Eleanor Buffam

MFA Painting & Drawing 2010-2012

Joe Lotito, my husband and I were living in Philadelphia in 2008. Joe, an instrument maker, had a dream to study at West Dean in order to specialise in viol making. I wanted to continue my studies after a BFA at Tyler School of Art, Philadelphiawhich included two years’ study in Rome and do an MFA . I also wanted to move back to the UK, my roots Scottish ones. Looking through West Dean’s prospectus, I read about MFA Visual Arts program, and it felt like fate. When Joe and I came for our interviews, we were blown away by the surroundings and spent the day wandering through the gardens and the Arboretum. We fell in love with the place. My first year at West Dean has so far been an absolutely remarkable experience. My studio artwork has blossomed and matured in ways that I never would have expected. The idea of making a living as an artist, something that always seemed like an impossibility, is now a tangible reality. The Visual Arts department is very much a close-knit group, almost like a family. We come from different backgrounds, and have very different styles and ways of working, but influence each other subtly, and constantly inspire each other. I am looking forward to my second year here, and continuing to grow creatively. After graduation I expect to find myself in London, exhibiting, and either teaching art, or working as a curator.