A love of art brings academic success

12 December 2017

Roberta Calfi graduates with a master’s in fine art

An artist who swapped the culture of Rome for the creativity of Preston is celebrating after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

Roberta Calfi, who moved from Italy to England nine years ago, graduated from the MA Fine Art course last week, two years after completing the undergraduate fine art programme at UCLan.

The 46-year-old concentrated on the artistic disciplines of printmaking, ceramics and fine art during her part-time degree.

She said: “The MA was very challenging academically, there was lots of theory to read and write about but it was wonderful because I could really focus my skills on the areas I wanted to explore and it’s been an amazing journey.”

"I came to look at the degree course at UCLan and for me it was excellent. I really liked the openness, the options of working in different mediums, the level of the art tutors and working with academics who are professional artists in their own right."

Roberta, who has lived in the heart of Preston city centre for the last four years, won The Steele Art Prize for her MA Fine Art Degree Show.

When she first came to live in England, Liverpool was Roberta’s base. It was here she undertook an A Level, a diploma and foundation qualification in art at Liverpool Community College.

She said: “It was really interesting studying on these courses. For me I wasn’t thinking of art for a future career but a tutor really encouraged me and told me I could go further so I took that advice. I came to look at the degree course at UCLan and for me it was excellent. I really liked the openness, the options of working in different mediums, the level of the art tutors and working with academics who are professional artists in their own right.”

Roberta has now been given a printmaking fellowship from the University and, as a long-term project with some other artists/students, she is thinking of opening an artists' studio space, in Preston.