Luca Brydie (18) from Strathyre is currently studying for his Portfolio Preparation qualification at Forth Valley College, and it has given him the motivation and inspiration to apply for university.
He has also been exhibiting some of his work at the Gallery at the Gallery Training restaurant during the Christmas lunch season.
He said: “I chose to study at Forth Valley College, as it would give me an opportunity to create a strong folio of work, giving me the chance to try out many different mediums and develop my artistic skills to then use to apply to my university of choice.
“All the facilities around the College are incredibly helpful and of a very high standard. The cafeteria and library are what I use the most, the vast selection of food, kind and helpful staff/students and the comforting environment that the library brings, makes the workload and day go a lot easier. The lecturers are incredibly helpful and approachable when it comes to any issues and they are eager to help with anything they can.
“My experience at the College continues to be very positive. The course I picked along with the people in my class created a very fun and engaging work environment. It benefited me as the College is close to where I live and the experiences and different things I’ve tried, I’d never have been able to do without the help of the College. It has really helped me develop my skills and overall style of working and creating art.
“The College has helped me as I’m able to get a feel for what further education is like and it has motivated me to apply to university. I was on the fence about whether to do so before coming into College
“I’d recommend the College and the course to anyone interested as it is a very good first step into what further education is like, along with the many different mediums and opportunities coming to the College offers, it makes the whole time well worth it.
“Although the education part of college has been very positive, the best bit for me has been the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made through the course. Chatting to them during and after classes and being able to ask for help and also help others, makes the days go so much smoother.
“I’d recommend others to choose to come to College as it is such a good experience and overall a great opportunity as it opens so many different doors for the future. What I loved most about the College experience has to be the number of opportunities it has opened up for me.
“Primarily my work being picked to be put into an exhibition and having people tell me they would like prints of my work, is a great boost. It has made me realize I can create art that people would like enough to purchase, and this has given me so many different ideas to potentially do in the future.”