Noah Ashmore
Course Studied: MA Creative Practice / FD Concept art
Noah Ashmore is an individual with a background in concept art and event management. He's currently under a conditional offer for a Master's in Creative Practice, driven by a desire to explore storytelling and various artistic mediums.
Noah's journey into higher education began with an access course, leading him to a two-year concept art programme. He generally felt better when back in education, finding the time more enjoyable, apart from financial considerations. He noted that university, especially in the arts, was less structured than he anticipated, which was scary at the start but became fine over time and helped him learn to be responsible for himself. Beyond his formal education, Noah gained valuable professional experience in event management, starting as a volunteer and then getting involved, which eventually led to him being offered a job.
A key piece of advice Noah offers is to "stop worrying about getting everything perfect and about what others think you should be doing and instead just think about what you are passionate about, and you can do whatever you want if you are passionate about it". This philosophy underpins his desire to put himself out there more. Noah's personal journey has involved overcoming obstacles. He credits his mum’s early advice, for securing strong foundations, achieving an A in English and a B in Maths at GCSE. He did not complete A levels and moved away and started a job. Years later, when the pandemic hit, it served as a decisive turning point, prompting him to rethink his path and ultimately decide to re-engage with education.
Reflecting on his university experience, Noah highlights the importance of learning life skills such as budgeting, living, and feeding oneself. He also stresses the often-underestimated impact of social life, noting it's harder to balance than people think, and while fun time is needed, it shouldn't lead to struggling in other parts of life. For those pursuing arts degrees, Noah believes universities are important for building a career and managing professional preparation and networking, rather than just academic art skills, as one should already know how to do art. He advises students to be out for a challenge, try to put themselves out there, and be open to meeting anybody, as "any occasion is good even if not immediately useful, don’t be picky". He also strongly advocates against "gatekeeping" knowledge within the industry, emphasizing not looking just at oneself.
He recalls the initial challenges of his concept art course, noting it was "spooky at first" with no tutor, leading the class to consider going elsewhere. However, Nick Ellwood came through and was so supportive, constructive, and honest with feedback, which significantly improved the experience. Noah often found himself in an "older brother" role, with other people in the class relying on him as the more mature student while younger ones felt more lost with the shift between A-levels and university as they used to be more spoon-fed. He also acknowledges that the age gap could sometimes make integration harder, even with perception differences and language. He noted that the hardest part is to switch from a hobby and what he enjoys doing to a work mindset. He knew some people in the industry, so he had an idea of the requirements and dynamics, but some people might not.
