i am applying to this course as i hope to further my skills in jewellery design and making. i am currently studying jewellery as part of my foundation course in nwrc, derry and feel this is where my strengths and passion now lie. i enjoy making things with my hands and have been told my attention to detail is great and jewellery / fine craft allows me the scope to create something unique. i have taken part in many workshops to do with glasswork and metal and these have also helped confirm my desire to make jewellery my future career. i have learned so many new skills this year so far and i am always striving to learn more. the artists alison lowry and seamus gill influence me greatly, their work is both unique and well known and that is what i aspire to someday. they have both made successful careers out of what they love doing and that’s what pushes me towards following what i believe.i have a particular interest in working with glass and find that the finished pieces and the whole process behind their creation are so interesting. i took part in a stained glass workshop and instantly fell in love with the idea of been able to create my pictures with glass and the effect it has when the light shines through it. i enjoy every aspect of working with glass and find it interesting how things made in glass seem more precious and valuable than a painting or print. in my foundation course i have also completed projects in printing, textiles, ceramics, life drawing, digital painting and history of art. i have learnt a lot of new skills and enjoyed all aspects of the course. in my final major project i am going to created a piece of stained glass work based on the theme of insects. in secondary school i was awarded junior art student of the year and in transition year i was appointed marketing executive of the animal bank as part of build a bank challenge run by aib bank. this was a great insight into banking and setting up a small enterprise business. i also was part of mini company as part of my transition year and was appointed the job of advertising our company all around my local area. this helped me a lot as i now understand all the different but yet important ways of advertising for certain products. outside of college i enjoy reading, walking, socialising and meeting new people. i have had the opportunity to visit spain and paris and found visiting the louvre very inspiring. art is also one of my main hobbies. i enjoy drawing still life and portraits mostly. i feel that after doing this foundation course i am more mature and independent and think i am ready to progress to degree studies and relish in the challenges of university life.