North Island College fine art alumnus Keegan White is preparing to take his next step to become a master in his field, thanks to the foundation he gained in NIC’s fine arts diploma.
He’ll be heading to Emily Carr University of Art + Design this fall, supported by a $4,000 entrance scholarship from the Audain Foundation.
White’s family has a history of artistic talent. He discovered his passion for painting while in high school and wanted to pursue that as his focus.
“The program at NIC introduced me to different mediums,” he said. “When I was in high school, I was focused on painting, but I’m now working with video, sound, collaging, drawing – it’s really expanded my horizons.”
White says the skills and techniques he learned at NIC have influenced his art and his approach to new pieces.
“I decide what I want to say and then figure out which medium is best to communicate that idea. The program also introduced me to combining mediums in ways I’d never considered before. Right now I’m working on a project combining painting and sound – with each working as a response to the other. By combining the two you get a completely different and unique experience.”
NIC Fine Arts diploma offers instruction for an impressive range of mediums: printmaking, video, sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics and photography, guiding students through hands-on practical learning to develop technical studio skills and their artistic voice.
“It was a delight to work with Keegan and watch his studio practice develop through experimentation and new technical applications and hard work,” said Sara Vipond, NIC School of Fine Art faculty member and department chair. “At NIC emerging artists have the opportunity to flourish and develop a strong creative and technical foundation they can continue to build on into the future.”
White is looking to further explore different mediums as he finishes his degree at Emily Carr.
“I want to venture into mediums I’ve never done. I think that Emily Carr would be a good place for that. My major would be painting, I would love to experiment.”
As for his plans after finishing school, White is keeping an open mind.
“There’s so many possibilities, I want to see where the next few years takes me. I’d love to be a working artist, or possibly getting into tattoo work. I’m also interested in teaching in post-secondary. I love mentoring others and I love the idea of helping them learn how to effectively communicate ideas in their work. There’s so many opportunities.”
For the upcoming academic year, the Fine Arts diploma will be offering both digital and blended studio courses, working to build a community of creatives and future artists.
“The transition to digital offers increased access for students throughout the region to explore our courses,” said Vipond. “We’re excited to welcome our new students this fall.”
Applications for NIC’s Fine Arts diploma are open now. Courses can also be taken as individual electives. Learn more: www.nic.bc.ca/fine-art
View more of White’s work on his Instagram account: @kgn.wht