We caught up with Mike to find out about his experiences before joining the College, why the arts are so important to him, and his advice for anyone wanting to get into the industry.

Q: Tell us about your experiences before joining the college.

A: I’d been working for a few years as a freelance cartoonist for magazines like Punch and a broadsheet cartoon newspaper called The Cartoonist, mostly caricature and topical gag cartoons. I was balancing commercial work with teaching life drawing at a college in Newcastle upon Tyne, two jobs I really enjoyed. The whole arrangement was exciting but unsustainable, so when an old friend from Staffordshire (where I’d studied on a degree in Fine Art) told me that Newcastle-under-Lyme College were looking for someone to teach life drawing and illustration I sent in a CV and covering letter. I was invited down for an interview and my career direction moved slowly into teaching full time.

Read his full Q&A here.

We caught up with Amber to chat about her experiences before joining us, where she finds her inspiration and her advice for anyone wanting to study photography.

Q: Tell us about your experiences before joining the College.

A: I studied Photography at Nottingham Trent University where I explored a range of photography practices, I was particularly interested in the fashion industry at the time which led me to interning and eventually working in London as a stylist for e-commerce companies. I have always had a passion for teaching and throughout my studies I worked for the NCS as a Photography Practitioner, teaching young adults’ photography where we would visit charities, hospices and community centres using photography to interact and build relationships with communities. This experience was so valuable and rewarding for me and eventually led me to pursue teaching further. I completed my PGCE in Secondary Art Education at Birmingham City University, which resulted in me becoming Head of Photography in a secondary school and sixth form in Wolverhampton for 4 and a half years before joining NSCG.

Read her full Q&A here.

I have been working at Newcastle College for 10 years now as a Lecturer and the Curriculum Leader of the Extended Diploma in Art and Design Practice. I specialise in 3D and mixed media practices which I studied at MMU. I enjoy working in a range of scales having produced large scale sculptural pieces and have specialised in jewellery making. I love to work with resin, plaster, wood, metal and plastics in particular. Printmaking and collage have also been a big part of my practice. I love to manipulate materials in order to find new and exciting visual qualities. As a lecturer, I aim to support students in the development and discovery of their own practice, encouraging creativity and experimentation. I will work with you to approach your practice with an open mind and willingness to make mistakes. I love working with young, creative people in order to unlock their potential.

I have always been fascinated in all things art and have a Masters Degree in Games Art from LJM, which coincides nicely with my love for video games. I have worked in a number of different art-based jobs including Architectural 3D visualisation, Games Art and I was the lead designer in an IT company for 10 years. My specialisms are traditional concept art and 3D modelling and I make and sell ceramics in my spare time. A few years ago, I decided to try a change of career which lead me to teaching where I am entering my fourth year and have seen some incredible work produced from talented and inspiring students.

I have ran the BTEC L3 Fashion course for nine years, and was previously the Curriculum Leader for Art & Design, lecturing fashion. I have taught Fashion & Textiles at Lancashire University, and studied a Textile degree at the University of Huddersfield, specialising in embroidery for fashion. I now direct my focus on styling and imaging, as well as fabric manipulation, fashion drawing and illustration. I aim to inspire and motivate my students in a fun atmosphere, and to share my experience and passion for teaching the insightful world of the fashion industry.

After exploring various creative pursuits whilst at college and university, including creative writing, art and music journalism, I originally intended to use my degree to become a secondary school teacher. Before taking the plunge, I decided to get some experience in the field of education and became a Learning Support Assistant at my local high school. I gained valuable experience here and ended up really enjoying the pastoral element of the job so I chose to head in this direction instead of teaching. I love helping students through their journeys, supporting them through the good times and bad, so when the opportunity to become a Personal Tutor in the Art and Creative Studies department at NSCG came up, I jumped at the chance!

Over the past 30 years I have split my time working as a professional photographer and part-time lecturer and have worked at Newcastle College for over 11 years. I started my career as a Picture Editor in London for a leading photo agency after completing an HND in Creative Business Studies and gaining a professional qualification with the BIPP. I then worked full-time as a freelance photographer for over 13 years and in that time acquired many blue-chip clients, including the BBC, Louis Vuitton and Bang & Olufsen. I currently work for TV/Film, corporate, design and advertising companies and my images are published globally. I have written articles on the subject of professional photography and have been published in the British Journal of Photography (BJP), plus the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook (Bloomsbury), an article which has been running for over 20 years. My focus in education has always been to encourage students to gain a clear understanding of industry requirements in order to feel equipped with the right skills and knowledge to enter this competitive profession with confidence.

Following my first degree BA (Hons) Textile Design, I led several arts activities within youth work and health care settings. In 1997 I set up my own business designing and making woven textiles. Alongside exhibiting my work internationally, I facilitated textile workshops and was a named maker on the national curriculum for key stage 1 & 2. During this time, I also undertook art residencies and visiting lecturing posts at a variety of universities. I accepted a part time teaching position at Newcastle College in 2001. My second degree MA Fashion and Textiles was completed in 2015 and I continue to enjoy teaching alongside my own creative practice. Recent exhibitions include the Crafts Council, London and more locally at the Brampton Museum and Art Gallery.