You have visited our Open Days, have taken Stations' Tour, have checked out the stories we have published, but still, there are some unanswered burning questions? Our students from different majors, years and Practices are glad to be of help! Read their stories and keep an eye on our social media: all six will take turns to answer your questions live on WdKA Instagram and WdKA Facebook page from April 4th until April 30th.
Maria Mombers: I am in my second year of Illustration major and soon will start my Practices' orientation, first Autonomous Practices course and then Social Practices, next year I will have to choose one of them. I like to explore beyond the boundaries of illustration. For me, being an illustrator doesn’t mean you only should draw - besides drawing I experiment with photography, video and performance or whatever else crosses my path.
What is your favourite project so far?
Logistic Logomaker. The assignment was to investigate, through the use of speculative scenarios, how working life as an illustrator could develop in the future. We had to do this by researching objects that relate to our professional illustration practice. We had to present one or more of the objects in a stand-alone presentation telling how the(se) object(s) could function within our professional illustration practice in 2038.
I often have a bit of a cynical and anarchist tone in my work, so I decided to make a statement against people's urge people to buy more and more stuff they actually don’t need. I was inspired by infomercials, like Tommy Teleshopping and Telsell, and thought it would be fun to make one myself.
Why did you choose art academy life?
I have always been creating since I was a child and dreamt of studying at the art school. Besides that, I find it exciting to be surrounded by creative and like-minded people and having access to all the different facilities at the academy.
What was the admission process like? Tips and tricks for the aspirants to be prepared best for the assessments.
To me, the admission process felt like another day in class: I have got an assignment to work on and could choose a spot where I felt comfortable and do my work individually. With the only difference that I had to present my work to the assessor and show my portfolio.
My advice: bring everything that you have made so far with you. If you’re going to apply for Illustration you don’t only have to bring illustrations. Bring photographs, collages, movies, animations, really anything that reflects your creative vision. Also, no need to bring only finished work, your work-in-progress and sketches are just as telling!
Describe the WdKA vibe in five words.
Cosy, independent, exciting, challenging, fun.
Describe your future profession as you see it today.
As a future illustrator, I find it important that my work reaches a bigger audience and that people play a part in my world. My future goal is to create a meeting space where people can be creative and socialise, a mix between a nightclub and a gallery. I want to show that real art doesn’t only have to take place between the walls of a museum.
Let’s talk about inspiration: where do you get it from?
I have a lot of personal fascinations, which doesn’t necessarily always have to do something with art. When I receive an assignment, I think first about what my interests have been lately and then try to find a way to connect the recent fascinations into the given assignment. Before I come up with a final idea, I do a lot of research. This includes writing, sketching, trying out new solutions and I look a lot at the work of other artists. This altogether helps me to come to new insights.
What is (are) your favourite Station(s)?
Publication and Drawing Stations.
Your advice for the art academy aspirants?
Dare to step out of the traditional limits of your major. Don’t think that you can’t do or try something because you are not in the right department. Experiment and try out new things as much as you can. Make things that you want to make and not the ones you think are expected from you, you are here for you and your career only. Also, incorporate your fascinations and interests in your work, think about what you want to learn and what you like.
Your favourite places in Rotterdam?
Roodkapje, WORM, Showroom MAMA, Keilewerf and my studio-space!
This article is a part of the WdKA Recruitment Campaign 2018-2019. WdKA recruitment campaign 2018-2019 has come to life thanks to the collaboration of alumni: Hunted Design Studio (Job Taks, Graphic Design 2014), Britt Roubos (Lifestyle Transformation Design 2014), Tjeerd Melchers (Audiovisual Design 2016), Michèle van Vliet (Photography 2013), Stefan Mandersloot (Audiovisual Design 2016), Minou Meijers (Photography 2017) ánd WdKA students: Jim van de Sande, Pablo Marin, Maxime van Strijland, Faria van Creij, Alexander van der Heide, Pietro Wang, Denzel Veerkamp, Renée de Laat, Maria Mombers, Tim van der Plas, Roy Jakobs. Keep an eye on this website and social media (Instagram, Facebook) for more images and stories.
