Experience Creative Arts

Reflections on Starting the Creative Arts OCA Degree – Carlos Izquierdo Tobias

When I began the course, my main aspiration was to focus on moving image, which has always been my priority. However, I soon recognised the value of taking an interdisciplinary approach. My interests have always been broad, encompassing sound and music, drawing, and certain aspects of design. While my primary focus remained on moving image, I felt it was important to explore other mediums to break free from conventional narratives.

It wasn’t until a few months into the course when I started integrating different elements into my creative work, that I realised how well-suited the programme was for me. The process of combining disciplines opened up new possibilities and perspectives, making my creative practice far more dynamic and meaningful.

Highlights from the First Unit: Experience Creative Arts

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the first unit was engaging in practical activities designed to explore abstract concepts. These exercises struck the perfect balance—focused enough to guide us but open-ended enough to allow freedom for creative exploration.

I was pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to experiment with any medium during these activities. I chose animation. The theoretical foundation provided helped me move beyond surface-level ideas, encouraging me to think more meaningfully about time, space, and their impact on narratives. This approach not only enriched my understanding of storytelling but also inspired me to push the boundaries of my creative work.

Another standout experience was creating an archive. For this project, I shifted away from animation and focused on photography. Building a fictional archive with imagined characters enabled me to explore themes such as exploration, urban geography, and unconventional selfhood. This process encouraged me to approach my work with a fresh perspective, resulting in outcomes that felt both personal and relevant.

Challenges and How I Tackled Them

Time management was one of my biggest challenges. Balancing the demands of full-time teaching with my studies often left me feeling exhausted and unproductive after work. To overcome this, I set clear goals and aimed to engage with the course almost every other day. Even small steps helped me maintain momentum and a sense of progress. Planning ahead ensured I could make the most of my time.

Fortunately, the unit was thoughtfully designed to encourage exploration within our immediate surroundings. This accessibility was a significant advantage, making it easier to incorporate creative practice into my daily life.

Thoughts on an Interdisciplinary Approach

At first, the interdisciplinary approach felt somewhat outside my primary interests. However, as I progressed, I realised how every activity was an opportunity to generate ideas and expand my creative practice. One example was an exploration of a chosen space from different perspectives. 

For practical reasons, I decided to focus on my apartment. What initially felt mundane transformed into a rich source of inspiration. This process led to my animation, Shower Time, which explores the interplay of presence and absence. It shows how the rest of the house feels “alive” even when the occupant is in the shower. Everyday objects, like the moka pot boiling as coffee brews, evoke a sense of time, urgency, and small domestic pleasures. The window’s reflection on the tiles during a rainy day adds atmosphere, creating a sense of home even in an otherwise empty space.

This activity allowed me to examine quotidian and immediate spaces and objects, imbuing them with meaning. Most of the visuals began as photographs, which I altered in Photoshop to give them a hand-drawn aesthetic before animating them in Premiere Pro. The project was the culmination of many hours spent animating, reading, and reflecting on the nature of time in art. It gave me the tools to translate personal experiences into work that could resonate with others.

My Advice for New Students

To those embarking on the Creative Arts Degree programme, my advice is simple: 

• Be patient and fully immerse yourself in the activities. 
• Embrace the learning process. By doing this I found my practice evolving in unexpected and exciting directions. 
• Work on time management and find a strategy that works for you. I found making a habit of working on the course consistently, even if only for short periods helpful. A steady approach helped me stay connected, maintain momentum, and build confidence in my progress.

After completing Unit 1.1, I feel I know myself better as a prospective artist. I’m clearer about the themes I want to explore, and I’m more confident that these themes matter and are worth pursuing through art.

I’m very much looking forward to developing my skills further in the next unit. Unit 1.1 has helped me focus on the concepts and abstract ideas I want to explore in Unit 1.2, and the skills I plan to acquire will allow me to express them more effectively.