Flying South for the winter

 Exactly 17 days ago today I left home to move to the plentiful city of Preston where I will be studying Illustration for the next 3 years. So far it's been an exciting adventure. To think that 17 days ago, almost everyone I'm surrounded by now was a stranger seems surreal!
In the first week of living independently I managed to fall down some stairs after being covered in foam (my bruise has only just disappeared), set foil on fire in the microwave and burn clingfilm in an attempt to cook some vegetables- also in the microwave. But I've also learned how to cook a filling meal from a mix of ingredients, budget, save money, make friends and organise myself, from cleaning the bathroom to getting up in the morning. I didn't realise how many little things I took for granted at home; the washing up being done by 'magic' if I left it on the side and just having my little puppy companion around.
After a visit from my best friend and a couple of days I got over my homesickness and my course began. After earning my diploma last year I felt like I knew all of the art and design that I needed to know and was ready to specialise, but after just two lectures I've learned so many new things.



In the second week of being here I got published in Out Of Step Books' 'Excavate: Unearthing Artistic Remains' which you can pre-order here: http://www.oosbooks.com/Excavate_Unearthing_Artistic_Skeletal_Remains_p/excavatebook.htm then in a further 7 days an exciting project that I've been working on for a long time will be sent off for printing and handed out at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival where my writer and I won first place last year!

I can't wait to see what these next 3 years bring and how my style and attitude towards working as an artist will change, hopefully for the better. Until then I look forward to going home at Christmas to spend time with my family and tell them of this new chapter in my life as an artist and adult.
Some (acceptable) photos of the last two weeks:

















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