Hannah the Artist Hannah was a much loved member of the art department at Pembrokeshire College, first as a federation A level student gaining an A* then as a Foundation Diploma student since September working at Distinction level. Her goal was to study art at degree level and beyond. Last week she was accepted into Cardiff University to study illustration, her next interview was for Kingston University London. I knew Hannah from the day she was born, a bright and intelligent little girl who grew into an intense and serious yet energetic and fun loving young woman with a huge future ahead of her. All young people have that potential but with Hannah the fruition of that potential seemed inevitable making her loss more difficult to accept. Just a few days ago I sat with her as she discussed the work she wanted to take to Kingston in order to gain a university place there. As we looked through a selection of the art work she had created over the previous months she would stop and question whether or not a particular piece was actually good enough to be included in her work submission to which I replied 'yes' each and every time. The reason my job was so easy that morning was that each and every piece she showed me had been created because she absolutely loved making art, not because she had been made to but because it was what she enjoyed doing. That's not to say she did not work hard, in fact quite the opposite, she knew that once you found something you enjoyed doing then it was not a chore even if there was no easy solution at the time. This was proof alone of her aptitude for working in the world of art and design. Her work ethic reflected her personality; strong, focussed and giving, with a wicked sense of humour. Her colleagues in the Foundation art studio knew that if they asked her for her view on a subject or a piece of work they would get an honest and intelligent reply. Also a reply from a fellow art student who was genuinely interested in what others were working on or exploring in their studies. Discussing and debating, drawing, making and note taking, for her there were sometimes not enough hours in the day to discover and explore creativity, whether her own or the work of others. Hannah was someone who looked at the world around her and did one of two things, either turned it into art or got involved and enjoyed every moment. In her short time she wasted no time and lived her life to the full. Not many of us can say we have done that despite the gift of many more years. Perhaps this is something we need to learn from Hannah, to live and enjoy every moment with the intensity and energy of someone looking forwards rather than holding back or blaming boredom. Our studio will not be the same this year without her presence, we will miss her terribly. Just as her friends, family and all those who met her, we will never forget her as our lives have been enriched by knowing her. Richard Brooks Pre BA Foundation Course Tutor