The Open College of the Arts' blog
It’s something to take your time over, both in appreciating it, and developing your own art. Because, Fine Art is experimentation, how far can you push something, how far can you take it until it meets what you want it to do. It’s only through experimentation and trying new things and combinations that you’ll get there.
I never fail to be amazed at how much a single poem can sometimes contain. It might contain ideas, images, ambiguities and multiple interpretations. It can be full of sound and music, and give the reader a powerful narrative. There is so much a poem can do.
These characteristics allow OCA to put access at the core of what we do, to join the dots between tutors and students and support opportunities in widening participation and tutor or student led initiatives.
Develop your textiles arts practice with a wide range of media and techniques and build on traditional skills in textiles, as these will form a solid foundation for further development throughout the degree.
What do you get if you mix parents, carers, artists, teachers, retirees, and those whose career took them down a different path to their artistic leanings? No, there’s no punchline – our student body is made up of a diverse student community from around the world and all find their place within OCA.
A picture is worth a thousand words. It’s a famous phrase, and the more I think of it, speaks directly to the access principle at the heart of what OCA is. Text, essays, blogs, articles, may not be easy for everyone to digest, so why not offer the same message but in a visual context?
Expanding people’s perceptions and understanding of photography by ‘getting people looking, thinking and talking’. So, goes the ‘strap-line’ of Impressions gallery in Bradford, where I attended an exhibition study visit and portfolio review, along with a small cohort of committed and inquisitive students.
The tutors you will work with across your studies are not just experienced tutors at HE level. All the Open College of the Arts tutors are practising artists, photographers, designers, writers or composers, with an understanding of the difficulties of distance learning – some of our tutors studied with the OCA themselves!
Our group comprised textiles, painting/drawing and photography students at all three levels. This, in itself, was an important factor contributing to open and critical discussion. Added to this was Rebecca’s excellent talk on her own practice and formation as an artist and tutor. Following this she led a discussion on work that several of us had brought along.
That’s what Creative Arts is, a place for you to experiment and be yourself. If you’re not sure what most interests you, this could be the place, as with no qualifications needed anyone can join us and start creating all things bright and beautiful today.
What did you learn today, this week, this year? As we grow older we need new opportunities and different environments to unleash our creativity.
Money and finances should be no barrier to study. If you have the passion, and the desire to study, OCA can help you access the resources to study.