SORCHA TUCKER

“Well behaved women, rarely make history.” 

Women like Emelie Pankhurst did not make history for blending in with the crowd, she was liberal and stood for what she believed in. I do not wish to mislead you into thinking I am badly behaved, but more that I am willing to question things, and think outside the box, and be expressive in order to come up with the best possible ideas for my art and writing. 

Prior to joining the course I was clear that I had wanted to contribute my life to the arts, and did my best to experiment within the different fields to ensure that I find a route that was best fitted to me. I enjoy acting and theatre, and used to perform in a lot of productions. In the past 6 years I have taken a different role, and found that I love the production side, working backstage with the lighting , sound engineering and props, and set design throughout numerous productions and festivals. In the last two years I have  gone of to assist teaching production to a group of drama students, aged from 6-18.From the love of production and backstage work gained at the theatre, I began to delve into the production work of Television. Over the past few years I have helped out on ITV’s drama “Midsommer Murders”, Splash Media’s “Fantasy Homes” as well as work experience with BBC Spotlight , and BBC coverage of the 2012 Olympics. I have been involved in a lot of voluntary work at Exeter Phoenix, with Sound Gallery Studios, starting originally as a Sound Engineer, progressing to become a radio co-host, to assist recording albums, and events management, from which I lead a music event and competition, which at times was very stressful and strenuous, but worthwhile. Summer holidays of 2011 I spent a month in Kenya, volunteering in a partnered school, helping to improve their school building in Busia, on this trip I also climbed Africa’s second largest mountain, and learnt a lot of new skills. Music is a large factor in my life, and I play mainly for pleasure, performing live with a band and orchestra on occasions. My favourite instrument is the guitar, both electric and acoustic, but also play the bass guitar, piano and clarinet to varying degrees. 

As a part of this Art and Design extended diploma I have studied a variety of subjects, in my first year this included textiles, graphics, photography, fine art and art history. I also studied A-level 20th century Modern History  on the side. In this, my second year I have specialised in Fine Art, Graphics, and Art History, and photography outside of college in an evening class. My understanding from history, has helped me significantly with my art history, in order to put movements into context with what is happening around them, and influencing them. I’m influenced and inspired by a variety of art, from graffiti to that of Tracey Emin, and Gillian Wearing, whose work is very autobiographical, and concerning confessions and insecurities, which fascinates me. Wearings work find links in with the idea of “POSTSECRET” perfectly, an online site where people send in postcards annomously confessing secrets they cant tell anyone in person. David Choe is my favourite artist, I love the expressionistic, passionate art he produces, some of which people find vulgar and crude, but I find it very personal and intriquate. I often go to exhibitions to look at others art, going to the Tate Modern, as well as smaller more local galleries. The most inspiring exhibition I have visited was James Hart-Dykes, in Mayfair, of his paintings and drawings collected after travelling for a year with MI6. 

With regards to the future, I intend in September be starting my university course in my chosen course of Fine Art with a large aspect being of Art History. Im looking forward to starting a new path , and hope that this will begin this September. After University I intend to do a Postgraduate Teaching degree to be able to teach afterwards. During this summer I am taking a TEFL qualification and this combined with the PGCE will allow me to teach across the globe both Art and English. As a career I would like to be an artist as well as teaching part time. I enjoy working with children of all ages and exploring different creative paths, and think I would make a good teacher too.