Sailing Away from Safe Harbours: Lessons from a Year in Art Education

The air in London crackles with excitement as new students flood the city. September marks not only the start of the academic year in the UK but also countless fresh beginnings—hopes, ambitions, and a touch of nervous anticipation mingling in the autumn wind.

As a contemporary Japanese artist based in London, I reflect on my own journey of returning to formal study.

Last year, I enrolled in a one-year Art Foundation Diploma after developing a self-taught art practice in drawing and original printmaking over the course of three years. While I valued the freedom of self-directed practice, I also wanted to explore whether structured study could expand my artistic voice.

From Self-Taught Practice to Structured Growth

Before the diploma, my focus was on drawing and original printmaking, often working from home or on short courses due to the challenge of finding affordable studio space in London. This approach sharpened my skills but limited my scope. I realised I needed broader perspectives, professional critique, and the chance to experiment with new materials and media.

Formal education gave me precisely that. Within the first six weeks (as reflected at that time here), I experienced the benefits of structured learning, including collaborating with tutors, exchanging ideas with peers, and utilising facilities. Over the course of the year, my practice expanded into sculpture and installation art, areas that felt beyond reach in my self-taught years.

Benefits of Formal Art Education for Emerging Contemporary Artists

The diploma highlighted several key advantages:

• Creative dialogue and critique: Inspiration from tutors and peers helped me refine my voice and identify both strengths and limitations.

• Dedicated time and space: The ability to focus intensively across multiple projects encouraged artistic risk-taking and innovation.

• Access to multidisciplinary methods: Exploring diverse materials and techniques strengthened my work’s relevance for contemporary art exhibitions and collections.

For curators and galleries, these qualities—dialogue, experimentation, and cross-disciplinary practice—are essential markers of an emerging artist worth following.

Balancing Challenges and Opportunities

Of course, there were challenges. Full-time study reduced my income, and the set curricula occasionally risked narrowing creative freedom. Group dynamics sometimes influenced decision-making. Yet, these very challenges taught me to stay grounded in my own vision while engaging critically with outside perspectives—a skill vital when working with institutions, curators, and art commissioners.

By the end of the diploma, I had created three major installations and broadened my practice into areas I never envisioned at the start. This growth underscored how structured study fosters artistic maturity. For galleries, museums, and art buyers, it signals an artist ready to contribute to curated programmes, collaborative projects, and professional exhibitions.

Looking Ahead: A Graduate Diploma and Beyond

This period of transformation led me to enrol in a Graduate Diploma in Fine Art. My focus now is to deepen my multidisciplinary approach, merging Japanese and Western influences in drawing, printmaking, and installation. I aim to create work that resonates with viewers, collectors, curators, and cultural institutions seeking fresh voices in the contemporary art landscape.

When doubts arise about the uncertain future, I recall the words of Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

This quote mirrors my journey as an artist—balancing risk, growth, and discovery—ready to create work that speaks to viewers, institutions, and exhibitions in the ever-evolving world of contemporary art.