Advanced Creative Techniques in Stained Glass, Andrew Allan

Andrew Allan attended the Creative Techniques in Stained Glass – Advanced class with Eilidh Keith between October 2016 and March 2017.

Here are his thoughts and photos of his work. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us Andrew!

This is my 5th year of studying on Glasgow School of Art Open Studio evening classes. Last year in 2016 when beginning the class I wasn’t sure at first what I would be making in the stained glass evening class. I had made a painting of Sunflowers in a Vase a while back which was inspired by my 3 favourite artists William Blake, Vincent Van Gogh and David Hockney.

When I was a full time student at The Glasgow School of Art a long time ago, I remember studying Van Gogh’s Sunflower paintings at the same time as I was reading the poetry of Blake. I found Blake’s poems to have many insights. I have been a keen follower of David Hockney’s work since my earliest days of studying Art, and appreciate his works inspired by Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Picasso, especially the Blue Guitar etchings. I also appreciate his influence in introducing me to the poetic works of Walt Whitman and Constantine Cavafy.

I decided to incorporate the text of Blake’s poem ‘Ah Sun-flower!’ into the design of the window, at the top and bottom of the panel, to show the connectivity between the 2 artists William Blake and Vincent Van Gogh.

‘Ah Sun-flower!, who countest the steps of the Sun: Seeking after
that sweet golden clime, Where the Traveller’s journey is done.’
-William Blake

The sunflowers follow the path of the Sun from sunrise to sunset. In their very appearance they reflect back, as though in homage to their maker, a vision or an impression of that which shines upon them and gives life to them.

The larger pieces of glass were painted up gradually using Tracing Black and Bistre Brown. The sunflowers themselves contain both, painted elements, and fused red spectrum glass ‘frit’ which creates a blood red translucence in the centre of each flower. When all the glass pieces were painted and fired at high temperature, the individual pieces were fitted together using strips of lead held in place on a piece of board using horseshoe nails. During this stage of construction the glass elements appear very dark against the piece of board and it is difficult to discern the various colours.

Once the lead strips were all soldered together on both sides, the panel was lifted free from the board and finally unveiled to the daylight. I was surprised by how vivid and striking the colours of the glass are when placed in front of the Sun. Let There Be Light!

I hope to take part in more Evening classes at the beginning of the new term for 2017/2018.

Student: Caitlin Hegney

Caitlin Hegney attended ‘Black & White Photography’ with Sam Dransfield during Autumn-Spring 2015-16. The course ran for one evening per week over 18 weeks from October to March.

Here is what Caitlin told us about her experience:

“I am a currently studying for my BA Hons in Silversmithing and Jewellery at The Glasgow School of Art. Prior to being accepted for Art School, I undertook the Continuing Education Portfolio Preparation Day Course. This course introduced me to new approaches and perspectives which have influenced my work since. I am fascinated by ancient craft techniques and had been keen to try the traditional photography process. I am always looking for ways to broaden my practice which is why I enrolled in Sam Dransfield’s Black and White Photography course.

I was familiar with using an analogue camera however I had no previous experience in a dark room developing film or images. Sam was an excellent tutor; patient, passionate and very knowledge
able about his discipline. The course gave us access to the excellent dark room facilities within the school. We produced negatives and developed photographs with enlargers and various filters. We also used studio wall space to pin up our work which established an open environment for discussion and sharing ideas.  This was really inspiring and helped me develop and understand my process more thoroughly.

Throughout the course I shot and developed multiple films. We had the opportunity to work to a set brief as well as the chance to fulfil self-directed projects. I created Photograms using objects under the enlarger and experimented with Double Exposure films. Later in the course we explored less conventional Chemical Developers such as coffee. We also made Pinhole Cameras from recycled packaging which produced fascinating results.

I enjoyed the slow process of shooting the film through to producing a final print. As a result, each photograph felt more considered than that of digit
al photography. The almost scientific and methodical process allowed extensive opportunity for experimentation as there were so many variables. The monochromatic palette made me more mindful of the compositional element of each photograph. I was
also more attentive because of the limitation of photographs per film. It made me look at a film as a visual narrative, capturing a representation of a particular period of time. This idea resonates with themes in my work which has inspired further projects involving 35mm film since completing the course.

On the final night of the course, we selected pieces of work to create a small exhibition. The atmosphere was great and very relaxed. It was very rewarding to see our work on the wall and a great way to end to the course! It was fantastic working amongst such a diverse range of people. Overall it was an invaluable experience. I would thoroughly recommend this course!”

To see more of Caitlin’s work, head to her Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/CaitlinLaurenHegney

 

STUDENT: Tracey Morgan

Tracey Morgan visited Glasgow for #GSASummerSchool 2016 to attend three week-long courses at the Glasgow School of Art. She has written about her experiences on the courses and shared images of her work here.

The courses Tracey attended were:
Life Drawing: An Introduction to the Human Figure with Abdi Adam
Experiments in Paint and Print with Cathy Campbell
Life Drawing & Painting Workshop with Donald Sutherland

You can find out more about Tracey Morgan here:
Facebook: Tracey-Lea Morgan
Artist Portfolio: traceeey.weebly.com

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10 Years ago I spent 3 days in Glasgow as part of a longer holiday mainly based in England. I visited the Glasgow School of Art and it was one of the highlights of my trip. I also saw a lot of amazing art during my brief stay in the city and noted most of what I loved was from ex GSA students. I felt so inspired by the school, the artwork and the city, I made it a goal to return. Actually, it was more like one of those dream scenario fantasies that I didn’t put much stock in until I discovered that the GSA did a Summer School programme.

So I decided where better to spend part of a cold New Zealand winter than in the tropical summer city of Glasgow and booked 3 weeks in the Summer school programme – the weather didn’t do much to outshine Wellington’s winter, but the classes exceeded my expectations.

My first week was spent in Life Drawing with Abdi Adam. I have done a little life drawing in the past but I was quite rusty for sure. My first drawing off the easel was shocking, well the rust certainly showed haha– but this is often the case when you first start back in life drawing after a break. The 5 days with Abdi took us though a variety of tasks and techniques that allowed us to build on our skills a little at a time. So we weren’t overwhelmed with having to achieve line, tone and structure all within one day, but we got to that (and more) in the end.

Our first day was about how we stand at the easel and make our marks – we did a large amount of drawing with poses ranging from 30 seconds to 15 minutes. Concentrating on things like gesture and movement. The days that followed had a similar pattern starting with fast poses moving to longer but each day we would add to our skill base while considering form or tone or proportion etc. By Friday we worked on longer poses and completed sketches that were more comprehensive, tying together all the considerations from the weeks practice. Abdi was a great tutor he had a really great way of explaining things through demonstration with a little theory as well.

Week 2 was Experiments in Paint and Print with Cathy Campbell. I chose this class because I wanted to have a little fun and develop a playful approach to art for the week. It proved to be just that, so it was a great choice. The theme for the week was ‘Layering, Matter and Meaning’. The first few days were focused on drawing techniques and tips for creative methods of how we draw (continuous lines, no dominant hand, blind drawing etc.) and other considerations like composition, scale and some colour theory. We also sought inspiration from our surroundings. The second part of the week we learnt different forms of print making. I hadn’t done any print making since school, and while I’ve always loved the result of lino printing, I remember at school it being very difficult because of the nature of the lino which made it challenging to cut. There is now an easier product available so the physical nature to making the marks is much easier to control with less likelihood of making mistakes. I loved that I can do this at home and combine it with other artistic styles, so I am looking forward to a mixed media approach to my painting incorporating printing as well. Cathy was great fun, a really enjoyable teacher with a lot of skills and a very inclusive approach.

The prints I made were based on the final life drawing I had made the week prior in Abdi’s class.

My final week was Life Drawing and Painting Workshop with Donald Sutherland, I always knew it would be challenging and it certainly was (the course information said it was aimed at advanced students). However, I wanted to make the most of my last week at GSA and felt like this would be a great class to extend my life drawing skills as well as learning more about paint (in particular oil painting which I am very inexperienced with) so I approached the week with a focus on learning rather than results and although it sometimes felt like I was learning a new language, I do believe I made some progress and learnt some skills to carry forward into my painting. For the first 2 days we did life drawing. The class was quite different in approach to Abdi’s class, so that was really interesting to me. We produced fewer drawings but we had a lot more conversation about what we were doing. There was some cross-over, but it was fascinating to learn from another perspective. Some new things for me to consider were, looking at curves from each side of the model, relative lines and directional flow. On the 3^rd day we started using paint to explore paint: warm and cool colours, lighter vs darker and whether colour is more or less intense. The approach to painting was different from anything I’d ever done before. Where I tended to ‘draw’ the subject and then paint in the detail, with this approach you looked for areas of colour, you applied it…you found another area, you applied it etc. and so on. You asked yourself questions continuously, is this colour lighter or darker, warmer or cooler etc. The paint moved with your attention to the detail and the painting itself developed by adding one colour into context with another, by finding the relative angles and connecting points etc. The last 2 days we spent painting one pose but building it in the same method as the experimental day prior.  I was pleased I took this class, it wasn’t easy but it was a real opportunity for growth. I would like to continue to practice to paint in this fashion back home in New Zealand.

To me this was the perfect holiday. I got to play, and to paint, and to hang out with lovely people. I spent a decent amount of time in a really wonderful city and saw a little more of Scotland in the weekends. The Con-Ed team went out of their way to make Summer School students feel welcome and supported. I hope to return again.

STUDENT: SHELLEY MAC

Shelley Mac attended 3 of the Spring Weekend Courses during April 2016
Acrylic Painting, with Conor Kelly
Crash Course in Life Drawing, with Paddy Dorrian
Experimental Drawing Workshop, with Cathy Campbell
You can find Shelley Mac at www.michelleunique.com

We asked Shelley about her time on the Spring Weekend Courses and here is what she had to say:

I’m a Fibre Artist normally working mostly with rare breed wool.  I knit, felt, weave, dye, spin and a few other things thrown in, but I wanted to get more into the drawing and painting side of things this time.  After all it could only help my work, and it would be good to learn more about it as well.  I decided that I would choose courses that would have me out of my comfort zone and challenge me, but hopefully that I would enjoy too.

Acrylic Painting with Tutor Conor Kelly

I thought I would try this course as I’ve had a little shot of oil paints before and I like the work of Hashim Akib using the heavy body acrylics so I thought I would give it a try.  I will be the first to admit that I was not looking forward to still life so it did take me a while to get into.  I think because we were going straight into painting rather than sketching things out, which I’ve never done before I did find that difficult.  On the second half of the day we could choose something to paint from clippings we brought in ourselves.  This was good as everyone was now painting something different, and it was great to wander round the room and see how different everyone’s style of painting was.  Conor asked us all if we were okay with Jazz music playing in the background and we all agreed that, that would be good, and it was a nice touch and made the day feel a bit more relaxing and intimate.

The photo of the above painting was from a magazine featuring a scene of the Northern Lights over a beach with a light house.  I spent quite a bit of my time trying to mix the correct shades that I wanted but Conor helped with that and gave me a few good tips to try.  I’ve noticed that with the Spring Courses the tutors like to try and cram a lot into the weekends, so it can be quite intense, but also very satisfying.

I have worked more into the above painting since bringing it home.  Conor showed us how to use glazes in our work, he told us to work with a large brush and I discovered I really liked using one and slapping it on in big strokes.  I think I will have a go at an extra-large canvas sometime. He also helped me with more colour mixing and how to get light into my painting.  We were told to go out and get some new inspiration for day 2 from today’s newspaper and not to use anything that we already had with us!  The next morning Conor took all of our cut-outs and swapped them about so we didn’t have our own choice to paint (which I thought was quite clever).  He then gave us 30 minutes and told us he wanted a finished painting so we had to think fast about what we needed to get on there and how to do it as quick as possible and he would be counting down every 5 minutes just to add a bit more pressure!  This was fun and daunting at the same time, you can see the result of that picture below.

Storm was a colourless photo of huge waves and sea spray crashing over the promenade with clumps of seaweed and distant hills in the background.  Conor said that what I learned that day was that I work well under pressure. There was a good mix of people in the class and most of us went to lunch together on both days for a nice bit of socialising.  We were hoping to get shown how to stretch canvas which was in the description of the course, but I think we kind of ran out of time.

Crash Course in Life Drawing with Tutor Paddy Dorrian

Our female model for the day had actually got out of her sick bed as there was no-one to stand in at such short notice, but she did very well and Paddy made sure she didn’t do any standing poses.  I found it very hard to get proportions and perspective right, but Paddy helped me out with some of my problems. He made sure he got around everybody giving us helpful tips here and there.  We were kept busy using charcoal first for most of the day and then trying some sketches with pen.  I was really out of my comfort zone on this one and had never used willow charcoal before but I actually really enjoyed it.

I chose this course because I’ve always been afraid of “Life Drawing” I think it’s because you’ve got to be accurate and there has got to be a good likeness.  I was so surprised at how relaxed and comfortable it all was.  We started by drawing with charcoal on the end of a big stick which was fun and unusual to me.  We did a lot of quick poses and ended the day with moving around the room and sitting at different heights so we had a range of angles from the one pose.  Although I found it very tough I really enjoyed it.

 

We had a male model on the second day and continued with the 5-10 minute poses this time using charcoal, pencil and pastel which was really good.  I was having a problem with foreshortening and Paddy gave me a few tips as I had never heard of it before.  I’m not afraid of “Life Drawing” now and I would definitely sign up for another class to help me improve.  We had a good mix of people on this course too and spent lunches together with some of them, it’s really nice to meet people from all different backgrounds working in all different fields with Art in common.

 

Experimental Drawing with Tutor Cathy Campbell

I chose this class because I have always had an aversion to “Still Life” and I knew I needed a lot of practice in my drawing.  My thought process was that if I feel like I have learnt something and there’s a chance that I enjoy it, then maybe I could get really into this painting thing!  I had been so used to doing quick rough sketches of my ideas and then creating them in fibre, so this was all new and different to me.  We did an interesting exercise to help loosen us up which I enjoyed and would definitely do again.  We chose an item to draw (mines was an open pine cone) and then Cathy gave us 5 minutes to sketch it with the dominant hand, another 5 to sketch it with the non-dominant hand and finally to sketch it blind.  I was amazed at how alike the results were!

The “Still Life” had step ladders, a watering can and a body bust, it looked difficult and interesting so I hoping this would help me with my drawing skills, which I think it did.  We used willow charcoal a lot and she gave us an exercise to do with the negative spaces of the Still Life which I really enjoyed.  I have been doing some research on Still Life painters and now realise it has to be part of the learning process as it does teach you a lot!  I think I get bored and frustrated because I’m not getting the results I would like which puts me off.  I have to admit that after doing this course I have been practicing still life at home in all different ways and I do find it a lot more enjoyable now, plus I’m getting better results.

We were told to bring a few small items to work from for a Still Life project of our own.  I brought a small U-shaped magnet, the open pine cone and included my takeaway coffee cup from that morning plus a nearly finished bottle of water that I had in my bag.  The medium we used for this was willow charcoal and chalk which I find really messy but enjoyed and we got a good length of time to spend on this one so we could try and finish it.  Although there is a lot wrong with this picture I’m still really pleased with the result as I think it’s the best I’ve done so far.

The above photo is an exercise we did about negative spaces with Cathy’s Still Life of the ladders etc.  I did find this difficult but really interesting and fun and as you can see, mines looks rather spooky (as Cathy called it) and it is hard to tell what it was meant to be.  I realised later that I didn’t start off with the background dark enough, so another lesson learned there!

We did some really quick drawing exercises in ink, some incorporating different music and I found out that I really enjoyed using ink.  I will definitely use ink again.  Cathy was really helpful, a good teacher and also very funny!

Now I’m getting ready for Summer School and looking forward to what I will learn there.  I’m booked into the course “Landscape Drawing and Painting in the Urban Environment” with tutor Jim Ramsay and I’m considering taking another one …..

I have had a great time doing these courses and I managed to get a place on an HND Art course at College using some of the art I learned from the courses in my portfolio!

COUNTDOWN: ONE WEEK UNTIL SUMMER SCHOOL BEGINS

STUDENT: HOLLY SMITH

 

Holly Smith Sketchbook

Holly Smith 
Sculpture Workshop with Jack Cheetham, Autumn/Spring 2015/2016, Evening Course

When starting the Sculpture Workshop class I was very interested in experimenting with mold making and different casting techniques and the course gave me the instruction and the ability to create and learn about sculpture both traditional and contemporary. I also found being in the learning environment again, instructed by someone passionate about sculpture, facilitating the transformation of concepts into physical form extremely beneficial. Having the ability to create from my own ideas and experiment with different ways of making; casting, clay, wax, mould making, has expanded my practice enormously and heightened my understanding of materials and their effect.

Initially we began by experimenting with different casting techniques; alginate, plaster and mould making. I cast my hand in alginate, which worked well; unfortunately the cast of my mouth wasn’t as successful but a lot more fun.

Holly Smith, plaster hand cast

Holly Smith, drawing

The first mould that I made was of a milk jug that I had found. I then experimented with the jugs that I poured from the mould.

Holly Smith, mold from jug

Holly Smith, mold-making process

Holly Smith, sketchbook

 

Holly Smith, slip cast jug

Holly Smith, slip cast jug

The work that I made in the class was inspired by the juxtaposition of the international “Migrant Crisis” and the loss of large areas of council housing, in effect social cleansing, of the community I grew up in; the inspiration for this came from a lot of different sources; but mostly from Doris Salcedo and Rachel Whiteread. I was interested in looking at the items that people throw away, particularly shoes, casting them as a means of documenting what was once there, and then returning the cast to the location where the shoes came from.

These are the shoes that originally inspired the idea of casting forgotten shoes as they had lived outside my house of weeks. I was also inspired by Doris Salcedo’s use of shoes, and the fact that they are so common place, but also very personal.

I used simple mould making techniques to cast the shoes in a mixture of plaster, Jesmonite and marble crystals so that they could be polished up and also be left outside. This process took a couple of weeks as each time in class I had to make different parts of the mould, let it dry till the following week and then continuing.

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The shoes are now returned to their original place outside the front door, and document the old shoes that used to live there.

Holly Smith, Sculpture Workshop 2015/2016

Holly Smith, Sculpture Workshop 2015/2016

Holly Smith attended Sculpture Workshop with Jack Cheetham, Autumn/Spring 2015/2016. This course ran for one evening per week from October to March.

 

Student: Alice Dansey-Wright

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print, Autumn/Spring 2015/16

Alice Dansey-Wright  
Experiments in Paint and Print with Cathy Campbell, Autumn/Spring 2015/2016
cargocollective.com/alicedanseywright 

I’m an illustrator and I decided to go on the Experiments in Paint and Print course to learn new drawing, painting and print techniques that would challenge and develop my work. I was excited at the idea of being in a classroom without computer screens and with a focus on practical skills. I also wanted to reconnect with all things analogue and perhaps gather some ideas for a new exhibition. I was drawn to this course in particular because it was described as experimental and covered a wide range of methods.

The course was most certainly challenging but also a great deal of fun. I think part of the challenge for me was that I’m used to the well-worn techniques that I use on a daily basis and I was out of my comfort zone quite a lot of the time. It was this removal from my usual surroundings and tools however that was so invigorating and refreshing and meant that I had to push myself into new directions. I re-­learned the importance of keeping a sketchbook and how some of the best stuff that you make happens on those pages –it’s also a tangible record of your creative process.

Our time in the studio was split in to two nine-week blocks: the first block covered techniques and practical skills and the second block acted as a period of self-­directed work where we could focus on our personal projects, utilising the new skills that we’d learnt. The methods that we covered included: experimental drawing exercises, watercolour, acrylic, mono printing, reductive lino printing and collage. We were encouraged to make use of the GSA library and archives and to look at the work of a range of significant twentieth and twenty-­first century artists for inspiration and context.

The atmosphere in the studio was warm and sociable but also focussed and peaceful. Cathy was a very attentive tutor, really invested in each individual student and full of valuable feedback. Cathy is a colour expert and that was one of the most useful things that I learnt from her -­ listening to how she talked about colour, regardless of medium, and how passionate she was about it. She made me think more critically about the colour in my work and how vital it is, alongside line, composition and mixing up your mediums.

Having one day a week to learn and experiment was invaluable for my practice. It gave me headspace to think a little more objectively about my projects and how I was working on them, and reminded me about the value of play and experimentation in keeping your work fresh and alive. It was also really great to have a room of fellow students who you could bounce ideas off, laugh with and be inspired by.

Taking part in the course has changed the way that I work – I’m using colour much more attentively, painting is no longer the scary thing that it once was and collage has become a huge part of what I do. It has been a great thing for me to take part in as professional development – time out, learning new skills, meeting new people and leaving with a portfolio of new ideas.

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print at the Glasgow School of Art

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print at the Glasgow School of Art

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print at the Glasgow School of Art

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print at the Glasgow School of Art

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print at the Glasgow School of Art

Alice Dansey-Wright, work from Experiments in Paint and Print at the Glasgow School of Art

Alice Dansey-Wright took the course Experiments in Paint and Print with Cathy Campbell during the Continuing Education Autumn/Spring Programme 2015/2016.

You can find out more about her practice here: cargocollective.com/alicedanseywright

Exhibition: Cathy Campbell

Exhibition Announcement: Cathy Campbell is an artist and tutor with Continuing Education.

A selection of Cathy Campbell’s recent paintings will be exhibited in Perpetual Discovery at Tatha Gallery in Newport-on-Tay from April 30 to June 18 2016.

The curator of the exhibition has written:

Cathy Campbell’s beautiful and restful still life interior paintings are a celebration of natural light almost as though capturing a moment in time. They emit the feeling of light reflected and carry warmth far beyond the canvas. A time element is complex in these paintings because once finished they appear instantaneous.

The beautiful paintings reveal her love of colour. Domestic objects are given life; the shapes created between the vases, cups and their surroundings, as light plays on their surfaces, make it is easy to begin imagining human qualities for them.

You can see images of the paintings included in the exhibition here: Portfolio

You can find out more about Cathy Campbell’s work on her website here: www.cathycampbellart.com

STUDENT: GAIL MITCHELL

Gail Mitchell attended ‘Contemporary Still Life’ with Mikey Cook during Autumn/Spring 2015/2016. The course ran for one evening per week over 18 weeks from October to March.

Now that the course has finished, we asked Gail about her experiences on the course and here is what she had to say:

I have attended the Contemporary Still Life class which Mikey Cook stepped in to teach after the original tutor was unable to continue. I really wanted to gain experience with oil paints  – which I had never used. I had loved art at school but veered into sciences with the misguided hope of continuing art as a hobby – now that I’m approaching retirement I have time to dabble a bit!!

When attending a course like this there is always the fear of everyone else being better and a general lack of confidence. We were a mixed group in terms of age and experience but Mikey was a genius! Firstly I can now confidently say I know infinitely more about oil painting and have no fear of “having a go” myself at home – which I am busily doing.

Mikey provided solid theoretical information to educate and inspire. He taught us about the techniques necessary and advised regarding our individual work. He guided in a positive and humorous way. The subjects we were given were varied and challenging, and we branched into a few alternative techniques too. The course involved everything from the basic to detailed and advanced techniques.

Looking back we achieved a great deal and practised with all the usual drawing media as well as oils.

Personally I loved the course – every week I really enjoyed the session (which I shall sorely miss).

I can now paint using oils and produce work that I am not embarrassed to let people see – which is a phenomenal advance!

 

Gail Mitchell, 2016

 

STUDENT: KIRSTEEN MCDIARMID

Kirsteen McDiarmid will begin BA(Hons) Interior Design at the Glasgow School of Art in September. Over the last few years Kirsteen has taken a number of courses with Continuing Education, including Portfolio Preparation Course and a Screen printing evening course.

Here is some of her more recent work. Continue reading for a text she has written about her experiences on Con Ed courses.

I have always loved and been drawn to Interior Design, but life kinda happened first.  So as a woman of a certain age, (well not THAT old, but let’s say I spend money on hair dye) I’ve always had a thing in the back of my mind saying this isn’t it. I didn’t know exactly what ‘it’ was, but buying sexy Interior Design magazines year in, year out wasn’t satisfying my longing.  So in 2013 I decided to apply to GSA’s Continuing Education Department for the Portfolio Preparation Evening Class. I printed off some of my work and put it in a wee folder and drove to Glasgow to hand it in.  You were actually supposed to ‘upload images’, (a term that I used to dread) but I was so inexperienced I didn’t know how to do it!  I went home, imagining the staff having a good laugh at someone handing in an A4 folder, and crossed my fingers.

I got a place on the course, and was over the moon.  So began a whirlwind of colour, excitement, learning and getting better at drawing.  I hadn’t drawn for YEARS and was so self conscious about not been good enough, I couldn’t do any work at home until my husband and kids had gone to bed.  One of the biggest changes as a result of Con Ed is that I now understand that you just have to make work and it’ll turn out how it turns out.  You can’t make it to please other people, it’s got to be honest.  If it’s not great, there’s always tomorrow.  Even my husband and kids take a mild interest in what I do now, although when I took them on a tour of the Reid Building, my husband pointed to a crushed crisp on the floor, and told the kids…’That’s art’.  Oh well, baby steps…

I knew I couldn’t stop now so applied to the Portfolio Preparation part time course.  7 months flew by, and again the pace was fast and the learning curve was steep, even tackling life drawing for the first time.  Art gallery visits, actually starting to understand art speak, highs and a few tears and snotters, I knew I wanted to do this forever.  I also signed up for the Screen printing Evening Course which was fantastic.  When it finished I had produced plenty of work but was fired up with so many more ideas to explore, and I genuinely miss the chat, it was my favourite night of the week.

Looking back over the past three years the thing that probably stands out the most about the Continuing Education department is the staff.  Without sounding like a sook, it still blows me away how they all genuinely care about your progress.  Their help and advice isn’t confined to studio hours. It’s because they’re passionate about what they do, part of a secret recipe I think.  I’ve gone from thinking ‘I can’t do this, I’m not good enough’, to ‘I can’t do anything else’.

Kirsteen McDiarmid, April 2016

In September Kirsteen McDiarmid will begin BA(Hons) Interior Design at the Glasgow School of Art. She has gained a place for direct entry into second year of the four year degree programme.