Here is a recent one off commission I made. A
lovely man got in touch after seeing my ‘Just the two of us’ greetings cards I
made around Valentines Day last year, based on my Staffordshire Pottery
paintings. He wanted a little one off for his fiancée, so I obliged:
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Whoa. I can’t believe I have neglected this for
so long! Working at two institutions really took it’s toll and I needed a big
break this summer. I was super lucky to go to Japan! Which was amazing.! I also
bought a house (eeek!) so you can imagine those two activities have taken over
my time over the last few months, as well as having a well deserved rest. It’s
the start of a new term now though, I’m three weeks back in, which leaves you
feeling whether the summer break actually did happen or not? Last week I kick
started the new term at the annual Graphic Design Educators Network at the
fabulous Institute for Arts in Sheffield. I spoke about No Outcome – a paper
I’ve delivered at three separate conferences now. No Outcome is a fortnightly
workshop I run at Nottingham Trent University, where students have the
opportunity to make and play free from the pressure of assessment. I believe
that assessment can kill innovation and students, who saddled with a huge fee
and looming debt, are acting like consumers. I passionately do not want them to
see education as a product to be purchased, with a degree classification – or
any grade, at any stage, becoming a currency that they exchange for a job. I
want them to learn and play and make and take risks and grow and intrinsically
make and play for the sake of making and playing not for any external gain – or
worry. The paper was well received and I
met some amazing other lecturers and academics who I hope to collaborate with
this up and coming year. I love this back-to-school, new start vibe around this
time of year. Perhaps that’s the outlook I can have with this blog… new start,
back on it.
