“I always felt that I was meant to work within a creative field in some way,” said Kyle Sherwin, from Campbellford and a student in Loyalist’s Art Design and Foundation program. “This program has definitely reinforced that belief. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and learn from working artists and by doing so have discovered that I have many similar characteristics to them. The past year has reinforced that this is what I am supposed to be doing — I know I’m meant to be an artist.”
The Art and Design Foundation program was launched at Loyalist this past September. It is a one-year certificate program that introduces students to a variety of media, enabling them to gain a balance of skills in fine art and design. They focus on both traditional and digital media, which makes it possible for them to develop a broad-based creative portfolio. Some students choose to identify a specific sector within the art and design industry and build their portfolio targeting that area — with the goal of further study and career development.
In March the students participated in a juried art exhibit. They chose pieces from their year’s work to submit. A panel of judges then selected those which would be included in the exhibit. Nine of Kyle’s submissions were featured in the show.
“The art exhibit is very important,” Kyle said. “First, we were encouraged to evaluate and critique our work as we selected which pieces to submit. That process is crucial for artists and probably one of the most difficult things to do. It is hard to be objective about something you’ve created. Next was the judges’ feedback. Their professional insight was definitely a valuable learning experience. In addition to these benefits, my confidence was given a huge boost. 
I watched with pride and excitement as people looked at my work, and by listening to their comments, I realized that they liked it. That was a very positive reinforcement for me.”
Kelly Taylor is also a student in the program. “Being the first group of students in this program has been a truly exciting experience. Our class has been unconditionally supportive of each other and now it is time for each of us to move forward in our chosen directions.” The Art and Design Foundation program was developed for individuals with a creative flair who are interested in popular culture, art, architecture, design, photography, animation and gaming. Graduates have the opportunity to continue their studies in a wide range of creative and artistic programs at Loyalist or apply their skills and talents to artistic endeavours and career development. To learn more about the program visit Art and Design Foundation.