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creativity Blog Posts- Page 10 of 26 - The Open College of the Arts

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What is experimental writing? Part 2: Poetry thumb

What is experimental writing? Part 2: Poetry

In that sense, any kind of creative writing – a poem, a play, a story, etc. – is an experiment. A person sets about creating something utterly new, something that hasn’t existed before, and has often very little idea what the end product will be like. But I believe that some kinds of writing are more ‘experimental’ than others. 

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Student stories: Anne Bryson, Photography thumb

Student stories: Anne Bryson, Photography

In this post we celebrate the learning journey of photographer and OCA student, Anne Bryson. Earlier this year, Anne exited the Photography degree at the end of level 2 with the award Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE). After a short study break she decided to take the short course, Investigating Place with Psychogeography and used this to further extend a project exploring the coal mines in the Forest of Dean. She caught up with programme leader Dan Robinson.

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Student stories: Jane Plumridge thumb

Student stories: Jane Plumridge

I’m a mature student currently studying OCA’s Music Foundation Course before moving on to their Music Degree Programme once I’ve finished that. If it wasn’t for OCA it would be impossible for me to continue music studies to a higher level. You see, my situation is different to say the least. Let me give you a brief idea.

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What is experimental writing? Part 1: Fiction thumb

What is experimental writing? Part 1: Fiction

The definition of ‘experimental writing’ is highly subjective, but for me it includes writing that plays with form and pushes the possibilities of language further than usual. Some experimental writing can be difficult, asking for careful and active reading

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Printmaking studios at home thumb

Printmaking studios at home

During covid lockdown I’ve been so grateful I have a studio space at home. I was reflecting how my OCA students use their homes as studios. I asked a number of printmaking students to reflect and share how they made printmaking spaces within their homes.

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Textiles and jewellery thumb

Textiles and jewellery

As my own textiles practice has, for the past few years now, been venturing more and more into the jewellery sector, I have built up a real fascination with how textiles and jewellery disciplines have such a fine line between them and so easily blurred. I know that many, many practitioners work in a multi-disciplinary way, with many choosing to not specify which ‘section’ of the art and craft sector they reside – which I equally appreciate as well- but focusing in on just the relationship between more ‘typical’ textiles and jewellery disciplines is a very interesting area of research to me. 

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Why enter awards?  You might actually win! thumb

Why enter awards?  You might actually win!

When the global Covid-19 pandemic threw us all into a national lockdown, I – like many other OCA students – watched my university studies grind to a shuddering halt.  My otherwise reasonable progress through Body of Work and Contextual Studies was suddenly stymied by uncertainty, chaos and adventures in homeschooling!  Then I read a #WeAreOCA article about why photography students should enter awards.   

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Virtual study event: Contamination/Curation thumb

Virtual study event: Contamination/Curation

The October Keeping up Momentum sessions will aim to motivate and challenge and help you to contextualise your work. There will be two workshops, approximately two hours each, led by OCA tutor Bryan Eccleshall.  The first session will be on October 3 at 10am with a follow-up on the 24. 

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Student work – Art & Ecology thumb

Student work – Art & Ecology

As Programme Leader for both the painting and drawing degree pathways I am very pleased to present the finissage of the painting and drawing ecology group’s recent group work, led by artist and tutor Lydia Halcrow.

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