Lisa uses steady hand from 35 years as a vet to produce stunning work on York School of Art degree

Lisa, 59, is currently in the second year of her BA (Hons) Graphic & Communication Design studies, having progressed from our Access to Higher Education Art & Design diploma after initially attending a Summer Adult Showcase session on Campus in July 2022.

Her progress in that time has been remarkable with the Crow's Nest sculpture that she designed being showcased as part of the Discover: Eggsplore Easter Trail around York after being brought to life by our Ceramics Technician Sarah Schiewe, of Schiewe Ceramics.

Through her connections with The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, where she is an alumnus, Lisa also joined her fellow Graphic & Communication Design students on a three-day trip to Edinburgh last month, where they produced a mural for the university’s All4Paws charity – an organisation that supports homeless people with pets.

The switch from a life working in science to a degree deeply embedded in the arts might seem like an unusual transition, but Lisa has learned that there are parallels between the two disciplines, declaring: “I did an extra qualification in ophthalmology when I was about 30, so did a lot of work on the eyes as a vet and it’s quite intricate work.

“Equally, doing the course, there’s a surprising amount of cutting required and I really enjoyed doing Printmaking, where you use tools. You’re using your hands with both and I suppose having a steady hand does help.

“My husband was the Practice Manager at the vet practice as well, so it was our whole life really and all-consuming. I find Art all-consuming as well, so I feel that I have gone from one thing that occupies your mind 24 hours a day to another.”

Having gained the necessary A Level grades in Maths, Biology and Chemistry, Lisa secured a place at Vet School and went on to enjoy more than three decades working in her dream profession supporting clients and their pets and becoming a partner in the practice where she started out in her first job.

But, after being involved in the eventual sale of the business, Lisa first returned to education at Sim Balk Lane on a part-time basis over two years on the Access course while still working one day a week as a vet.

She has now moved away from the profession completely, though, reasoning that you cannot take a “half-measure” approach to veterinary work or a full-time degree.

While some skills might be transferable from her previous vocation, meanwhile, Lisa has also, with the help of our tutors, unearthed previously untapped talents that informed her degree choice at the end of the Access course, where a broad range of disciplines are covered.

“Right from the very first few weeks of the Access course, (tutor) Debbie (Wood- Saanaoui) just saw what my strengths were straight away like a good teacher does and really brought me on,” Lisa explained. “She came to me in about Week Two and said she thought I had a talent for Surface Pattern and Illustration.

“I didn’t even know what that was then! But, now, I think she was probably correct. 

“I went into the course thinking that 3D work might be my strongest area, because of my father’s background as an architect. Animals are obviously 3D as well – they’re not flat! 

“But, by choice, I tend to migrate towards flat things like graphics.”

Growing up, Lisa always had an interest in art and was surrounded by influencers who were family or friends.

She wasn’t particularly encouraged, however, to explore her creative side at “a very traditional all-girls’ school in Manchester” and has grasped the opportunity to express her artistic talents later in life.    

“I’d always said I wanted to do something like this,” she admitted. “That creative, aesthetic thing was always there, with my father being an architect. 

“I used to do a lot of drawing with my son and a bit at work if I was explaining to a client what we were going to do with their pet. I’ve also got one or two friends who are artists and I always enjoyed the tranquillity of going into a gallery and that contrast with being in a clinical and busy environment. I liked that sense of space and calm and quiet. 

“My husband’s aunty was at the Bradford School of Art and she always encouraged me, too. She did textiles and her husband was a sculptor but, at school, there was a greater importance placed on the sciences and subjects like History, Geography and Latin.”

When it came to choosing the right destination for her return to education, meanwhile, there were options that would have been easier geographically than York College & University, given that Lisa lives “on the east side of Leeds”, but it took just one visit to Campus for her to decide Sim Balk Lane was worth the longer commute. 

“I’d gone to the odd art class in places like Castleford and Wakefield and was looking for something,” she recalled. “I went to one college that would have been more convenient but, when I spoke to the teacher, she was ever so nice but admitted that she’d had real trouble getting the work out of the students.

“Then, I met Debbie and saw the fantastic work that they produced here and just thought this feels right for me. I’d been looking around and I liked what I saw and I liked Debbie.” 

That connection with Debbie also proved important as Lisa acclimatised to her return to education in a subject where she was firmly out of her comfort zone.

On those early Access course days, she added: “I was a bit daunted. The first day of school is no different anywhere – you don’t really know where you are.

“But Debbie is really amazing. She was like a sheepdog herding us all to where we needed to be.

“She’s also very good at getting you to do the work. There was a week-on-week expectation and, if you weren’t doing your work, she’d want to know why and impress on you that, if you weren’t keeping up, it would become difficult. 

“She knows how to teach all age groups and is excellent at it. She was also very inspiring and I loved everything that we did. 

“Emma (Whiting) – the print lady – was inspiring as well. All the tutors have been amazing.”

Lisa’s enjoyment of the Access course also played a major role in her decision to progress on to one of our York School of Art degree courses when other universities again might have been closer to home.

“I considered doing a Master’s somewhere else, but felt I still needed more tuition and Debbie agreed,” Lisa pointed out. “I was familiar with here and the Graphics course felt like the best fit for me.

“I just wasn’t sure that I could do 3D (Creative Practice), even though I deliberated over that for ages. I was also used to being here, knew how to get here and where to park my car.”

Now just past the halfway point of her course, Lisa has no regrets about committing her future to York College for another three years, even though elements have been challenging, as she fully expected from degree-level tuition. 

“Some parts have been a bit stressful, like knowing where to upload files,” she confessed. “But I loved Typography in the first term and Print and Bookmaking in the second term was amazing.

“Inevitably, I don’t enjoy things like contextualisation and essay writing as much and I’ve worked with different tutors from those I did the Access course with, but (course lead) Monica (Gabb), (tutor) Katy (Holmes) and (tutor) Stuart (Harvey) have all been great.

“It’s been really good, although I wouldn’t for one minute say it’s been easy. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, even compared to vet training, because it is so constant – from the first day in September until the last in June.

“Even during the mid-semester break, we did the ceramics Eggsplore Trail project, which I did really enjoy. I also enjoyed working with Sarah on that. She’s got an amazingly creative brain.”

Lisa has also enjoyed being among fellow mature students on the course, as well as the personal touch offered as part of a smaller cohort than would be expected at bigger universities.

“There is another student who is a year younger than me and one who is 42,” Lisa said. “It’s very doable in your late 50s, as long as you’re prepared to commit the time and be disciplined. 

“There have been lots of evenings and weekends when I have been working and my husband has been watching the football! Because of the small numbers, we also definitely get a lot more support and can always get in contact with tutors and get access to good facilities.

“We are in two days a week with an optional third day, but the tutors are always very welcoming if you want to go in on any day of the week. In the first year, when I was struggling with aspects of the digital side, I did that a bit more.”

Having her work displayed in Stonegate’s Pyramid Gallery as part of the city centre Discover: Eggsplore Easter Trail and in the mural at her old university have been added bonuses and provided great live project experience.

“Going to Edinburgh added a different dimension, because it meant we had to deliver it on time,” she declared. “It was a very positive experience.

“The biggest thing was it needed to have a professional outcome and it did look like it had been delivered to that standard.”

Each project has also whetted Lisa’s appetite and bolstered her confidence to enter into more collaborations once she completes her course.

“I am considering doing art therapy after I graduate, because I don’t want the degree to be the end of the road,” she said. “I’m not looking for regular employment, but I want it to lead to something that’s a bit more than a hobby. 

“I’d maybe like to do more charity stuff and I’d love to do something to support students, because there are a lot of mental health issues in the veterinary profession – both at undergraduate and graduate level.”

Lisa is also looking forward to celebrating the competition of five years of study at York College & University Centre in one of the country’s most majestic of settings.

Contemplating that September 2027 Graduation Day date at York Minster, she added: “I’ve never really dared to think about that, because I've had moments where I’ve thought I just can’t do it, but it will be amazing!”

To learn more about our BA (Hons) Graphic & Communication Design course, please click here

For information on our full York School of Art provision, visit here

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