Progress since I have enrolled onto the MADA has been positive and rewarding. I was finding it difficult to find the direction this summer. As I have returned from Berlin and having handed in my BA dissertation, I felt I was in a gap and I was uncertain to which path I would follow… or was there a path to follow? This is an issue not only based on my occupation as a student, but something that could lead to my visa being cut off. When I sent off an application, I was slowly starting to think that the course was going to provide me with an opportunity, but I was still unclear about what it could offer.
Decisions and discoveries were based on various topics ranging from digital software to concepts and theories. I loved the fact I was discovering new ways of expressing myself, and actually, the simple act of learning was of joy. Although there were elements of concerns when I started the course and how I could cope with my new student life, things have turned out to be good, usually above my expectations.
Deadlines and time management still remain to be a challenge, as my part time work at a school restricts me from investing all the time I want into creative practice… having said that, I do embrace creative practice at the school. Perhaps it’s a different kind of creativity and often does not come with a deadline.
I have become further aware of my practice and the work I produce, mostly to do with being aware of the audience and where I see myself to be. As my personal projects have been, well, personal, I did not feel the necessity to consider my audience. I would talk to friends about the images I photographed and that often was the end of my practice.
One of the most important things I have learned, or have re-picked up, is my reflective skills. This was also something I have been distant from due to my very private practice. And the experience of exchanging ideas and learning new skills/ideas everyday is unbelievably exciting. Of course, this is not to say that there is no learning elsewhere. The difference is that I am now clearly aware of my learning when it takes place.
This has influenced my professional work too. As well as being able to bring in new ideas to the school, I appreciate my time at the school far deeper than I used to. The school work and the NUCA work alongside one another gives me the time to step back and to reflect, while I engage in creative work (although in different settings).
What I would like to highlight are: the perspectives I have been able to sharpen, and being able to critically evaluate situations during my action. I am consciously reflecting on my practice every day, through blogging and other means, and feel more confident and comfortable with the environment I am currently in.
