Nampet Sae-Heng from Norwich, England, is one of the students on the Mentorship Programme. In Nampet's case, not only is she academically intelligent and driven, but an extremely talented gymnast and ballerina.
As with all of Tutors International's endeavours, the Mentorship Programme aims to offer above and beyond what is traditionally expected of it. More than a financial sponsorship for schooling, and more than just supporting formal education, the mentorship scheme offers extraordinary life experiences too.
In line with this, Nampet was offered the experience of having her portrait painted by Hazel Morgan.
Founder of Tutors International, Adam Caller, details how this came to fruition:
"Hazel Morgan is a member of my professional network, and upon seeing her studio for the first time, a seed was planted. Nampet has been a sculpture model for figurative sculptor, Brian Alabaster, so I thought she'd be a perfect sitter for Hazel. We're always looking for new ways to support and enrich the students on our Mentorship Programme. It's an extremely special and unique experience to be painted – especially by someone as sought after as Hazel. It's exactly the sort of thing the Tutors International's Mentorship Programme is for. Its about so much more than education as we traditionally think of it. Learning and education does not just happen in a classroom; it comes from formative life experience. In line with this ethos, Nampet sitting for a portrait artist is a bespoke and unique educational experience."
The sitting lasted for a few hours over three days at the beginning of September 2020. Nampet and her mother, Wanatee, stayed with Hazel's family in one of her five-star cottages in the grounds of her Salisbury home.
Hazel Morgan is a classically trained, award-winning portrait and equestrian artist, with an international client list that includes several Royal households. She has painted John McFarlane OBE, The Duchess of Cambridge, and Her Majesty the Queen to name a few. Joining this list of subjects is Tutors International mentee, Nampet Sae-Heng.
Hazel explains how it came about:
"Adam had come over to stay and saw my studio beside the house. That's where the idea came for him to have Nampet painted. I like what Adam stands for. I like that he's a businessman but also a philanthropist."
Getting a portrait done is far from what is considered conventional education. Hazel helps shed some light on how she thinks the experience is educational:
"Art makes such a difference to people's lives. That might sound like a very simple thing to say but it really does. I've painted people from all walks of life, and in our time together, I get to learn what makes people tick. Our chats are a real journey of discovery. Everyone is fascinating. I would put it like this: if you're the novel, I get to paint the front cover"
Nampet is a student at the Royal Ballet School in London, so it was important to capture this part of her in the portrait.
After exploring different poses, Hazel settled on two: one sat down in a chair with Nampet tying up her pointe shoes, and a second, that came about more spontaneously. Hazel explains:
"Nampet was practicing her Ballet poses in my studio and she held on to one of my frames to support herself as she posed, and I thought, there's the painting!"
In her blog, Nampet details how she found the experience:
"I've been lucky enough to have the most amazing experience of having my portrait painted by artist, Hazel Morgan. Not many people get to say they've been oil-painted by one of the leading portrait artists of their generation! […] I felt so comfortable. Hazel did such a great job of putting me at ease and making the cottage feel like a safe, relaxed space. […] Hazel put a mirror in the room so that I could see what she was doing. I actually couldn't believe how quickly Hazel worked – it was really impressive. Another way Hazel made the time go quickly was by putting on a Disney film to occupy me whilst she painted; it was called 'Into the Woods', and it was a fun way to keep me entertained whilst keeping still! […] When Hazel was finished, it looked incredible."
Tutors International continues to find innovative programmes and practices to enhance education. The mentorship programme is currently supporting Nampet Sae-Heng and Tobias Zijlstra.
About Tutors International
Tutors International provides an unparalleled bespoke service that matches the right tutor with the right child, in order for the student to fully reach their personal potential and academic excellence. Providing a service for children of all ages at different points in their educational journeys, Tutors International is founded on a commitment to find the perfect tutor to realise the specific goals and aspirations of each student. Tutors are available for full-time tutoring positions, after-school assistance and home-schooling.
Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International is a private company based in Oxford, a city renowned for academic excellence. Our select clientele receives a personally tailored service, with discretion and confidentiality guaranteed.
Contact details
Web: www.tutors-international.com
Email: marketing@tutors-international.com
Phone: +44 (0) 1865 435 135
Tutors International,
Clarendon House,
52 Cornmarket Street,
Oxford,
OX1 3HJ
UK
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