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What we look for when we go to the movies – the sequel thumb

What we look for when we go to the movies – the sequel

Recently I wrote about what I am looking for when I go to the movies – the suspension of disbelief being paramount. However, there are times when one needs to see a film, a difficult, challenging film from which you know you will emerge shattered, angry, sad.

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Facing up to what you really don’t want to try thumb

Facing up to what you really don’t want to try

For decades I was terrified of poetry. It all seemed so incredibly technical and difficult. I didn’t see the point; I wanted to tell a story. So when I did my MA I made myself face up to this and do the poetry module, even though the scriptwriting one beckoned as I’d already had five radio plays broadcast. What’s the point of doing a course if you don’t learn something new? I struggled. It hurt. I came to realise that this was something I had to actively learn.

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How to look at textiles thumb

How to look at textiles

In this blog post I will be discussing what to look for when examining textile works, these may be art works, pieces of design or engineering. The way you look at textiles is extremely important for a number of reasons. The purposeful examination of your textile research enables you to gain a depth of understanding of individual textile pieces. This analysis is evidence of your academic thinking and a vital component to studying at degree level. Added to this the considered study of individual works assists you in developing an eye for looking at a broad range of work.

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John Berger (1926 -2017) – a lasting influence. thumb

John Berger (1926 -2017) – a lasting influence.

Whatever our specialisms, as writers, visual artists and musicians, we should all be indebted to John Berger for his strong and thought-provoking ideas. I particularly like the way he called himself a listener and a storyteller.

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Why adulthood is the best time to learn thumb

Why adulthood is the best time to learn

Back in 2001, comedy writer Armando Iannucci wrote a short series of sketches for Channel 4 on life and modern culture. In one sketch, a 42-year-old gent was sent to a Home for Middle Aged Men, in which he was settled quietly into a chair in the corner with newspapers and a small beer. At […]

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