A ‘Mature’ Student
Are you pursuing the dreams you had when you were younger? Or, like me, did life ‘sneak’ in the way of those dreams? At Morrison’s Academy for Girls, in Crieff, Scotland, my history teacher was always bemoaning the fact that I would provide her detailed drawings of medieval villages or knights in their armour and little in terms of written text for my assignments! Back in Toronto, Canada for high-school, I watched with awe as my stepmother prepared perspective drawings for her Environmental Design studies at what is now known as the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University. My father, a Scottish accountant, felt a university degree would be more valuable than art school. Fortunately, this led to an extremely rewarding career in Indigenous relations and environmental policy. I learned so much especially working directly with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people about life, building strong relationships and about respecting nature. It was a privilege. But it was not art school.
Approximately three years ago, I began taking night courses at the Ottawa School of Art (OSA). It was a familiar environment as my daughters had either attended camp or volunteered there for many years. My youngest daughter Teagan and I began taking sculpture and watercolour classes for fun. But it was when I walked into the printmaking studio that I felt like I was home. As any printmaker will tell you, when you pull ink across glass with a brayer, it creates a ‘sticky’ sound and when you turn the wheel of a printing press, there is a minor clunking, metallic sound which felt so familiar to me. All this leads to the moment of pure ‘magic’ when you lift the press felts and remove your own unique (and sometimes surprisingly different) image off your plate.
It was soon after that I made the decision to leave my profession and enter OSA’s Portfolio program, feeling the need to build up my technical skills before applying for entry to the Fine Arts Diploma program. What I really needed was the boost of confidence that rebuilding my skills gave me. Within a year, I was a full-time student in Fine Arts and began exhibiting my artworks. The highlight to date is having my linocut print ‘Ruffled Feathers,’ being accepted into OSA’s 8th International Miniature Print Exhibition Biennale (a juried exhibit).
In subsequent posts, I hope to share with you my journey as an art student and emerging artist in Ottawa; the influence of family; what I am learning as a student, including the mistakes I have made (often leading to those accidental, but beautiful pieces!); and the resources I turn to and artists I admire, including the OSA teachers and my fellow art students.
Are you creative? An artist? Did life sidetrack you before you found your passion again? Do reach out and let me know. And, in the meantime, thank you for coming on this journey with me!