Caelan pursued a degree at ECA due to the MA Fine Art programme’s combined art history and art practice structure. During their studies, Caelan enjoyed topics such as medieval representations of gender and helped found student art collective ‘Queer as Muck’. Since graduating, they have been able to continue the collective and promote exhibitions in Edinburgh. In the near future, Caelan hopes to work towards practicing as an Art Therapist.

Why ECA?

The MAFA programme is what drew me to ECA, the opportunity to integrate my love of my medieval history with my artistic practice. The History of Art department at ECA is one of the finest in the UK and that was reflected in the courses offered and the staff delivering them. In terms of my art practice the facilities and studios in ECA were excellent. Knowing that I would have access to sculpture workshops, print workshops, photography, bookbinding, metal and woodwork all with the help of skilled technicians was an incredible opportunity. 

Tell us about your time at ECA

One of the best things that came out of my time at ECA was the formation of the artist collective I am now a part of; Queer as Muck. It was formed with three other MAFA students during our fourth year. We put on a successful exhibition together with over 20 artists involved. At ECA I found other queer artists who I will now be friends with for life. 

The Friday talks from artists were also extremely useful to my practice, hearing about how other artists have been working and what their journeys have been. 

The workshops and technicians were an incredible resource also and the new techniques I learnt in the workshops shaped my practice in ways I didn’t anticipate. 

In terms of the History of Art side of the course I had access to an incredible range of courses across time periods and themes. I took a course about medieval representations of gender involving queer theory, a course on concepts of eco-art and radical nature and courses on the nature of sight as developed throughout the early modern period. The courses I took also doubled as research for my art practice and the two interwove often.  

During my time at ECA I also worked as a research assistant for one of my professors during the summer which also strengthened my researching skills considerably. 

If I could start again, I would use the workshop facilities even more than I did, maybe trying things that I felt was more out of my comfort zone.

Tell us about your experiences since graduating

I was sad to leave ECA and my studio space but was excited to continue working in Edinburgh. I gained a spot in a free studio space through Outer Spaces, who came to ECA just before I graduated advertising free studio spaces, that allowed me to continue working. 

I wanted to work as an art therapist and I’m still working towards that goal, I currently work in student support at a university which is gaining me valuable experience in pastoral care needed for an art therapy qualification. I also am working in my studio on work that will be shown in the second Queer as Muck exhibition (@queerasmuck_) that we are hoping to have open in the spring. 

My biggest achievement since leaving ECA I feel has been a personal one. I am transmasculine and had top surgery in October. During this time I wrote and sketched, and my experience of surgery and recovery will form part of my work in the Queer as Muck exhibition we are currently organising.

Alumni wisdom

To a first year I would advise you to spend as much time in workshops and your studio as possible. When you graduate it is a lot harder to have access to many of the facilities that ECA has. Also take time to find your people, artistic collaboration can alter the way you work in interesting ways. If you have an idea for a show or exhibition, make it happen! 

To someone graduating this year as I did, know it’s okay to take a break after college and engage in your practice in a gentler way.