-scale buildings.
I later trained to become a teacher and worked at several schools. I loved teaching, and the buzz of a school environment, but wanted to improve my work-life balance so looked for another possible direction.
I first became a Technician of Teaching and Research in Architecture. This was a great way to immerse me into how the university worked and share my skills and experience with students as an architectural model maker. Teaching young adults was a welcome change after teaching in the secondary school classroom. Students bought past experience and knowledge with them as well as challenging ideas.
I now work at The University of Reading as a Senior Technician of Teaching and Research in Fine Art. It is such an interesting place to be a technician.
My role is to provide students and staff with workshop-based training, support, and guidance. I aim to create a safe space in which they can discuss and develop their own two- or three-dimensional ideas. I love the challenge of turning an idea or sketch into a three-dimensional outcome.
Each day is always different, and the variety of practical techniques and applications is very broad. For example, one day I will be discussing how to construct a multifaceted interior space and next someone will ask my thoughts on how to create a full-sized goat. This is always a fun thing to bring up when I discuss what I do for a living with people. It never fails to bring a smile to people’s faces.
It is important for me to continue to learn new things so that my skill base remains up to date and relevant to practice outside of the university. Technology is moving so fast but applications such as 3D printing, and CNC machining offer an additional format in which individuals can express their art.
I have always enjoyed solving technical problems and helping others visualise their own and I’m pleased to say that becoming a technician has allowed me to do this every day.
*Photograph courtesy of Christine Ellison.