This was an interesting whole OCA discussion arranged by Helen Rosemier. Much of the discussion was coloured by the impending assessment and people’s fears about that. (Including my own).

1. Beverly gave an interesting talk where she started by describing her own work and talked about how far it had changed over time from painting to working with dust to make items. She had done (among other things) an endoscopy on her vacuum cleaner! She made several helpful points:
   1. The importance of experimentation – this leads on to thinkings about alternative ideas, which may not come to fruition for years – experiments are seedlings.
      1. Write up all experiments and research
   2. Don’t be afraid to shift your practice – just make a strong rationale for it
      1. Explain why you have shifted and, if possible, where you are going
   3. Develop a dedicated studio space – so you don’t have to constantly put things away half done, room to spread out and think of ideas
   4. Enter open calls – allows engagement with the real world, improves confidence
   5. Write about your work and practice, also think about related artists
      1. Research leads to enhanced work, gives ideas
   6. Maximise the benefits of contact with your tutor – get things asa far as you can before looking for feedback
      1. Look for engagement with other students to get things going
   7. Edit, edit, edit – show your strongest work
   8. Signpost how you want things to be seen – maybe send in photos of how it should be displayed
   9. Keep your learning log up to date – write things up when they happen
   10. Allow plenty of time between last assignment and assessment
2. Kate talked about UVC and how she felt it had been critical to developing her work and understanding. She discussed her concerns re assessment:
   1. The discrepancy between guidelines and the coursework
   2. Understanding the learning outcomes
   3. Fear of not making an optimum selection
   4. Feeling unsupported and alone – worsened by Covid.
   5. The need to be proactive about asking for help – student services, other students, course leaders if needed
   6. Need to analyse your blog
   7. STOP when you have done enough
   8. Good habits to develop
      1. Careful essay structure
      2. Thorough referencing – but all sources into a referencing system
      3. Be clear about word count
      4. Be familiar with LO’s – from the beginning
      5. Be aware you wont always understand things from the first time through
      6. Look outside textbooks to get more information
      7. Blog about what you don’t understand as well as what your do
      8. Remember to document the obvious things
      9. Make personal work as well

3. Alan said he had struggled to get though course because of personal issues but that lead on to home as very personal piece of work
   1. He looked at relationships and medical issues
   2. Think about ‘mistakes’ and serendipity
   3. Note issues and once identified think about how you can resolve them.
   4. A mistake may lead you to a more holistic series
   5. Don’t always automatically delete a ‘bad’ image – as it may be just what you need to spark a project
   6. Use moments of boredom to make experimental pieces
   7. Take creative risks
   8. Think – about ethics, what is happening
   9. Remember to show process and thinking
   10. Think about the reverse side of photographs – think of them as an object.

General points discussed:

• Each assignment/course builds on previous ones.
• Review your work, try and think like a tutor
• Reflect on why things work – and why they don’t. Make notes on it.
• Remember all art is subjective
• How much of yourself are you putting in
• Remember to look at others work
  • Social media
  • Instagram
  • Photoworks
  • TPG
  • 100 heroines

Overall, this was a well worth attending meeting.  There are also note available on G-Drive made by Lynda with very useful advice.