Dan Dowd with musicians he sculptured for the Gothic-inspired Dead Man’s Arms pub, part of a “hellish” installation created as a final-year degree project.
A battler who endured multiple heart surgeries while working towards his Bachelor of Visual Arts & Design, Dan Dowd has good reason for feeling particularly proud when he’s conferred with his degree. (on March 25).
Dan, who lives in Tamatea, launched into tertiary study in late 2003 with EIT’s introductory course in visual arts and design.
“I’d always draw on paper if I was bored at home,” the 48-year-old says of his long-held interest in art.
It was the former boilermaker and welder’s first taste of study since leaving school.
“I was thrown in the deep end with Level 4 essays and I wasn’t really computer savvy before starting at EIT. What I’ve learned is that it’s a lot easier working a design out on a computer than it is building something out of steel.”
Diagnosed with heart problems relating to a high cholesterol count, it took Dan three years to knock over the initial qualification – with his first attempts thwarted when he was hospitalised. Over the last six years, he has had four stent operations, angioplasty, a number of exploratory procedures and triple bypass surgery.
Once he’d nailed Level 4, Dan staircased to degree study and, working around the medical interventions, completed that in three consecutive years.
“I loved every minute of my time at EIT,” he says. “Looking forward to going there and learning made it easier when I was in hospital.”
Dan explored an interest in Gothic themes in sculpture, his art major. For one of his projects, for example, he created an installation which he describes as “a hellish work scene with slaves and workers sculpted in difference sizes”. The work proved popular, with most of the component elements selling after EIT’s annual student exhibition.
Dan will be taking part in EIT’s graduation ceremony, being held this year at Napier’s Municipal Theatre on 25 March.
He will then decide on his next move. While he would happily look at a job in the art industry, he’s also considering enrolling for EIT’s Diploma in Design Technology. With an interest in architecture, particularly Gothic Revival building, the Arts and Crafts Movement and Bauhaus design, he feels that CAD skills would give him a leg-up into a career in technical design.
Ultimately, he’d like a workshop with all the tools he needs for pursuing his art, maybe doing it as a hobby. “I would still sell pieces to get my name out there.”
He won’t be making any decisions about further study until next year, however, when he aims to be back to full good health.
“I have one more round with the medics ,” he says, “but I’ve put that on hold until after graduation.”
Peter Baker, Dan’s lecturer at EIT says the Visual Arts and Design School is very proud of his achievements and admire his determination to succeed.
“Dan’s resilience and perseverance resulted in character-filled sculptures, a practice made more difficult by choosing a hard and stubborn material such as steel to work with. We look forward to seeing more artworks from his fiery workshop!”