Sharon travelled to the future and graduated in 'Synatrology'
- Fine Art
- Design
- Education in Art
During her last year in the Fine Art and Design in Education course, Sharon became interested in futuristic art: an idealisation of everything modern, fast and new. “But I did ask myself: in this day and age, do I still want to be a futuristic artist?” As an 'archaeologist of the future', she went to that future and found her answer to that question.
Sharon has known since she was sixteen years old and finished secondary school that she wanted to go to art school. But figuring out which direction she wanted to take was a different ball game. “To give myself some extra time to figure out the best path for me, I did a Media and Design pre-vocational training course (VMBO). There I learned that I have a knack for teaching. A teacher pointed out how much professionalism I had and pleasure I took in giving my presentations. He recommended that I look into becoming a teacher. I am certainly a creative mind, but I knew as well that I didn’t want to be a freelance artist. So the Fine Art and Design in Education course was a perfect fit for me. I applied for three different academies, but ArtEZ in Zwolle had the nicest atmosphere and that inviting environment won me over.” Since then, Sharon has gone to ArtEZ and now is already finished with her finals work. It consists of two components: a visual art component and an educational component.
Synatrology: a synthesis of nature and technology
Futuristic art inspires Sharon, though she “wondered if, in this day and age, being a futuristic artist was the right direction for [her]. Futuristic art is a celebration of new technology. But nowadays we are a little wary of technology, as if it is taking over nature. Is that apprehension necessary, though? In order for my work to reach the viewer, I make it seem like that the work has been discovered rather than created by someone. So, I am a futuristic artist who acts like I’m an archaeologist of the future, in order to strengthen my work. To do that, I decided to take a look into the kind of future I fantasize about, where there is a kind of synthesis of nature and technology. I even gave it its own name: Synatrology. In Synatrology, both technology and nature live and thrive through this synthesis. It is a celebration of two elements that, instead of decaying, live on together in harmony. My work is my 'archaeological finds from the future' and demonstrates this synthesis of nature and technology in the future.”
Never give up!
"In my head, I could see exactly what I wanted it to look like, but then the experimentation started. How should I go about this? What materials and techniques can I use? I experimented so much! During the study programme, you learn that this experimentation process is simply a part of being an artist. Over the past four years, we worked with many different materials and through that experience, I’ve really learned to look at materials in a nuanced way, to be open-minded and in search of possibilities. In the end, a kind of sheet metal on wood proved to be the solution for what I had in mind. It is super thin and difficult to work with, so that also required a bit of creative research! It helps that I don't give up easily."
Creative educator
Sharon’s finals work for the Fine Art and Design in Education course does not only consist of her visual component on Synatrology. As an art educator, the idea is to convey the meaning of art in a creative way. For the educational part of her finals work, she developed a learning tool to make the history of art easier to learn and remember. "During my internship I made a game about the history of art in the period 1900-1950. It is meant to be used as a learning tool for high school students at the 5-HAVO and 5-VWO level, to offer more clarity, structure and knowledge. This kind of alternative way of learning and teaching is very appealing to me; I am very pleased with the result. My supervising teacher is also enthusiastic about my game; he thinks I should look for a publisher."
Future plans
"During my internship, I noticed that I really enjoy teaching, but that I prefer more personal and individual coaching. I love the one-on-one conversations with students and discovering the deeper psychological part to their story. I would like to work with young people with behavioural disorders and help them to discover what their next steps should be. That’s why I chose to take the Vocational Therapy/Creative Therapist programme. I can also use the experience and knowledge I get from the programme in my future educational pursuits as well, such as, as a mentor.”
Check out Sharon's work at artez.nl/finals
More information about the Fine Art and Design in Education course
