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  • #983725
    LinkSlayer
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        I’m 34, mum to an 11 year old, and have been a “homemaker” for all of those 11 years. I am a self-taught artist, but lately I feel like I’ve hit a bit of a brick wall and learned as much as I can teach myself, and need some guidance as to what will be available to me when my son is 16 and I need to work.

        So I am seriously considering going to Art University College to get a National Diploma in Fine Art. (I then may consider doing a Degree in Fine Art.) I want to be taken seriously when I look for art orientated work – I don’t want to be seen as “housewife with a little hobby”, so I feel some qualification will show commitment and will surely help me on my way?

        But I’m scared, and also hopelessly in the dark about what to really expect.

        So, are there any mature students who can tell me how they managed to adapt to college life after being a ‘stay-at-home-mum’ for several years?

        And is there anyone out there, mature or otherwise, who can answer the following questions for me?

          [*]What time does the college day start and finish? (I’m in the UK.)
          [*]How do I create a portfolio? Must I have original paintings and drawings, or can I take a little album of photos? How many pieces should there be in my portfolio? etc
          [*]How tough was your initial interview? Should I be as nervous as I feel when I think about it?!
          [*]Do you apply for financial help BEFORE you enrol, or do you wait until you have a definite place first?
          [*]Is there a specific month when you start college, or can you start at different times throughout the year?

        Sorry I’m so ignorant. :(

        Thanx a lot for any thoughts, advice or encouragement you might have for this old lady who wants to go back to school! ;)

        Helen

        #1018751

        Helen, I’ve just seen your note in the Cafe. I have to go out now for the afternoon and may not be back til late but I will definitely be back.

        The quick version of it, though, is: go for it! :D :D :D

        #1018765
        Anne Y. H.
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            Hello Helen,

            I’ll be 34 at the end of the month, so I felt it was qualifying to give you some support. I am currently jobless, and I started some further financial education a year ago, so in a sense I am a mature student too!

            The world is running faster than it used to be, and I think it is more and more comon that pepole have to go back to study at our age. A friend of mine, 35, mother of 2 children (7 and 2) just started the nurse school!

            I’ve asked http://www.google.com to search for me for “National Diploma in Fine Art” UK (include the quotes – replacing UK by your town is probably better) and I found that link very useful:

            http://www.arts-inst-bournemouth.ac.uk/aj/coursehtmls/ndip-fine.html

            Their website looked very useful:
            http://www.arts-inst-bournemouth.ac.uk/aj/home/home.html
            (especially Money Matters in the student section).

            If I were you, I would look for the nearest art institute, carefully read their website and just go there to ask all the questions (even better i they have open days like in Bournemouth) !

            As for interviews, etc. you have to be well prepared, the best thing would be to get in contact with a jury member from another institute to train you (my friend did it and she had an outstanding note at the interview).

            JUST DO IT!

            Anne.

            #1018753
            LinkSlayer
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                sandge – thanx, and see you later today! ;) :)

                Anne – thanx for the encouragement and for looking that up for me! I have chosen a college, “The Surrey Institute of Art & Design”, and received their booklet, but it didn’t answer any of my questions above… I didn’t really want to show my ignorance by asking them some of the questions, but of course you’re right that they are the people to ask! So I just sent an email with the questions about the times, portfolio, etc.

                The booklet really makes me want to get started there, but at the same time I am so hopelessly ‘out of routine’ that I don’t know how I’ll cope with the ‘daily grind’… And I’m naturally shy, and feel even more so because I’ve lived within four walls away from the outside world for so long… :( Also, I don’t want to set the wheels in motion and then find that I’ve done it just because I was going through a transient period of feelings… You know what I mean – when you suddenly wake up and think, ” :eek: Aggghh! Why the heck did I do this?!! I was perfectly happy with my little reclusive life!!” LOL :D

                So I’m trying to think it thru very carefully, and find everything out, and then hopefully have a little time to make sure I’m really comfortable with the idea, for the right reasons and with the right attitude…

                Helen

                #1018766
                Anne Y. H.
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                    [i]Originally posted by ArtyHelen [/i]
                    [B]So I just sent an email with the questions about the times, portfolio, etc.[/B]

                    Well done, people answering to administrative requests are not necessarily members of the jury and anyway asking questions shows interest! Bournemouth indications on portfolio were looking nice, but all school don’t necessarily have the same policy.

                    [B]Aggghh! Why the heck did I do this?!! I was perfectly happy with my little reclusive life!!”[/B]

                    Well you may also think about entering a convent. ;)

                    Considering the age of your son, I thing it is just the rigth time to go for it!

                    Anne.

                    #1018757

                    Hey there Old friend. Been ther and done that.:D :D :D

                    Helen your going to be fine. Ok so it is a big step to take. You are whaere I was 10 years ago. was scared to death when I filled out that app for collage. was also 34. Had worked all my life until that point.

                    I had to drive 30 miles one way each day to class. The frist day I was so scared that I was shaking, and was ready to get baack in to the car and come home. As those that have meet me, can tell ya. I not a little guy, and not much really scares me. I had thos same fears that you are having now.

                    fear of the unkonwen. Once you get to your frist class you well see it not as bad as you thought it was going to be. Truist me you will fit right in. and if older students in the UK are like the ones here. they tend to do better in School than the younger ones.

                    Helen remember we are here for ya. But everything is going to be fine.

                    Have to go being rushed out the door.

                    #1018764
                    mebo
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                        I agree, Helen, you should do it. I went back to college, then on to lawschool when I was 36. I had 4 (yes, four) children at home. Organization became a big part of our life!

                        If when you get in, and you’ve given it a fair trial, and you absolutely hate it, you can always quit and go home.

                        Give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

                        Marian

                        #1018756

                        Must be something about the age of 34…..Thats how old I was when I decided to go to college and I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world!! A lot of the students were traditional, right out of high school, but there was a lot that were older-giving me the confidence I so badly needed.
                        Some advice…hook up with clubs, sign up to do things with other students…become involved!! I made so many friends that way. Prior to this I was very much to myself. I did work full time and had 2 children but not much else was going on. I joke about it now and say it was my midlife crisis….maybe it was…it was worth it!! I fell in love with the art studio-working all hours of the night :p
                        I only got flak from one person in my first year. It was in a writing class….I had no typing skills and no computer skills….this was the class that really changed my life!! My Prof was a big time computer geek!!( I learned to love computers in large part due to him.) His class discussion was in the form of typing in a virtual reality. The one kid that gave me flak …he made some wry comment about my age, told me I was too old to learn and since I showed no typing skill I should just give it up and leave! huh!!….little did he know that his words were never forgotten and it made me determined to become proficient at typing and learn and to become the computer geek I am today! :angel:
                        I could write all day about the benefits of going back to school and how much you could get out of it….do it, just go for it!!

                        :angel:

                        #1018763
                        katcocat
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                            Hi Helen, Just wanted to say Go For It! and tell you some of my experience of being a mature student. I was 26 when I went to Uni – to do a B.SC in Sociology. My youngest daughter was 3 months old and still being breast fed when I started my first term. I also had two other daughters who were 10 and 6. I’ll admit that I was absolutely terrified, didn’t have a clue what to expect, or what was expected of me. Thought that everyone there would be 18 and just out of school, and apart from anything else, they would all be far more intelligent than I was. For the first couple of months, my husband came to uni with me, lol. He’d take the baby to the park whilst I was in lectures and then meet me afterwards so I could feed her. Not the best way to meet friends and settle in, but I did get through it. I also made a lot of friends. I think the biggest surprise was how many other mature students there were, of all ages and from all backgrounds. This was brilliant because it meant we could share common fears, and common problems – running a household and looking after kids whilst doing a degree. Most universities today welcome mature students with open arms and will bend over backwards to help them make the transition. They all have mature student societies for example and it’s well worth going along to them. Mature students are known to work harder, have more experience of life and usually have more general knowledge. They have less of a drop out rate, always a good thing as far as the Uni is concerned.
                            It isn’t easy, I’m not for a moment going to pretend that it is, but you’ll never regret making the decision to go. You’ll slip into the routine really quickly. Universities differ, and I’m not sure how yours works but most Uni’s have an academic year which runs from Sept to June. This is divided up into either three terms (like the schools) or two semesters with breaks of approximately a month at Xmas and Easter, and then a long break at summer. Unlike the schools, there is no half term at Uni, though many will put a ‘reading week’ in place. (Supposedly a chance for you to do all your research and reading, instead of having to attend lectures and tutorials.) When you get to uni, you’ll be given a personal tutor. GET TO KNOW THIS PERSON!!! This is your first port of call for any questions or problems you might have. The personal tutor will also deal with the uni and other tutors on your behalf if you need them to. If you meet them and take an instant dislike, ask to be assigned to another tutor, you may feel more comfortable with a female tutor for example. Join as many societies and groups as you can, it’s a great way to meet people and you can always drop out of them if they don’t suit you. I think another important thing to remember is that in reality, you are paying the university to provide you with a service. If you’re not happy with any aspect of that service then you have the right to do something about it. I once had a class with a lecturer who was obnoxious, rude and a blatent mysoginist. Several of us complained, and when the complaint’s were upheld , the uni found us another lecturer. What’s interesting about this I think, is that it was the mature students who complained. The younger students didn’t feel confident enough too. Being a mature student has it’s advantages!
                            I had a great time at Uni, and went on to do a Masters degree a couple of years after I’d finished. I’ve never regretted it for all that it was really hard work. Hope this helps, feel free to pm me if you have any questions.
                            Kate

                            #1018752

                            Went to see the Olafur Eliasson installation at the Tate Modern. :)

                            I went to art college as a mature student late 80s/early 90s so some things might have changed. For example, I did my degree at the West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham which I think is now part of the Surrey Institute.

                            Hours
                            At that time, they were running 3 terms similar to school terms but not quite as long. Back then the hours were flexible. You got a studio space and they liked you to use it but you could come and go. I think the studios opened from about 8am or 9am and stayed open til about 6.30pm or 7pm. There were a couple of lectures a week on history of art and contextual studies which were part of the written element of my degree. But unless you had one of those, or an appointment with your tutor, you could really come and go as you pleased. BUT you’ve got to put in the work, obviously.

                            Portfolio
                            Take the actual work. Take as much as you can – provided it is strong work. Before I did my degree, I spent a year at Wimbledon School of Art doing a foundation course. I was told that it would be very difficult to get onto a degree without having done a foundation. I’ve not heard of the National Diploma – is it the same as a foundation? Part of the job of a foundation course is to get you onto a degree so they advised on what to take and what to write on the forms. To get onto the foundation course, I found Wimbledon ran evening classes in life drawing and portfolio preparation so I went on those. Looking back at what I’ve just written makes me realise that, without really planning it, I was going on courses to get me onto other courses. I think this was good as it got me into the system, so to speak.

                            Interview
                            Your portfolio does a lot of the work of getting you in. I don’t remember much about my interview for Farnham except for one thing. I had been doing a lot of cubist/futurist inspired abstracty stuff at Wimbledon. I was asked at the interview what I thought about vorticism. I knew enough to know this was the English version but I didn’t know that much about it. So I thought I’d try to steer the interview onto something I knew about and said something like, ‘Vorticism is ok. But on the whole I prefer futurism.’ :rolleyes: LOL! The guy said, ‘Well, at least you know what it is.’ Anyway, the point is that at a degree interview you may be asked to talk about your work and possibly put it into some sort of theoretical context. And they’ll likely ask about your goals for coming on the course.

                            Finances
                            Can’t remember anything about that application process but that’s all changed since then, anyway.

                            Application times
                            Now is a good time to be thinking about all this. When I applied, both for foundation and degree, the applications had to be made early spring – February-ish, I think – and the interviews happened around Easter for entry into the course starting September. So, you’ve got time to work on that portfolio and maybe get on a portfolio preparation course. The other thing you should think about doing is getting some magazines like Art Review, Modern Painters, AN [artists newsletter] and Time Out (if you’re near enough to London).

                            Stray thoughts
                            I remember being struck by the immaturity of those who had not yet left the education system. That took a bit of getting used to. The other thing was that everyone kept asking why you were doing everything – why did you come to art college? why did you choose that subject? why are you painting it? It might have saved me a lot of time if, when I’d been working in a bank, I’d been asked to question my motivation for being there!

                            Some aspects of art college were very tough. I remember some of the crits being very harsh – they didn’t hold back or try to spare your feelings. And if you got upset, they’d say that you’d have to get used to criticism if you were going to make it as an artist. Nonsense, of course. It did, nevertheless, set up a certain hostile environment. It took me about 3 years to get over art college before I could paint properly again – I am still in touch with some of my fellow students and we inevitably end up talking about why they put us through that and how awful the art college experience was! :D

                            I sometimes wonder why I went to art college because I don’t think I’m painting very differently from how I would be if I’d never gone. But going to college has given me a knowledge of art history and the theoretical basis of art movements. This means that I can put my work in context and talk about why I’m doing what I’m doing knowing that I did explore other possibilities. It means that I can talk about why a piece of torn paper by Sol Lewitt (if I remember correctly ;) ) might be considered an important piece of art even if I don’t like it myself. It has also given me an honours degree (that may open up certain career possibilities for you). I have found that people – other artists, galleries, buyers – do often ask where I studied.

                            In conclusion
                            Even though some of it was very tough, I think art college was a very important step for my development as an artist. So, that’s why I say, Go for it! :D

                            #1018769
                            janetpoole
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                                Dear Helen

                                I am 54 and am halfway through a part time BA Fine Art – Painting at the University of Hull.

                                I can only advise you to go for it, but research your college before you apply. Ring up and chat to the art tutors, or go and have a look round.

                                It is no good going to a college that encourages conceptual art and installations if you want to paint representational narrative paintings. Some colleges are very directional, others (like the one I go to) are happy to encourage students in whatever direction they choose to go in.

                                I wanted to make more interesting paintings, and have really enjoyed being stretched. There are people of all abilities on my course, but everyone has something different to offer, and we all learn immensely from each other.

                                Have confidence in your own abilities, and don’t be intimidated! Most UK University colleges start in September, so start accumulating a portfolio now to show off what you can do, and look for a college that suits your aims and objectives.

                                Good luck and take courage!

                                Janet

                                #1018759
                                ricky
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                                    I’m 54 now, but went to college starting at 34, and am echoing all of the wise PhilC’s and other’s comments. Very scary at first, but just do it in spite of yourself. After the first few weeks, a lot of the fear will wear off. It’s a great experience. It took me 11 years to get my degree (I was definitely in the slow lane), but I will never regret the time spent. Just shrug off the uncertainties and walk forward, you will quickly learn to control your self-consciousness…

                                    Don’t feel like you are the lone ranger. You can go slow, that’s okay too. GOOD LUCK!!!!:cat: :clap: :cat: :clap: :cat:

                                    My kids and my cats are more important than my furniture...okay, okay, the dogs are too.

                                    #1018754
                                    LinkSlayer
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                                        Oh, thank you all SO much! :D

                                        You got me all fired up, and gave me things to think about that wouldn’t otherwise have occured to me and I thank you all SO much! :D

                                        After writing this post, I went round in circles trying to find everything out and worrying about the financial help and where to get it, etc. In the end, the lady at the College that I’d been emailing coaxed me into phoning her for a chat, and I’ve just got off the phone. :D

                                        I’m not doing the National Diploma now – they have a special Access to Higher Education Course which is only ONE year and allows me to go on to a Degree then if I pass!! Whoopeeee!! :D And it’s aimed at the mature student and those without formal qualifications who haven’t studied for years, starting slowly, but then doing the serious work that the young ‘uns are doing as well!! How cool is that?!!!! AND the tuition fees will be waived due to my circumstances!! :D

                                        The form is on its way, and the interview is in January, so I have until then to get a portfolio together… :)

                                        I am sooooooooooo excited!!!! :clap:

                                        MANY thanx to you ALL once again!

                                        (But I’m just going to give sandge a sly slap for daring to mention the Sol LeWitt thing… ;) LMAO :D

                                        Helen

                                        #1018768
                                        soso
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                                            Dear Helen

                                            We all have to start somewhere. One of Australias leading artsits was a women who started in her 50’s. Rosalie Gascoigne. She made beautiful assembeges. Her background was Ikebana.

                                            Janet Mansfield, one of Australia’s internationally known potters also started at this age in potting at the local TAFE.

                                            You do need to be professional in your work and relations with galleries. I will send you a chapter from my book ‘Portfolio Preparation for the Artist’ It is available at http://www.artnews.com.au/aaart/gallery

                                            Hope this has some helpful advice for you

                                            Sophi

                                            #1018755
                                            LinkSlayer
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                                                Thanx for that, Sophi! I didn’t even know I needed to include a CV in my portfolio! :eek:

                                                Helen

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