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Hear straight from our graduates.

I wanted something more comprehensive than a short course but I definitely didn’t have the time or energy to undertake a whole new university degree. Luckily, a few friends recommended Shillington!

 

Freelance Designer, Studio Van Low & Digital Marketing Officer, Art Gallery Society of NSW

Vanessa Low

You previously studied a Bachelor of Art Theory at Uni, but decided to further your creative education at Shillington. What made you return to study and why did you choose Shillington?

My love of art led me to work in museums and galleries. However, whilst working at the Australian Museum, I was intrigued and inspired by the work that the designers did. I’ve always had creative ideas but not the hard skills to bring them all to life. I asked around about courses; I wanted something more comprehensive than a short course but I definitely didn’t have the time or energy to undertake a whole new university degree. Luckily, a few friends recommended Shillington!

You currently work as a Digital Marketing Officer at the Art Gallery Society of NSW, as well as freelance on the side. Could you tell us what a day-in-the-life looks like?

I’ve just started working at the Gallery and my main focus is bringing the stories of our art and programs to life online. I do this primarily through social media—I’ve got lots of ideas of how we can grow our visual communication and content in the future (watch this space!). On my freelance days, I am usually shooting content with clients, or designing and editing from my study at home.

What were you up to before Shillington? Why did you take the plunge and enrol?

I was working in exhibitions and admin at the Australian Museum, and doing freelance photography and writing on the side. I really wanted to learn new skills that would enable me to broaden my creative practice and potentially work in different industries (I love that almost any industry or niche can benefit from design and visual communication). The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Studying design would open a lot more avenues for me.

How did the course build your skillset?

The course gave me the theoretical background, design thinking and hard skills that I needed to become a fully-rounded designer. In addition to learning how to use design programs, like the Adobe creative suite, I really appreciated learning about research, developing ideas and communicating with others.

What would you say to someone who is skeptical about the Shillington course?

I’d recommend going along to one of the graduation shows. If the work you see excites you, then this could be the right fit. Talk to past students and look through interviews (like this one!).

Check out Van’s website and read her full interview on the blog

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