Julie on the importance of learning art

Julie Myck

"Studying art in IB was definitely not an easy course to take, but one which I can confidently say is necessary. It resulted in a kind of relaxation from the rest of the stressed caused by school, work or any other factors. The focus and concentration lead to forgetting about anything else on your mind and drifting away into another dimension.

Almost like meditation, I learned the complete importance of taking time for oneself , to have the power to stand above a situation and have control of your decisions. Always take time to breath and look around you.

It seems difficult to describe how art contributed / contributes to my life in a short statement but the best I can say is everything which art is (spiritually, metaphorically, physically) is what you learn or get out of it.

This allows you to take a step further and analyse the world around you in a different light, perhaps an essential light. We are all built to use our senses (to see, feel, hear....) and art, design, beauty, matches these senses.

Relating to where I am right now, I have really pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I am now studying interior architecture, taking on modelling and also conquering the business world and getting as much experience as I find I have the appropriate energy for! My days are usually full but I always manage to find time for fitness and health and being with people who truly matter to me in my life.

How did art contribute to this? Honestly, I would not spend my time writing this if I believed art (or any course in IB) didn't impact where I am now. Art is taking something you love, and continuing to work on it regardless of other happenings around you.

The same as working on a painting for example, you have a vision, or a concept even, and you work on it, slowly and with patience and you begin to see outcomes and something beautiful appears. This applies to myself; Things take time and require patience. Nothing fantastic will happen without the appropriate work or effort or finally without the positive energy to it.

With uni work, rather than trying to be the perfect student and match exactly what the paper says, I want to know what I can learn from it and I do not visualise the final outcome, it is about going step by step. I am after all taking an educational course, not a competition.

Modelling is something I find beautiful because it is like a minimalistic form of acting (an art). To be able to reenact a style, mood or a concept and express this through a photograph or film is fantastic. It is also a direct link to fashion which is something I am hoping to get strongly into in the future.

This leads on to me having the ability to travel in and out of London. I am slowly gaining great contacts and networking. I am very self driven and would love to one day run my own business - hopefully one day I will be there.

 Just like art, I learned that to get something you want, something you truly desire, you must be patient and keep working hard (but not over working yourself) and eventually, without question, you will get achievements, each one better or higher than the next."

Julie left St. Julian's in 2012. You can see more of Julie's modelling work in her facebook page here.

THANK YOU JULIE!!!!!!!