Giving up free chocolate was just one of many sacrifices Ange Dudman made to study full-time at EIT Hawke’s Bay.
Little more than three years ago, she was enjoying a challenging sales career working for Cadbury Confectionary in Auckland. However, a hectic work pace left little time for any other interests, and she decided to finally give herself the chance to seriously explore her long-time interest in making and enjoying visual art.
Now Ange has a ring around March 27, the day she will be conferred with a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design at EIT’s graduation ceremony.
It’s quite a remove from 1995, when she left Havelock North High School unsure about a career direction. From a typical working class family, a creative career was almost unthinkable and her interest in art was relegated to a hobby status in favour of getting a ‘real job’.
Rather than commit to other study that she didn’t necessarily feel passionate about, she travelled and worked in various administration and sales jobs throughout New Zealand and in the UK.
Subsequently, she took up a position as territory manager with Cadbury’s here in Hawke’s Bay before moving to a national account manager’s role in Auckland.
So it was risking “the lot” to follow her dream of making art. After a long holiday in Europe and Asia, she returned to Hawke’s Bay to be closer to family and enrol at EIT. Her sense of purpose in pursuing art studies has evolved since.
“Artistically, things began to come together in the middle of the level 6 year, when I started drawing in charcoal. Around that time I chose the diploma option thinking that I may return overseas. But at the end of this year, I won the Top Visual Art and Design Diploma Student award and the Sacred Hill-sponsored EIT wine label award, which just made me more focused and determined to complete my degree.”
“The visual art and design degree programme was very challenging and academically stretching but also quite flexible. I moved to Waipukurau in my last year and, as much of the work is self-directed, I was able to work from home at times, saving valuable time and money on petrol.”
Ange says many people considered her mad for ditching the career, company car and free chocolate, but she has found herself absolutely in her element making art.
“I am happier than I have ever been and would never have known what I was capable of had I not given myself this chance. I certainly don’t regret a thing.”
In fact, she’s continuing at EIT for one final busy year, doing the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) through Massey University.
“I had a fantastic inspiring art teacher at high school and I just hope to be able to pass on some of the enthusiasm, skills and passion for art with today’s students as he did with us – which really started this whole journey for me!”