Weekly Wonderings #30.1 Of an (almost) Mature Art Student

These are some of the thoughts I have had in the past week that I wanted to share. Reasons to go back to Uni to study an MA in Art and reasons to be shit scared about going back to Uni to do an MA in Fine Art.

Good Reasons:

1. personal development (in Art practice). I know this can sound a bit ‘lame’ but seriously, after several years of working on my own to learn new things – (sometimes days and days on YouTube) and figure out how I feel about my Art (staring at it and throwing it in the bin or swearing at myself for starting a project) I’m really looking forward to having other Artists around. I can finally benefit from some different perspectives, other people’s work to inspire me and other people’s ideas to make me think!  It will give me a real focus in which to pursue the ideas that I have and will have, and a shared space in which to swear and throw my work when necessary.

2. facilities. The facilities at UCA are amazing. Really amazing. They have a workshop for everything! Painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass, woodwork, metalwork, film, radio, animation, illustration, graphic design, fashion, textiles and more that I haven’t even seen yet! I will have access to all of this and spaces to work in and keep my work- it’s quite possible that I will create a project using every single department just so I can use the equipment!! But really, I will have the freedom to really grow an idea and then I will have access to so many different creative methods from which to develop the idea!

3. time. Focused time to work on ideas, in a place that has inspired ideas and art for 150 yrs! Yep, the history definitely gets a plus from me, and as a working Mum ‘time’ to focus is just heaven.

4. I will be around such a great mix of people of all ages with so many different ideas and opinions. From teenagers up to pensioners!

5. critique. I finally get some critique on my work.

6. opportunities! Exhibitions, gallery contacts, industry contacts, job adverts, direct Job requests, time with amazing and varied internal and external Artists, and the list goes on!!!

7.  NUS Card 🙂

8. Uni Library access and access for a further two years after I finish- although I may need a refresher in referencing….. Ugh, that may have to go on the other list!

9. Doing an MA in something I love…. (Ahhhhhhhhh I can hear you say) This would actually be enough of a reason in itself for me 🙂

And Reasons why the above also makes me shit scared!

1.  I will have others judging my development (:-

2. I may be found shaking from excitement and coffee wrapped in wire, laid in a mess of clay, with arms welded in bronze and a camera filming the result.

3. I’m going to have to be very very organised.

4. I will be around students…. And I will be around teenagers who will see me as Old.

5. People will now have to critique my work….

6.  Nope. Can’t think about this in a scary way, it’s just too exciting!

7.  As above 😉

8. Referencing …..

9. I’m going to be so keen I may be wrapped in wire, thrown in a vat of  clay and filmed by the other students.