Doug Fishbone

"As someone living in New York at the time I was considering doing an MA, I thought London might be an exciting place to study, and submitted an application to Goldsmiths. I came to visit and liked the vibe very much, especially after speaking to the people on the course. It was a bit of a leap of faith deciding to study in a different country, but I am delighted I took the chance. Goldsmiths was an excellent place for me, especially as someone without a traditional art background. My BA had been in music, not fine art, so I'd had not spent much time studying art formally prior to coming to the MA. I had lots of ideas and great enthusiasm, but few particular notions how to develop things into work. Goldsmiths turned out to be the perfect place for me – it supported me in experimenting and developing my voice, providing the right mix of structure, infrastructure and independence for me. I am deeply indebted to the technicians there, especially Tolga Saygin and Mike Riley, who helped me to find my voice in a medium I had not tried before, and might not have tried without their guidance. Goldsmiths gave me the time and focus to develop ideas properly, and a sense that a project could be nurtured and pursued even if I did not have the skills to do it immediately on my own. I can't really overstate the importance of this in my own development as an artist, especially given my non-traditional background. The confidence and independence that this offered – knowing that I could explore an idea with expert guidance, wherever it might lead  – has stayed with me, and sits at the heart of my practice. I am very glad I went to Goldmiths. I could not have found a better place."