Upper Sixth Form art scholar at King’s College, Taunton Zhanna B is celebrating after receiving an offer of a place at Central St Martins, the world-renowned arts and design college in London.
King’s College Upper Sixth Form art scholar Zhanna B is celebrating after receiving an offer of a place at Central St Martins, the world-renowned arts and design college in London.
Zhanna is a dedicated and talented artist whose creative talent shone though in her outstanding portfolio. The admissions team recognised her exceptional skills and creativity, and were so impressed with her work that they offered her a place on both the Art & Design Foundation course and BA (Hons) Performance: Design & Practice. The one-year Foundation qualification is an ideal bridge from a school education to the demands of specialist undergraduate study in the creative arts, though notoriously difficult to be accepted onto.
Central St Martins is known for producing some of the most successful and influential artists and designers in the world. The school has a rigorous academic programme and encourages students to experiment and push boundaries, resulting in ground-breaking work that challenges conventions and inspires new ways of thinking.
Head of Art at King’s College, Mrs Schmidt explained how the department supports pupils, saying: “As part of the Sixth Form experience in art and design, we encourage pupils to explore their interests beyond the A-level curriculum to help them build exciting and personal portfolios for university entry. Taking part in public exhibitions, running workshops and engaging in art related community work helps them to understand the wider impact of the creative subjects within society.
“Whatever area of the creative industries a pupil is interested in pursuing, an open and curious mind is essential and we are keen to nurture these skills at King’s.”
Zhanna lives and breaths art and has spent much of the last four years in the art department at King’s. She joined the school in the Fourth Form, completing textiles and art at GCSE level and is now studying A-level art and photography. She ran workshops with the lower school art scholars, and this year set-up and organised the first ever boarding house art competition.
Zhanna said: “Mrs Shmidt has been my mentor and tutor, and she has pushed me out of my comfort zone. She also taught me how to discuss my work, which is a crucial skill in art world and essential if I’m to achieve my goals and reach my potential.
“Despite being offered a place on the post graduate degree, I decided to stick with the initial plan and complete the foundation diagnostic year. That will help me understand which direction to take when I apply for a degree the following year.
“King’s has given me the skills and abilities I need, and I’m thrilled to be joining such a prestigious college and excited about the opportunity to learn from, and work, with some of the best creatives in the industry.”
At King’s College, fine art is the foundation of the department, and pupils develop traditional drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and textiles skills alongside exploring contemporary media such as digital photography, film and IT. Pupils are supported to find their strengths, and develop artistic skills to express themselves.
The inspiring work of this year’s talented Sixth Formers will be on display at their End of Year Show in the Silvermead Studio at King’s College on Wednesday 28 June from 6pm. Please visit www.kings-taunton.co.uk to find out more about the creative departments at King’s College.