A Career in Design Teaching
Roxanne Bottomley graduated from GMD a year ago. Here she reflects on her journey into a career in teaching…
“I am now a lecturer on Foundation at Leeds College of Art and absolutely love it! I was initially working two days a week teaching and then three days a week at various studios in Leeds such as Tom, Dick and Harry Studio and also Lee Goater. I came to find however that I was only looking forward to teaching and dreading working in commercial design. I have since started up my own short course in Letterpress printing at Leeds College of Art and am loving the opportunity to develop my teaching experience.
I have always wanted to teach foundation ever since I studied at Leeds College of Art and my work whilst on degree featured much study into pedagogy and letterpress.
My main reflection on my time at LCC is overlooking the difficulty of balancing teaching and keeping one’s practice. I feel no shame in saying I find teaching much more fulfilling. I also think back on how great it was to have such meaty exciting projects. My experience of working professionally was very different to this.
My plans are to continue teaching both Foundation and letterpress and to move up the ranks. I am considering doing a Masters so that I can teach on degree level but for now I feel like I have found the perfect job for me.
My tips for current GMD would be to focus on your own practice and take yourself seriously. Don’t follow the trend and produce work that your tutor might like. Also give a rationale for every decision. Stop relying on aesthetic to drive work. Only upon leaving education did I realise my individual strengths.”
