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Large scale embroidery thumb

Large scale embroidery

I frequently discuss the idea of exploring scale to my students-at least twice a week! It might be to look at exploring a technique at a smaller, more intricate scale or to do the opposite; take the choice of media or base larger. It is so easy to stick within the limitations of the size of your sketchbook, or to remain firmly in your comfort zone (I should know, for a good portion of my degree I only ever worked on pieces smaller than a sheet of A4, feeling too daunted to go any bigger!), but it can be so beneficial to investigate the possibilities of creating work at different scales.

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Interactivity and scriptwriting: Who is the storyteller? thumb

Interactivity and scriptwriting: Who is the storyteller?

In the last few years there have been an increased number of interactive films enter the mainstream film market, acclaimed by some as the new frontier of entertainment that will soon become the new normality.  As a screenwriter and lover of “traditional” filmmaking, I had to dip my toe into this and find out what the appeal is all about.

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Student stories: In conversation with Susan Askew thumb

Student stories: In conversation with Susan Askew

Susan Askew is working towards a BA in Drawing and currently on the Level Two Investigating Drawing unit. I was struck by her response to the ‘narrative’ exercise in Part Two of this unit and want her to share some of her thinking about this with other students. 

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Preparing for assessment | Assessment for learning thumb

Preparing for assessment | Assessment for learning

As part of the changes OCA is making to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, the summer assessment events are moving to digital only submission. We caught up with Christian Lloyd, Director of Learning and Teaching, and Moira Lovell, Director of Curriculum and Quality, about the changes and adopting the new Assessment for Learning Approach.

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Student stories: Enterprise grant success thumb

Student stories: Enterprise grant success

The message dropped into my feed from the OCA… ‘We are offering an Enterprise Grant for level 2 and 3 students of £100, or £150 each for group applications.’ All you had to do was complete an application form with a simple proposal setting out why you wanted the grant. This seemed peculiarly appropriate as I had just started my first Level 2 course and was itching to get out in the market place.

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Join us for OCA wide Earth Day 2020  thumb

Join us for OCA wide Earth Day 2020 

Earth Day has its 50th Anniversary this year, and we invite you to join us to mark this significant day. At these times of self-isolation, online interaction and social distancing, we take a moment to celebrate, share and explore the creative possibilities of the home-garden work space. 

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Experience of a virtual artist residency during lockdown thumb

Experience of a virtual artist residency during lockdown

I came across a post in Instagram calling for artists to attend an online virtual residency. The post was from a residency space in the North of Spain who would normally be booked with physical residency artists and I thought that potential of a virtual residency was fantastic! I submitted an application and was accepted.

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Virtual regional meetings – Adapting to life in lockdown thumb

Virtual regional meetings – Adapting to life in lockdown

The Thames Valley Group held their regular monthly meeting as usual in March, thanks to some timely advice from Paul Vincent in IT, OCA Tutor Jayne Taylor and the OCA Europe group, who have been maintaining remote contact for a while. Work was loaded up to OCA’s Padlet in advance, so attendees had a chance […]

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OCA news: ‘OCA Learn’ thumb

OCA news: ‘OCA Learn’

In its 30 years OCA has evolved from face to face and correspondence courses to a blended internet and distance based offering and has defied traditional educational boundaries imposed by age, geography, previous experience and privilege. Through technology we can create a borderless community which serves personal, creative and autonomous interaction between students, tutors, and peers.

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Group work at OCA thumb

Group work at OCA

Based on student feedback, OCA has committed to introduce group work as a core teaching element by 2020-21. We envisage that all undergraduate students can expect access at least one session per course unit or annually, and group work will be offered in addition to existing one-to-one tuition.

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