Chris Samuel – Developing my artistic voice at 51Âþ»
When applying to university I knew I needed to go somewhere where I felt safe and accepted.
I have a condition called Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT), which causes damage to the peripheral nerves found outside the main central nervous system that control the muscles and relay sensory information to the brain.
I’ve always had CMT but as I’ve got older it has grown worse. I used to be able to run, swim and ride a bike, so it’s been hard to deal with – going from an independent person to someone who is reliant on a wheelchair.
Not only that, nobody in my family had ever been to university. Before college I’d never drawn, painted or created anything in my life.
But as my identity changed so much over the years because of my condition I realised I wanted to do something different and I had always been secretly interested in art.
So when I thought about university, I worried whether I would fit in and whether it would be accessible for my needs – not just physically but socially too. I wondered, would I be equipped for a life of studying and meeting deadlines?
As soon as I arrived at 51Âþ», seeing the campus and meeting with the disability team, I knew it was the right place, the right university, for me.
I had various meetings with the disability team and also had the opportunity to come in, see the accommodation and work with them to figure out a care package before I started studying. There was always someone there to support me and point me in the right direction.
As you ease into 51Âþ», there is a sense of community. Every person I met had an impact on my university experience.
For me, it started in the student halls as I got to know everyone from the caretaker and cleaning staff to the receptionists and security. It was the little things they did that made all the difference – things like they would help me with my post and make sure I knew in advance when fire alarm tests were going to happen.
And even though I was a mature student, I found new friends at 51Âþ». I really felt like I was part of something.
While studying Fine Art, my lecturers gave me the tools and the confidence to try whatever medium I felt helped me to develop my artistic voice and that was really liberating for me. I got to experience every area of art as part of my degree – metal work, glass, ceramics, design, 3D printing, screen printing. I tried it all.
They pushed me to think about art in different ways that I had never thought about before. They quizzed me about why I made something and asked what it meant before telling me what they thought worked well and what could be done better. I never felt like I was different to other students. They spoke to me and critiqued my work the same as everyone else.
The technicians were amazing too and I became really close to them during my time at 51Âþ». They made time for me and wanted to help me find new ways to make my artwork. That empowered me to do better and I was actually nominated as the highest performing student in the university while I was studying, which I think reflects the encouragement I received.
Graduating with a First Class Honours degree is testament to every single one of the people I met while at university.
Today, I have my own studio in Leicester’s cultural quarter. I would describe my art as autobiographical, with a focus on identity politics, but it is still relatable for other people.
I’ve been commissioned for some really exciting projects in recent years and I’m really happy that my work is being recognised and I am now able to work full time as an artist.
Having said that, my biggest achievement so far is my mum seeing me graduate. I’m the only person in my family who has graduated and I come from a working-class family, so to have overcome the things I have to get to where I am makes me proud.