Noel Hernon - Art & Animation Level 6
I met many new people and made some great connections. I learned how to use important software Adobe which will help my future career and my education as i hope to pursue a career in graphic design. I gained a lot of confidence in my own ability and also my social skills have greatly improved. I loved experiencing different cultures and learning about the history of Finland and discovered they have a similar culture to the Irish. It has made me more driven to pursue my career and I feel like it was one of the best experiences of my life and I am so happy that i was lucky enough to take part in it.
Emily Lohan - Art & Animation Level 6
I learned how to live by myself and budget every day. I also learned how to work with people of different cultures and whose first language isn't English. The trip boosted my confidence in terms of navigating airports and train stations. Doing the interview and application for Erasmus and getting chosen also boosted my self esteem. This placement confirmed my career choice of fine art. I got to witness firsthand how a museum operates.
Paula Oliveira - Art & Animation Level 6
The Erasmus+ experience changed my way of understanding the art I have been producing and how to improve it. I feel I have developed an ability to think quick and to organise myself as well as responding to briefings and art related challenges. It helped me to build confidence that my type of work ( cartoons / comic stripes) can be taken seriously and that it is an wonderful way of communicating and teaching. It was definitely a life-changing experience.
Stuart Anderson - Art & Animation Level 6
During my time in Finland I spent my time working at Espoo Museum of Modern ART EMMA, helping out with setup for a new exhibition. Behind the scenes work that I have never seen before, it was fascinating helping out. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I learned that i'd very much like to work in that environment. The transportation and storage of artworks was fascinating. How the humidity and air temperature needs controlled. how they hung art works on the wall with a laser level. Why we are not allowed to use flash photography in an art museum and why paper works are hung away from windows and natural light.
Catherine Peters - Art & Animation Level 6
Personally I really enjoyed experiencing the Finnish people. They are a lot like the Irish in their personalities and culture. My favourite part was probably the last week where I lived with a Finnish family and got to experience their culture on a personal level. I have improved interpersonal skills, as well as leadership skills, group skills and communication skills throughout my placement. It has also helped me build my confidence in meeting new people and making new friends. I'm hoping this experience will help me present as more professional and potentially give me a head start in an international field. I would like to work in the animation sector and I believe having this experience under my belt will look good for prospective employers.
Tara Jayne Burke - Art & Animation Level 6
The main element that I will take away from my E+ experience: Meeting people in a relevant field for my future career (and people interested in art in general) I made contacts with them and it's nice to be able to support them as well as them support me. I got the opportunity to use and become comfortable with software and hardware that are of industry standard to animation (toon boom, wacom cintiques, motion rigging) , Just learning how to gauge people and talk to them on a professional level. It's reassured me that animation is where my career is (hopefully) headed. It's taught me how to talk to people in the industry and to gain from it. And it has also helped me understand how widespread animation is and how many opportunities there are to aspiring animators like myself all across the world.
Broc Daly - Art & Animation Level 6
On reflecting on this experience, I enjoyed the total integration that we experienced amongst the Finnish students. I truly believe that I've made genuine lifelong connections that will increase in value as I gain experience in my field of work. I took great pleasure in living independently and with complete self-reliance. Some skills that I developed include a deeper understanding of fine art mediums such as painting and sculpture, and a great broadening of my world perspective, particularly in relation to art and art history. I also learned to work even through stresses such as homesickness and jet lag, and feel as though I can trust myself with far more ambitious projects from now on. This experience will continue to affect my career long into the future, I am sure, as the cultural exposure and meaningful friendships that I collected there have had an incredibly powerful effect not only on my work itself, but also on how I work altogether. I feel as though I have a much stronger foundation beneath me as an artist and a professional, which is made all the more vital when one considers the necessity of a strong character within the art industry.
Fiona Curley - Art & Animation Level 6
It was exciting to be in another culture working instead of on holidays. It gave a very different feel to the experience. I improved my research skills and improved my learning techniques. i know for sure I can happily work on my own or in a team although I prefer a mixture of both. I met other artists who hold down a daytime job as well as pursuing their art which is something I am currently doing. The opportunity to focus purely on art for three weeks was delicious. It leaves me with the ambition to experience the same again. It has made me ambitious to finance a career in the arts. Many artists I met are multi taskers. I will explore this in my work experience in the future. I really enjoyed the chance to see such a beautiful city in the snow. A very different experience I might otherwise not have chosen. I would love to go back there again.
Amy McMahon - Art & Animation Level 6
The things that I enjoyed the most were getting to be in a new country, meeting new people, and getting to have new experiences every day. It was really great to have the freedom to explore Pori during our free time and to spend time with our mentor doing activities such as skiing and sightseeing. It was also amazing to experience going to the sauna, skiing, and even just the sheer amount of snow that Finland gets on a daily basis. I felt like I was able to experience Finnish life better than if I had just been there for a holiday. I liked getting to experience life as a Finn and comparing the differences between that as an Irish person. I think that I really expanded on my organisational skills in terms of sorting out transport from one place to another, and got to develop my team work skills through talking to my class mates and working on our group project in college.The new skills and insights I acquired include: how to work as a team to produce a board game, the Finnish educational culture, the ability to work on my patience and listening skills. I feel like this Erasmus+ placement will help me to get a job in the future because it will show I am able to travel and live independently in a foreign country.
Sadhbh Ní Dhálaigh -Art & Animation Level 6
Living in Finland was wonderful. I now know that I want to live abroad on a more permanent basis. I feel more confident that I can make this happen, and that it's the right decision to make. Living outside of Ireland was stimulating and mind-expanding. The experience has made me feel that it's possible to live how I really want.
Conor Cleary -Art & Animation Level 6
I enjoyed my time in GiggleBug Entertainment the most. Being able to see a working studio and being able to work alongside was an incredible experience. They were all very helpful and I knew that if I had a question or needed help with what I was doing, I could ask any of them.I think that I have definitely improved my inter personal skills and overall confidence with my work ability. I think being able to add an internship at a foreign Animation studio will look good on a CV and greatly help me in finding another internship or work in the future.
Derek Gardiner -Art & Animation Level 6
I gained new self independence, I've become more calm and can take control of any situation that i'm in. I've meet new people in Finland and I will be staying in contact with them and I have gained more skills from my time in Finland and will use them in everyday task.