Returning to education as a mature student to study Visual Art graduate Thomas Jenkins discovered he had found something he really enjoyed to do
Thomas Jenkins graduated with a BA (Hons) in Visual Art from WIT in 2017. We spoke to him at Conferring 2017.
Where did your interest in visual art start?
I was always interested from a very early age, going to primary school, it stemmed from there. I was always very good at drawing and painting and my family always encouraged me to keep it up. As I progressed through my life I found myself more and more interested in art. When I went to secondary school I only had the option for one year of art classes. Things went in different directions and then I came back to it and I found my palce again in the arts and I found I had a flair for it. Anything visual and anything related to the arts I was interested in.
What did you do before this course?
I worked for myself, I was in the transport industry. I found it wasn’t really for me, and why not come back and do something I enjoy. It’s really great to be able to get up in the morning and do something you enjoy. It’s not like a job at all, it’s a pleasure. I find myself more interested in it every day. I’m glad I did go back.
What area is your passion in art?
I progressed to do a postgraduate diploma in teaching in the adult education sector. That’s my passion at the moment to go on and teach others what I have learned myself.
SETU Waterford, Cork Road, Waterford City, 
