Testimonial: Anne-Marie Hawley

NADC  Fine arts graduate Anne-Marie Hawley

NADC Fine Arts graduate, Anne-Marie Hawley, who now teaches art full-time at a local high school, tells us how her training at NADC set her on the road to her career.

What did you like most about studying fine arts at NADC?
NADC offers an amazingly rich course that covers all the art disciplines thoroughly. The teachers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion to the studio which creates an electric environment in which to learn. After studying at NADC for three years, I had established strong friendships with an incredibly diverse range of students from different stages of the course. Not only did my peers offer support and encouragement, there were some incredibly inspiring emerging artists who motivated you to excel.

What are you doing now and how did TAFE help you get there? 

I owe my passion for learning and the breadth and depth of my artistic skills to my studies at NADC.  I am a vocal promoter of TAFE to the next generation of budding artists who I teach at a Western Sydney high school. I have recently been employed on a full time basis and teach Visual Arts, Ceramics and Photography. Before that, I was building up my teaching experience as an educator at Penrith Regional Gallery and Cockatoo Island. After speaking to many arts trained teaching graduates, I know that I was walking into the arts education field with an advantage. NADC’s Fine Arts course gives you comprehensive experience across all the discipline in a way not offered by many tertiary institutions. Being able to teach so many disciplines with confidences has really enriched my programming and teaching in the classroom.

What are your plans and goals for the future?
I love art and I really enjoy teaching so I am intent on staying in the arts education industry. The high school at which I teach is currently enjoying great success across a range of local art and photography competitions. This is inspiring me to develop more learning experiences that enable my students to promote their work around the community and build the profile of Visual Arts at the school. Ultimately, I hope I am able to inspire my students to further their arts education in the same way NADC did for me.