Growing an art career rooted in the natural world

A Southampton Solent University Fine Art graduate is building an award-winning career in sculpture and performance, with work exploring humanity's relationship with the natural world now exhibited across the UK and beyond.

Olana Light, who studied BA (Hons) Fine Art at Solent, chose the University while living in Southsea and looking for a local option that would let her continue her studies without moving away from home.

"I was also pregnant when I was making this decision, so choosing a university close to home was important for practical reasons," she says. "Solent University offered me the opportunity to study Fine Art while continuing to develop my creative practice within my local community."

Olana balanced her studies with early motherhood, an experience she credits with shaping the discipline she now brings to her practice.

"I did not take part in live briefs or placements during my studies, as I was an early mother at the time and most of my free time was dedicated to my daughter," she explains. "However, balancing my studies with motherhood also helped me develop commitment, time management, and determination, which continue to support my artistic practice today."

One of the most memorable moments of her course came through a live public art project, curated by associate lecturer Sarah Filmer.

"Having my work displayed in a public realm setting was a great success and gave me valuable experience of presenting work outside of a traditional gallery environment," Olana says. "It helped me understand how audiences interact with artwork in different spaces."

Across her degree, Olana worked across painting, sculpture, photography, film, performance and installation, an experimental approach that has stayed with her ever since.

"This exploration helped me develop an open and experimental approach to making art, which has continued to shape my practice and career," she says.

Her degree show brought many of those strands together in a single large-scale installation combining video projection and performance.

"This experience developed my ability to work across different mediums and bring together different elements to create an immersive experience," Olana says. "I continue to use this multidisciplinary approach in my practice today."

Since graduating, Olana has developed The Birch Tree Family, an ongoing project exploring family, belonging, connection and our relationship with the natural world.

In 2024, she was selected for a sculptors' development award, which included a residency and a site-specific exhibition at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens. Over several months, she collected bark from fallen trees to create three sculptures representing a mother, a father and a child, shown outdoors alongside live performance and a film documenting the work.

Looking back on her journey so far, Olana's outlook remains clear. "My advice is to believe in yourself and work hard towards your dreams and passion. Building a career in the arts takes time, persistence, and commitment. Keep exploring, developing your ideas, and creating opportunities for yourself. Stay curious and don't be afraid to take your own path."

By placing employability, adaptability and real-world experience at the heart of every degree, Southampton Solent University is positioning itself at the forefront of a new model of higher education, one that puts students' futures first. Find out more about our career ready revolution here.