Isobel M

My Passion & How I Inspire

I was lucky enough to grow up in a house filled with art. My parents are both avid amateur collectors, picking up pieces from the varying countries that they have lived in around the world. From a young age I was drawn to the bright colours of African artists such as Tola Wewe which hung next to works by Scottish artists such as Jolomo, Anne Redpath and William Gillies. I wanted to know more about the works and the history of art in general. This inspired me to take A-Level History of Art at my Senior school, and my amazing teacher only acted to heighten my love for art and the subject. My inspiration to tutor comes from a desire to insight in students of all ages the same love I have for the subject of Art History. As a subject it is unique, there is no set way of looking at any work of art, which gives the subject an innovative and inter-disciplinary quality. What’s more, we live in a society where images are part of our daily lives. My desire to teach is linked to a desire to equip students with the tools to understand the images around them; whether that be paintings in an art gallery, or photographs in a newspaper.

I am an open and warm person, and I inspire my students through meeting them on an individual level. I want what inspires my students to lead how I teach them. If there are particular areas that a student finds difficult or has less interest in, I endeavour to try and connect it to something that they do enjoy. My favourite aspect of Art History as a subject is that it can be taught outside of a classroom. Living in London we have access to so many amazing art galleries and museums, seeing works of art “in the flesh” and understanding them as objects rather than images on a screen always helps to bring their history alive. As such, I try to include gallery visits within my teaching whenever appropriate.

My Experience

I have three years experience of teaching History of Art at University level. Between October 2016 and March 2019 I was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Glasgow for the History of Art Department. Within this role, I was in charge of seminars of level 1 students. The one-hour seminars supported the syllabus of lectures. My role was to aid students to understand key concepts that were covered within the lecture, as well as to help them with skills such as visual analysis, essay writing, source identification and exam preparation. This experience has equipped me with the tools to help students in a number of ways. As the course was a survey course in History of Art for level 1, it demonstrates the breadth of my knowledge in the subject as well as highlighting that I have the skills to help students with coursework and exam preparation.

I also have experience as a Dissertation Supervisor for final year UG students at Glasgow School of Art. This role involved me having one-to-one sessions with the students right from the beginning of the dissertation process until the end. I would help them with their chosen subject and its relevance to the brief, key source identification, literature reviews, structuring their work and editing. Within my roles at both Glasgow University and Glasgow School of Art I have had experience marking all levels of undergraduate work, including: essays, visual tests, exams and dissertations.

I have experience working with adult learners at the University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Lifelong Learning. Within the role of Tutor in Art Appreciation, I taught and designed two History of Art courses: How to Look at Scottish Art 1740-present day and Glasgow’s Museums: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and The Burrell Collection.

Subjects That I Teach

  • History of Art
  • History of Art - A-Level
  • History of Art - Undergraduate
  • History of Art - Postgraduate
  • History
  • History - A-Level
  • History - Undergraduate
  • History - Postgraduate

My Qualifications

Fettes College, Edinburgh

AS-Level Geography (A)

A-Level History of Art (A)

A-Level History (A*)

A-Level French (A)

University of Glasgow

MA Hons, History of Art (2:1)

MLitt, History of Collecting (Distinction)

PhD, History of Art

My Video Introduction