Amy Wheeler
What attracted you to Coventry University and the course you chose to study?
I had no idea what I wanted to study after school, until I looked at my homework one day and realised that it was covered in drawings. When I decided on Illustration I hadn’t completed an art course, so initially thought I would have to stay in my hometown for another year for a foundation course, which was devastating. All my friends would be leaving for a new start all over the country, and I would be stuck at home for another long year.
When I got my A level results and had the chance to apply through clearings, I jumped at the chance. I spoke to the head of the department at Coventry, who was engaging and kind, and I knew we’d be a great fit. He liked my art style and made me feel confident in my abilities, despite not studying art in school for a long time. I had never been to Coventry before, so it was really a leap of faith for both of us!
What were the highlights of your course?
My fellow students were some of the most amazing and interesting people I’ve ever met. Having the freedom to study with each other in a laid back environment meant we could share ideas and learn from each other. Everyone had different skills and styles that really inspired me to explore the field further. Having incredibly engaging tutors like John Burns and Simon Bell as well, made me eager for class every week. Having them to guide us, and lead in many a riveting discussion – in class and over a coffee – made me expand my thinking, and my interests.
How did studying at Coventry University equip you with the skills you need for your career?
When I first started at Coventry, I was in what I can only describe as a ‘box’ when it came to creativity. I did one thing, one style, and never really extended myself out of a certain comfort zone within my art. The things I learned and the people I worked with at Coventry made me see a new world of creative expression and influence. Now I keep my inspiration doors open to everything, and my art and expression has crossed over into areas I never thought possible – into collage, painting, sculpture, graphic novels, children’s books, and more.
Describe what you do and what you find most enjoyable about your job.
As a freelance illustrator and writer it’s anyone’s guess what I’ll be working on next. I love the ever changing landscape, and the hunt for new ideas. I draw for people who have great ideas, but can’t quite find their creative voice. I love to make their stories, characters, and need come to life.
As a collage artist it’s the opposite – there is nothing I love more than locking myself away and exploring my own personal stories. I have an idea for a concept, I dive into books, magazines, papers, and find a thousand images that ‘might work’. Then I cut them all out and play for hours until the final image finds me.
Being freelance has also given me the freedom of time to explore other things – this last few years I’ve also worked on TV and film, and even started acting.
What attracted you to working in the sector you now work in?
I have always had a need to follow creativity. No matter what task is put before me, whatever job I have at the time, I will always find a way to give it a coat of creativity. Nothing else will satisfy me as much, and I cannot stop the flow – so why try?
I love to create stories, in whatever medium I can. So whether it’s a pencil drawing, a collage piece, or a creepy poem about raising the dead… that is just what I was put on this Earth to do, and to enjoy. Enjoying what you do every day is a gift.
What is your happiest memory of your time at Coventry University?
Whenever I get together with people I knew from that place and time, we tell tale after tale. We laugh, remember, and enjoy the experience. I have no recollection of the times I was at the edge of a deadline or swamped with work missing a good night out. I remember everything else including the people, the places, the town, and doing a course that I loved. Working at the Aardvark pub (back when it was good – yellow card discounts); the smell of the Graham Sutherland building, walking to the deli at lunchtime with friends; working in our 4th floor studios and meeting my partner of 12 years in fresher’s week are all there in three amazing years of memories.
What would you say to a student thinking of studying here and why?
Old people always say to you “enjoy it while it lasts!” And when you’re young you ignore this advice, looking dead on to the next thing, and the next after that. But when I drove my boxes of books and pencils around that ring road for the final time at the end of my third year, I understood that statement more than any other time in my life.
Those people, those experiences and those classes could never be replicated. I didn’t realise at the time just what an incredible world was built around me while I studied at Coventry.
Being in a wonderful little town where all your new friends live no more than a half hour walk away, where you can draw inspiration from buildings, people and events all around you is invaluable. My course put me at the start of a long and winding path of constant learning and inspiration, so that I had what I needed to shape my own creativity. Coventry as a city did the same thing for who I wanted to become as a person. And I love it dearly for that. I always will.