Occulta Dama

Wolverhampton School of Art / Student Case Studies / Occulta Dama

Occulta graduated from the BA (Hons) Animation course in 2012, she went on to complete her Masters Degree at the Edinburgh School of Art. Soon after she began working in the animation and games industry creating work for games such as Batman Arkham Asylum, Lego games series, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Warhammer Total War and brands such as IKEA and The British Army. She has also worked as a lead animator and VFX artist for Troma Entertainment's feature films.

Outside of her professional career she began to sell paintings and sculptures. This is largely due to garnering a following on Instagram (@ocultadama) and art exhibits which gave her a secondary income and more artistic autonomy. Her next goal is a research PhD combining her love of art and entomology and ultimately becoming a lecturer.

We caught up with Occulta to discuss what she is up to now, her favourite aspect of the course and her advice to current students.

I am an active artist and animator currently studying at MMU. My area of animation circulates around activism, experimental and abstraction. I have worked in the games, feature film and Television industry and I additionally exhibit and sell my own Artwork. Individualism and artist identity are core to what I do with this being channelled into charitable causes. My practical PhD project for example circulates around insect conservation and how emotional elicitation in animation can effect change.

I am currently studying a PhD at MMU in "Insect Conservation and Animation" additionally I am a part-time Lecturer at DMU and a TV producer at Games Workshop. I also sell and exhibit my artwork and constantly generate work. On completion of my PhD I intend to do further research and lecture full time.

The teaching staff at Wolverhampton were not only impressive experts and creative forces within animation but incredibly attentive and understanding. They managed to focus on individuals needs as well as an overall group. Staff could identify the passion and talents of a student and help individual orientate this into professional context.

The content surrounding modules was very engaging and the thoughtfulness from staff was always evident. They directed the learning outcomes with a huge amount of thoughtfulness that was evident in our engagement.

Talk to the staff and spend a good amount of time in the environment, both the campus and city. The community and support you receive is key to your development. Look at the structure and ethos of the course and consider it in relation to your developmental ability.

Wolverhampton trimmed the fat of both my character and artistic identity. I left fully realised and prepared. The course was key in my future achievements and personal development. I left a better version of myself.

I wholeheartedly believe none of this would have been possible without the guidance and nurturing I was given during my Animation BA at Wolverhampton. It created the groundwork for my technical ability, artistic curiosity and professional persistence.

Instagram: @ocultadama