What we do has an impact

As part of a project exploring themes around ‘belonging’, students from Croydon College collaborated with SGI-UK to created art pieces inspired by panels from the Seeds of Hope and Action exhibition, which was held at the college in February this year as well as other places in the UK. The end of year show in Croydon College showcased their work across their time at the college.

As they prepare for the next stage of their journey, SGI-UK member Saskia Elzeta caught up with two of the students Freddy Green and Georgia McKenzie and their teacher Beth Newman-Moseley who supported them across the year.

Why did you choose to study art?
I was at a point in life where I didn’t really know what was going on, but I needed to do something. I felt like art was a way to learn more about myself because I love expressing myself creatively through lots of mediums at home. I came without a portfolio, and started on the basics and as I progressed I became more professional.

I would love to hear more about the role you feel young people play in creating a sustainable future?
Teaching young people that what they do has impact helps secure a more sustainable future. This includes things like how to recycle properly, and how to use more sustainable products.

Last year I did an art project ‘Vessel’. I took pictures of bins, a message to say bins are a vessel that are under-appreciated because people don’t use them as they should. They exist to keep our streets clean.

Do you have a dream or a goal you wish to achieve through your art?
I feel that every artist wants their art to be seen and appreciated but not every artist makes art for the purpose of change in the world.

I would like people to see me and my art and wonder if they could do things differently. The goal is to make art people can connect with and see themselves in. I look at my art and see myself in it.

Did you have an intention of what you want people to feel when they see the piece?
I feel a lot of what we do in our everyday lives is motivated by what we’ve learned as we’ve grown up.

A lot of people do things because they feel they have to, but we are in charge of our own life, we have dreams that we’ve had since we were little. So I think it’s a message to myself and to other people to look back and think: ‘Am I doing what’s right for myself and everyone around me?’

The inner child is what gives us hope and what encourages us to keep going. When we were young, we had so much hope for the future, many of us wanted to be astronauts, or singers or dancers. It’s this ‘inner child’ that pushes us to keep living and learning.

That’s so inspiring. Our Buddhist organisation SGI emphasises the importance of youth and that it’s so integral to have a youthful spirit throughout our lives, no matter what age we are.

What made you choose art to study, have you always loved art?
Yeah! I did an art club in Year 7 (young people aged 11 to 12) in my school. After my teacher left the school, she carried on doing lessons in her home, which I joined. It was really nice going to my art club once a week after school.

When I was 9, my mum bought me a book about all of the different art universities! Both my parents were very supportive, telling me to do whatever I wanted with my life.

After finishing at Croydon College, I’ll be going to University of the Arts London (UAL). I’m extremely happy!

Congratulations!  Your artwork is very connected to nature. What’s the perspective behind it, did you grow up with this way of seeing the world?
I’ve always been a big animal and nature person. I’ve seen images online of the inside of a human lung and it looks really similar to the branches of trees.

I found it really interesting to see the parallels of how people’s bodies are so similar to things in nature. Everything flows in the same pattern so I wanted to include it in the piece.

The yellow of joy and optimism in your piece also signifies danger and that we need to preserve nature because time is running out. What would you like people to feel looking at your the piece? 
I want it to be joyful and happy, with lots of pretty flowers. Then when people read the explanation, it makes them think deeper about what it’s saying. But I wanted people’s first glance to be a joyful response to nature and our connection to it.

It’s like an advert. When you see an advert that emphasises how good something is you feel positively about it and you want to preserve something you like.

Do you feel young people respond to positive messaging?
I think so because in general these days teenagers are seen as awful, and lots of bad things are associated with my age group. Yet anything uplifting is more powerful. Positives are always more powerful than negatives and that inspires the change we need.

You are all proving how precious youth are with your art work!  You are the ones that can transform the world!

Was there a particular story you felt came from the class through your collaboration with SGI-UK?
The main thing was hope. Everyone tackled the idea of hope in their own way and catered it to their practices. It had a profound impact on their work as a whole. The work they created for the exhibition extended into their practice now, so full of hope!

Do you see this newfound hope in their approach to the projects or in the skills themselves?
Both! Their approach and their skills. They now look at sustainable practices for example, and this has extended among the students. It’s had a profound impact.

What did you want the students to feel taking part in this project around sustainability?
One of our students, Greta Petronyte created a piece of work and the flyer based on the title ‘seeds of hope’. I believe she captured the whole message very well.

It’s not about making huge changes. We’re not going to change the world by tomorrow, but it’s about planting that seed. I took inspiration from that and I think a lot of the students did as well. It expanded their idea of sustainability in all different sectors beyond the idea of just recycling.

What was a panel or moment of the exhibition that inspired you most?
The hope side of it all! Sometimes, when we feel defeated, going back to hope is expanding the belief that we can make a difference. For my students to extend that into their creative practice is really important. For today’s young people, the notion that ‘Yes - I can make a difference’ is a way to move forward.

You are a very young teacher yourself. Do you think this plays a role in how you can inspire them?
Definitely! I try not to be a big figure of authority. I am here to help them, and I understand all the struggles that come with being part of Gen Z. It’s very positive.

How do you create goals for your students?
It depends on the person. Having a goal for them it’s just about inspiring confidence, like encouraging Georgia to sell her commissions for more money. It’s really important to get to know them and to figure out ways of creating goals together with them.

It’s been such a pleasure speaking with you and working with you! ●