Cullen Six is currently in his third year of the Fine Art degree at Leeds College of Art & Design. He will be part of the first year to graduate from the new full time programme in 2009.

Cullen works across a variety of media including painting, installation and performance. He has been very proactive taking part in performance work which dealt with his relationship with the studio for Situation Leeds. He contributed and sold work at The Northern Art Show and has completed a summer residency at Battersea Arts Centre. He is currently working on a commission of three ‘Memory Paintings’ for the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York.

Cullen’s education hasn’t always been straightforward; at school he encountered several problems “I didn’t have any friends and I suffered quite severe bullying,” he said. “I had a breakdown and that was why I didn’t do my GCSEs.” Consequently Cullen left school without any qualifications, entering employment at a call centre.  “After school I got a full time job and thought that would be it for my education, I thought work was my only alternative to school.”  After four years of employment Cullen decided “enough was enough” and applied to art courses in Leeds. He had always had a great interest in art, describing classes as “my refuge, my safe zone – I found solace in drawing and painting and in art lessons – this was the only class that I really excelled in.”

One of Leeds College of Art & Design’s feeder colleges, Leeds Thomas Danby gave Cullen an interview and staff here recognised his ability: "I came along to interview with just my sketch book and they saw my potential – they took a risk!" he said.

Cullen spent three years at Leeds Thomas Danby, he progressed from the BTEC First Diploma in Art and Design to the National Diploma in Fine Art. “I loved it – it was all day on the one lesson that at school I would look forward to,” he said. “The tutors were much more engaging – I couldn’t have asked for more help from the staff.”

Towards the end of his time at college Cullen became homeless, “I was sleeping rough for a little while but still attending college.”  After finding accommodation Cullen felt anxious about the transition to Higher Education: “I had just got into a clean hostel, I felt like I was just building a foundation in Leeds and didn’t want to get up and move again.” Cullen felt Leeds College of Art & Design was his best option. “Thomas Danby came here on some taster days and this helped me imagine what work I could create if I was here”.

He was very excited about making a fresh start and the fact that the full time BA in Fine Art was starting that year reinforced his conviction that this was the right place for him. “One of the reasons why I chose the course was because we would be the first year on the full time Fine Art BA.”

Cullen describes the work he took to his Fine Art interview as “Edgy, much edgier than what I am making now.”  The work involved researching child abuse which led Cullen to report an internet paedophile ring to the police. He said that the tutor at his interview “loved the concept and liked how edgy it was, she said that it was rare for someone to come to a degree interview with something that challenged her.”

Shortly after his interview, this National Diploma work was also displayed as part of Leeds Thomas Danby End of Year show at Leeds Central Library where it was regarded as highly controversial and received mixed responses.

“A lady from the NSPCC approached me and said that she was very happy that someone was bringing it into public discussion– that made it worth while making.”

Looking back over the last six years Cullen reflects, “It’s been quite a rollercoaster - the staff have been amazing – I was scared that I would go from Thomas Danby where I had very supportive tutors, to being unsupported, but that wasn’t the case. The tutors [at Leeds College of Art & Design] make a point of building relationships with the students.”

Cullen is now looking forward to his degree show and has already secured enough commissions to spend the next year working full time as a practicing artist before applying to do an MA in Fine Art.