For a variety of reasons, which I won’t go into here, I decided that 2020 should be the year where I finally tackle creating art once again. For those of you who read my previous post, some years ago, about my experience with school-age art (A is for Artistic or Not) you will know that this has been a sensitive subject for me over the years, but the upset has gradually been getting less and I realised, near the end of last year, that having some kind of a year-long project might just be a good idea for me.

I’ve been following the emails from Willowing Arts since Oct 2018, having been introduced to Tamara Laporte via another artist who was going to teach on one of their courses in 2019. I’d really enjoyed watching the Willowing approach to art so far, and the mixed media artworks were something I hadn’t really seen or explored at that time. So when it came to choosing my project for 2020 there were a few topics to pick from (art, writing, photography, poetry…), but in the end the choice was easy – I really wanted to explore creating art from scratch once again and this time there was a supportive environment that was not only focused on making art but looking after your personal well-being and inner self-judgement. So I signed up to Willowing Arts’ Life Book 2020 course in the middle of the previous October and then had to wait until the course began in January…

There were things I could do while I waited. A free summit is run with interviews and activities from September and because I’d bought the year-long course I had life-long access to all that material, as well as the virtual gift bag you get with the course that gives you access to discounts, short courses and other freebies from the teachers on Life Book. Time being what it is though, I didn’t get chance to access all that was available in these offers, but I can go back to nearly 100% of them whenever I like.

I don’t know about you, but I need a bit of structure to be able to keep up with learning things properly. I can learn in my own time, at my own speed, but I do much better if I know there’s a regular schedule, so the weekly emails, like the ones I get if I’m taking an ‘academic’ course on FutureLearn, are perfect for me – I know what to expect, when to expect it and this keeps me motivated to keep going; it also gives me that accountability I need.

​So when the first course email arrived on January 1st I was more than excited, and only slightly overwhelmed… The environment Tamara (or Tam) creates for her learners is amazing. It’s supportive, safe, so welcoming and really sets you up not to feel too frightened about making any kind of art. I’ve always felt like I’ve been focused on the outcomes of doing something like this before, but for some reason, and it may sound a cliché, I’ve been enjoying the process with these lessons so much. I’m really absorbed, just losing track of time, and to me that’s a great accolade.

Having got this far, you’re probably wondering what I’ve produced since I started and below is my first completed effort in mixed media. It was a warm-up exercise by Tamara Laporte herself, called ‘Awaken Your Creativity’ and I found it both fun to do and a great learning experience on many levels.

​I’m now working on two more lessons, one with faces, which is something I’ve never really done before, and a bonus lesson from teacher Andrea Gomoll making a mini happy planner. I’m hoping that I can find the time to continue sharing my experiences with you, and fingers crossed that I will stick with the course and keep creating…
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If you’re interested in Willowing Arts I’ve included a link or two that will take you through to their website, and I’ve even signed up as an affiliate, so if you do purchase something from them using my link I will receive a small percentage from the sale, so thank you!

At the end of last year I took an online course called 'How to Make a Poem' which was developed by Manchester Metropolitan University and made available via Future Learn (my favourite, free online course provider). This was me starting out on my first formal poetry exploration... Yes, I'd read some poetry in school and I've bought books of poems over the years too, but I'd never really written much properly and the process and technicalities intrigued me - well, I do love to learn new things.

The course title was specifically chosen, it's not just about writing but also covered things like 'found' poetry, inspiration and how poets worked through their creative process - there were interesting videos to discuss this. And as well as learning about some of the technicalities, we were encouraged to create our own poems and received feedback from other students on the course. The last of these exercises was to write a poem from scratch, then develop and refine it, and I thought I would share my final version with you below.

If you're interested in learning about poetry and making some for yourself I can certainly recommend the course - the online environment created by the university was very supportive and understanding, helping reduce the scariness of sharing your work, and as a result some of the participants set up a Facebook group to stay in touch.

Perhaps you would like to give making poetry a go? I certainly enjoyed the experience and learnt so much, now all I have to do is attempt to keep creating...!
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My Mother’s Dictionary
 
Small in stature, yet falling apart,
with depths and gifts untold,
the delicate, worn-out cover
envelops generations of old.
 
The learning of a thousand years
slips easily into my pocket,
holds memories of Mum and school
much more than any locket.
 
Upfront a legacy,
a promise from the past,
that knowledge and wonder, in equal measure,
are guaranteed to last.