I'm back home after the introductory lecture this morning. It was a little disorganised but it was all right generally in relaying the information. In a way I already knew most of it but it's always good to be told again about the library, student services, study support and there was also a nice slide-show of the work produced in last year's graduation show by students on our Diploma course. It all looked quite professional. There were 2 people who went on to do masters courses after this diploma. It may be something I would consider but only if I have funding and also if I find that the job-search is not working out. First things first, I'm going to do the best I can on this course.
Meeting the course librarian was useful - we had a handout that listed all the shoe and accessories resources in the library. Looks good. We also met a design tutor who is taking the footwear people - he's called something that sounds like Chocolate and it wasn't because my tummy was rumbling. He is teaching at Polimoda too which is the Florentine Design school which is known for shoe and accessory design. How exciting. Which reminds me, I need to write my thank-you letters to my tutors on the Foundation for their reference letters though I didn't get the funding in the end. Oh well eh.
Looking back, I sometimes have doubts as to whether I should have done the foundation, mainly because of the expense but then weighing up the pros and cons, the pros definitely outweigh the cons and when conviction ebbs away I really need to remember the pros of having done a foundation in order to stick to my guns. I'd spent all my own savings from working 2 years in London on the Art and Design Foundation and the expense is a big thing that freaked me out completely when I started one year ago. If not for the expense then I think I would be completely fine. It's probably partly because I'm thinking about the possibility of doing a masters but then I think I'm jumping ahead too much in considering that when I've not even started on this year. The other thing is having spent a year on a foundation which is sort of extra time that has made me feel that I'm 'wasting' time and it gets a bit scary when I look at my other friends and see that they have put down money for houses, investments and all that. Then again, there are those who haven't and I mustn't compare what I have achieved with what they have achieved because it's like comparing apples and oranges. It's only because I have successfully completed the foundation that I am thinking that actually I could have perhaps not done a foundation but then actually, I wouldn't be at the same state of mind had I not done a foundation.
The good things about having done a foundation course is that I've had exposure to fine art and design basics as well. Especially the life drawing and visual studies training - that has been really useful and my sketchbooks are things I am proud of. That has definitely given me confidence and I have learnt a lot about my abilities and limitations as well, breaking free and loosening up my work being the main thing to improve on though I'm not sure if I'm ready to go completely wild yet - Dr H says that perhaps I need to let go and fall off the edge. Baby steps, I say. Design studies have been insightful too in terms of preparing mood-boards, analysis boards, illustrations and all that has given me a better idea of how to present my work, which I was pretty clueless about before. Apart from the skills and knowledge gained on the foundation, I'm also probably in a better emotional state to take on this course. I have a part-time job now which is good for my financial state and sense of security. I have made the transition from working life to student life and so I'm not as traumatised by the constraints as before. One year ago, it was quite difficult settling into the whole returning to education thing, and this time round I'm definitely more calm about it all. I've come to accept loneliness as a part of life as well ...
God give me the courage to change what I cannot accept, the serenity to accept what I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.
We keeping going no matter what. God willing, I will keep going, in spite of it all. Tomorrow I will go for my first formal lessons at Golden Lane ... !
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