Emma Patmore
How did participating in this exhibition affect your confidence as an artist? Participating in The Creators’ Room exhibition has given me confidence in terms of my career. During high school, I was pretty confident in becoming a graphic designer. But after being part of The Creators’ Room I realised that I want to be an illustrator/artist as that is what I enjoy the most!
What did you enjoy most about being involved in the exhibition? I was able to experience the process of selling prints, and I was able to experience being part of an exhibition. This was a very fun experience, and it gave me great insight for my future.
Would you encourage other students to take part in the exhibition? If yes, what would you say to them? Yes, I would encourage other students to take part of The Creators’ Room. There are many art competitions these days and it’s a perfect opportunity to enter as many as possible. It’s a great way to get your name noticed. I remember I entered the Creators’ Room without thinking too much, as I thought I wouldn’t hear anything back. But when you are passionate about something, great opportunities come to you. Go for it, there’s nothing holding you back!
What involvement in art do you have today? I'm currently studying graphic design at Ara Institute of Canterbury. I enjoy illustrating and making art in my spare time. I share my art on my Instagram @george_illust. This year, I was part of the Christchurch City Council summer flag competition, where I designed a flag that was displayed in the city. This was a very exciting opportunity. In the future I would like to sell prints of my work.
Sophie Sutherland
How did participating in this exhibition affect your confidence as an artist? Being a part of the exhibition massively improved my confidence as an artist. It gave me confidence in my artwork, showing me that what I created was 'actually' good and it gave me the confidence to continue with my photography.
What did you enjoy most about being involved in the exhibition? What I enjoyed most about being a part of the exhibition was seeing others reactions to my artwork, and seeing my work printed and hung on the wall.
Would you encourage other students to take part in the exhibition? If yes, what would you say to them? I would 100% encourage others to take part in the exhibition. I would tell them to be proud of their work and give it a chance, you never know where the opportunity will take you.
What involvement in art do you have today? I'm still creating art today. I have continued to produce photos. I have created an Instagram account showcasing my work and I am also a brand ambassador for a little New Zealand brand (Harper Rose Handmade) producing photos for them.
Guy Flynn
How did participating in this exhibition affect your confidence as an artist? Participating in The Creators' Room made me so much more confident as an artist. When your work is recognised by others, it’s an awesome feeling.
What did you enjoy most about being involved in the exhibition? I really liked the whole process of everything. It was awesome to see my artwork framed up and displayed in the gallery alongside so many other talented young artists work. It was an awesome experience.
Would you encourage other students to take part in the exhibition? If yes, what would you say to them? Yes 100%. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t really come around much when you’re at school. To get your artwork recognised and be able to sell it at auction is very rewarding and a lot of fun!
What involvement in art do you have today? Currently I am studying Design and Communications at Otago Polytechnic. I also still love my photography and I get out to take some photos whenever I can.
Hazel White
How did participating in this exhibition affect your confidence as an artist? Knowing that my art was appreciated by members of the public greatly affected my confidence as an artist. Especially being quite an abstract artist I’m only able to base my choices off my own tastes so having a few of my works chosen for this exhibition felt like a great affirmation and ultimately was highly beneficial to my future practice.
What did you enjoy most about being involved in the exhibition? My favourite part of being involved was definitely the opening. I felt very fortunate to have my works hung around so many other amazing artists. Walking around the exhibition on the opening night I definitely felt a new level of awareness and appreciation for all the hard work gone into its creation.
Would you encourage other students to take part in the exhibition? If yes, what would you say to them? Absolutely, part-taking in The Creators' Room was such an unforgettable experience. It was also such an amazing learning experience as I got to learn the basic ins and outs of exhibiting art.
What involvement in art do you have today? I have started my first year of Fine Arts at Ilam (University of Canterbury) and am loving it.