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"What have I learnt from 18 years at the OCA, tutoring hundreds of students?

Like many of OCA’s students, I studied late in life. I didn’t do a degree after school, working for 16 years in computing. However, I increasingly felt drawn to the arts. I got absorbed in thought through creative projects, partly as an antidote to work and everyday life."

Read @opencollegearts Tutor Derek Trillo's retirement post on WeAreOCA. Link in our bio.

Best wishes for the future Derek!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Tutor #OCAPhotography #Photography #LifeLongLearning #Creativity #SustainingPractice #Artist #Exhibition

This Diptych was submitted by @opencollegearts Painting student Alison Lessen for our edge zine Home issue.

“I am a painting student nearing the end of my degree. I am about to embark on preparing for my graduation exhibition and have finally come home in respect of finding my practice and where I feel comfortable and living happily with my creative choices. I have always wanted to make colourful and joyful painting which links my enjoyment of layers and pattern with the mindfulness of walking and celebration of nature's forms.

My current works are painted in oil on canvas and are reimaginings of common less noticed spaces. Regular, daily walking in one area leads you to notice areas that are usually overlooked. When visiting a forest or any open space as a one off visit or first time experience the tendency is to notice the greater landscape as a whole. When that space becomes familiar, over repeated visits, curiosity leads the eye elsewhere. I like to look into spaces that are more tricky to access. There I appreciate the patterns and shapes created by the irregular crossing and overlapping of the flora.

The benefits of regular outdoor time are well documented. I paint with a fluid medium that makes the contact with the canvas surface rhythmic and meditative as it is applied. This echoes the pace and feel of a solitary walk in nature.

My colours are a celebration. An indicator of the cheer nature brings to our senses. Nature embraces disparity and in the chaos of the undergrowth multiple types of species live together.”

Thanks for sharing @alison7614

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Painting #OCAPainting #OCAFriends #Creativity #edgezine #Zine #Home #Nature #Landscape #Flora #Joy

"I am a musician based in North Yorkshire, with a career behind me of teaching, performing and composing. I am currently studying Music BA Hons Level 3.

My life has been nomadic, born in Shetland to a Methodist Minister father, meant that we moved frequently, and I continued to move a great deal in adult life! I am very interested and inspired by art and all things creative, love being in nature, walking, reading, and am finally settled here in beautiful countryside. Although now in official retirement years, I continue working as an organist, have a scaled down teaching practice, and am concentrating on composing."

Read about @opencollegearts Music student Fionagh Bennet's learning journey on our blog - link in the bio.

Are you an OCA student or Alumni? Share your story with us, find the form in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #OCAMusic #Music #Composition #Creativity #OCAFriends #Degree #Organist #Musician

What is Artist Research?

The word 'research' is bandied about in course documents and is prevalent when artists speak but what does that really mean? Do all artists think about research in the same terms?

This lecture and subsequent discussion will be a chance to think radically about what 'artist research' really is without getting bogged down in examples that might not be relevant to you.

Join @opencollegearts Tutor @bryaneccleshall online tonight at 6pm BST for this lecture. Events link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OnlineLearning #OCAStudentAssociation #OCAFriends #Degree #Research #Artist #Lecture #Creativity

“I'm on Foundation Textiles and really enjoying the course. My background is a lifetime of sewing, dressmaking and generally messing about with fabrics! I am always sewing something. During lockdown I taught myself to knit. Once lockdown was over, along with a friend, I set up a local community stitch group which I am so pleased we did. Our members range from the super talented to the total beginner. It's a very relaxed, no pressure environment where you can just come along and stitch something.

When I saw the invitation for submissions and the theme, I thought of our home, it is full of quilts. I have made them all, over many years, using up leftover fabrics.

My submission is not a new piece but a very old quilt made about 25 years ago. At the time I used denim scraps and old jeans. It was used and loved, taken on every holiday , picnic, trip etc. Today it is still loved but in need of repair. A few months ago I started mending it by sewing running stitches to re-attach the denim circles. My idea is to do this on every worn part of the quilt as I don't want to throw this away.

I thought of letters laid out like a crossword. I hand stitched scraps of blue fabrics using the technique of boro, Japanese stitching/ repairing. The fabrics are laid over each other and sewn with simple running stitches. Its really basic but I think really effective. The dark blue fabrics are probably close to the original colour of this quilt.

The only challenge is the poor state it's in, there are holes and some denim has worn away. I have had to patch over some areas and then lay the blue fabrics on top of this. I like the effect of this layering though.

The act of repairing and slow stitching is extremely relaxing and rewarding. Its a comfort in many ways: the physical warmth of the item and the mindful sewing. I need this quilt to stay in our house so I will keep on repairing it.”

Thanks to @cathysewsstuff for her contribution to edge zine Home.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCATextiles #Textiles #Creativity #OCAFriends #Home #edgezine #Zine #Quilt #QuiltMaking #Sewing

April is Autism Acceptance Month. This image was submitted to our @opencollegearts EDI Calendar by student Alix Brown.

"My illustration connects with April, which is Autism Acceptance Month and is based on a knitted snake sensory toy mixed with the rainbow infinity symbol, which is a symbol of autism. My primary inspiration for this piece is needing to lie low and blend in, like a snake in the grass, when I was a child."

Thanks for sharing Alix!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Illustration #AutismAwareness #Neuroinclusion #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #Creativity

Object based learning simply means using objects to stimulate thinking. American sociologist Sherry Turkle describes objects as companions to our life experiences, this means they have the potential to provoke an experiential and multisensory learning experience.

We are looking to build an OCA Museum of People (more on this later…) and we are going to start with our very own Cabinet of Curiosity which we will launch in July during our Student Voice Festival 2025.

Open to all across @opencollegearts, students, staff and alumni, we want you to choose and photograph a personal artifact and tell its story in under 200 words. These will be curated in a bespoke online gallery to tell our collective stories.

Find out more via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #CreativeArts #CabinetOfCuriosity #ObjectBasedLearning #Museum #Exhibition #Creativity #StudentVoice #Collaboration #Stories

"This song was commissioned by Viv Gordon Company for Zebra Day 2025 (31st Jan.) The topic for the commission was “community”. Zebra Day got its name from a survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) who said that they felt like a zebra in a world of giraffes.

It’s an unfortunate truth that survivors usually feel silenced by our society which adds to shame which we carry, but is not our own. The shame belongs to the perpetrators, yet they can hide behind the silence.

For more information, please see Viv Gordon’s TED talk about being a survivor activist."

Visit our blog to read @opencollegearts Music student Laura Iseley Music Student on their commission for Viv Gordon Company for Zebra Day 2025 - Dazzling. Scan the QR code to listen to the track or hear it on our blog, link in the bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Music #OCAMusic #Dazzling #CSASurvivor #Creativity

@opencollegearts Photography student @burnsmeister submitted these works for our Home edition of edge zine. “Clare with the pig”

“I am a Level 2 photography student based in Glasgow. My work mainly explores the family using archive and created images.

My mother was diagnosed with dementia in December 2019. In June 2022 she moved out of her house and into a local care home. I subsequently emptied and sold her house. Her remaining belongings were put in a box. The project combined family photos and images created during my mother's illness and subsequent relocation to a local care home.

I did not have a great relationship with my mother and so creating the work was a difficult process because it forced me to confront not only the unfolding situation with her illness but also my relationship with her. There was a significant ethical aspect to the project because I was effectively my mother's carer and therefore conflicted in what I could photograph. Ultimately this process was therapeutic and I believe I did not present my mother's character in a negative way.”

Thanks for sharing John.

The next edition of edge; Encounters, will be coming your way towards the end of April.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAPhotography #Photography #Zine #Home #edgeZine #Archive #Family #Memores #DementiaAwarenesss

@opencollegearts Photography student @allan.oneill2081 is on the final stage of his degree, he shares his learning journey with us on our blog - link in our bio.

"For me, it has been a very long and slowly winding pathway requiring lots of hard work, and ultimately, resilience to just keep pushing through the deeply difficult periods and learning to trust the process and believe in myself. Also, during this period, I have come to terms with my diagnosis of ADHD which helped me to properly understand myself and how my brain / body works. This enabled me to develop new ways of working and studying which are really beginning to pay off. Studying with the OCA has also helped me to explore and learn to love and accept my mixed-race heritage, which again, has been extremely challenging but ultimately a hugely rewarding experience."

Thanks for sharing Allan!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #OCAFriends #Degree #OCAPhotography #Photography #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek #Neurodiversity #Inclusion #Creativity #StudentStories

@opencollegearts Drawing student Ben submitted some examples of their drawings as part of our Neurodiversity Celebration Week campaign.

What is Neurodivergence? The NHS states that there are four key terms when discussing this topic. Firstly, neurodiversity describes the population as a whole and recognises the diversity of different brains. Secondly, neurotypical describes the majority group that perceives the world, learns and expresses themselves in ways that are seen as the societal norm. Thirdly, neurodivergent describes the minority group that diverts from said norm. Finally, neurotype (or neurominorities) is the term for a person’s type of neurodivergence, e.g. ADHD, dyslexia, etc.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #neurodiversitycelebrationweek #Inclusion #Neurodiversity #Degree #Drawing #Creativity

It's Neurodiversity Celebration Week 17-23 March 2025. Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. We asked our OCA community to help us celebrate the strengths, talents, and raise awareness of lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals. @opencollegearts student Alix shared their experience with us.

"For me, neurodiversity and creativity go hand in hand: My flavour of neurodiversity involves unusually sensitive senses, which in turn influences how I experience the world. Studying with OCA means a lot to me because for the first time in my educational career, I’m working alongside people who not only know about neurodiversity, but don’t see it as the be-all and end-all for me."

Read more about Alix's creative journey with OCA on our blog, link in our bio.

If you want to learn more about Neuro-inclusion there are lots of online events happening on the @neurodiversityweek website.

#WeAreOCA #OnlineLearning #OCAStudentAssociation #OCAFriends #Creativity #Degree #Neurodiversity #Inclusion #neurodiversitycelebrationweek

@opencollegearts student Annalisa is a scientist and she’s studying for a BA(Hons) in Painting. Her art, deeply influenced by her scientific background, transforms data into visual narratives that explore social issues and evoke emotional responses. She has pursued art courses across Europe and Japan, continuously expanding her practice. Annalisa's work has been featured in prestigious exhibitions and is part of notable collections, including the Lake District Holocaust Project. Based in Verona, Italy, she draws inspiration from nature, memory, and the human experience.

"This work is inspired by an early Summer morning walk along the river banks, just few meters across from where I live. As I was walking, I took notice of the variety of plants and flowers spontaneously growing along the river. I thought about their fragile existence along the river banks, often submerged by the river as it becomes engrossed by rains. Rains that have become torrential due to climate change. The work consists of cyanotype prints of the flora growing along the river during my walk, made on Narushima washi provided by Japanese artist Eriko Fujita for an exchange, collaborative project and exhibition."

Submitted for our Home edition of edge zine. Thanks for participating @evianuk_i

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAPainting #Painting #Creativity #OCAFriends #Home #edgezine #Zine #Scientist #ArtAndScience #SocialJustice #ClimateCrisis #Cyanotype #Printmaking

Check out @opencollegearts new Study Tips in 5 series. These micro instalments have so far covered; organising your study, prioritising study tasks and notetaking. Link is in our bio and there's lots more to come!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #StudyTips #Notetaking #Organisation #OCAFriends

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day.

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge gender equality. Collectively for #IWD2025 we can all #AccelerateAction.

Showcased here are some of the wonderful women of OCA who have been featured across the 'Meet the Team' feature on @opencollegearts insta. Bookended by amazing artwork submitted for our EDI calendar by Frances Marcellin and Evie Godfrey.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #OCAFriends #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #Degree #Creativity #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #Women #University

@opencollegearts Visual Communications student @bethany_illustrates shared this work as part of our Home edge zine edition.

“I am Bethany Gale, an illustrator and designer in the UK. I like to work in mixed media, mostly using inks, collage and paints. I love making book illustrations, pattern designs, illustrative typography and paper sculptures. I am usually inspired by nature.

I was inspired by how every home is different both in its look and because of the people who live there, together making up a beautiful varied community, like a patchwork quilt with each piece contributing to what our society looks like. For me this raises the question do we make homes, or do homes make us who we are? Every family has its own traditions, culture and stories. I think ‘home’ is more about people than a place. Home is where you find yourself and the people you love. A house is still important, it is where memories are made and gives you a space to create your own personal world.

This is a colour ink drawing made over brown card, created in 2024. I made it because I have an interest in illustrative patterns. I wanted to try and create a drawing that could be layered and used as a pattern. I hope one day to sell collections of patterns like this once I graduate for fabric and home décor collections.”

Thanks for sharing Bethany!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAVisualCommunications #VisualCommunications #Illustration #GraphicDesign #Creativity #Home #edgezine #zine

What does studying with OCA mean to you?

"It means an opportunity to develop myself as a person and as a musician, and to meet people and their work and hopefully to be able to collaborate with them."

@opencollegearts Music student Pyrene Pelayo Domingo shares her student story with us, find it via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Music #OCAMusic #Composition #Violin #Musician #Creativity

"As part of my final unit in Stage 3, I staged an exhibition of my major project. Over four weekends in January 2025 I exhibited my work in a building adjacent to my house. Entitled ‘Hjemkomst – Returning Home’, the exhibition was the curation of a project I conducted in August 2024 when I brought my grandad home to a small coastal town in Norway. Through a series of site-specific artworks, his spirit was reunited with his hometown, his ancestors and the landscape he had left behind 60 years before. The project was an exploration of place, belonging, forgiveness, memory and intergenerational trauma, themes I explored in the exhibition through photographs, printed textiles, text, installation and film."

Find out more about @opencollegearts Creative Arts student @trinemw_art work and exhibition on our WeAreOCA blog - link in our bio.

Congratulations Trine!

#WeAreOCA #StudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #CreativeArts #OCACreativeArts #Exhibition #Installation #Creativity #Home #Belonging

“I’m Iro, originally from Greece and now living in London since 2016. I hold a degree in Architecture and am currently studying for a BA (Hons) in Painting with @opencollegearts. I am drawn to the interplay of light and the illusions it creates, which have the power to transform the ordinary into something magical through the alchemy of painting. Sometimes, I feel that each painting generates a universe of its own. Currently, my work aims to capture these moments in time while allowing space for alternative narratives to emerge.

This still life painting is inspired by everyday home life. It features a combination of objects typically found in a hallway, where people seldom stay for longer than a few minutes. It may evoke those fleeting moments when we mechanically pick up our bags, take off our shoes, or say ‘goodbye’.”

Thanks for sharing Iro!

There’s still time to submit for the next edge issue - Encounters, find the link in the bio, deadline is 28 February 2025.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Painting #Home #edgezine #zine #StillLife #Creativity

"Distance learning can be challenging. Many of us return to our studies after half a lifetime away when other things were more important, such as family or careers. Formal learning after so long away can be tough.

Yet, if we understand the limitations of distance learning, we can start to plan for a better outcome and put in place mechanisms to help us."

Read @opencollegearts recent graduand @dalgleish.richard piece on balancing wellbeing and study on our blog - link in the bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Wellbeing #MentalHealth #Creativity #Photography #OCAPhotography #OCAFriends

@opencollegearts Visual Communications Student Jill Chant shared this work ‘Corporate Colonialism’ as part of our Summer of Sustainability 2024 callout.

“I am a first year Visual Communications student, who has been out of the creative space for a long time. I became unable to work at the end of 2022 and decided in 2023 to enrol on the Visual Communications Honours Degree Pathway with OCA .

I started work on this as part of an Assignment for project 2 and it was inspired by the WEE man at the Eden Project, which used waste electronics to build a sculpture. I had some broken waste electronics which I wanted to repurpose into art. I dismantled all the items into component parts as much as I could and reassembled them into the shape of an ant. Ants communicate using body language as well as pheromones and work in large cooperative groups to solve problems, they also live in Colonies, with a distinct hierarchy.

I then took a photo and manipulated the size and colour in photoshop, adding a circuit board and a map of the great lakes region of Africa. Most of the cobalt and most of the tantalum used in the electronics industry is mined in this region, and the majority of the mines in DRC are owned by Chinese companies.

These minerals are used in many things but primarily the manufacture of capacitors for electronics, metal alloys that are some of the strongest known to man and EV batteries. China is also one the largest producers of EV batteries, which is also one of the reasons they are one of the largest polluters on the planet.

I wanted to used technology waste to highlight the use of conflict minerals, child labour , radioactive waste and illegal trade in the manufacture of EV batteries for corporate greed at the expense of the environment.

Thanks for sharing Jill!

Watch this space for our 2025 Arts, Environment and Sustainability callout.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #OCAFriends #Degree #Sustainability #ArtsAndEnvironment #ClimateCrisis #SocialJustice #Colonialism #CorporateGreed #VisualCommunications #Design

Join the wonderful writer, editor and curator @annamcnay to learn about a selection of better - and lesser - well known women artists. Tonight, our 7th session - is Marina Abramovic - 6pm GMT, events link is in our bio. We hope to see you there!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAFriends #WomenArtists #Lecture #ArtCritic #Creativity #ArtAndDesign

@opencollegearts student @joetymkow submitted this work for our Home edition of edge zine - link in the bio.

The piece is called 12 Sleeps.

“I am a multidisciplinary artist and have recently started the Painting Foundation course as a mature student.

I bought a new pillow from @IKEA. Intriguingly it was curled up like s Swiss Roll in a polythene bag. I unwrapped it at home and it sorted itself out/acquired a pillow shape straight away.

Each morning I took a photo on my phone, to record the marks that had been left in the bedding overnight. Visual evidence that my body continued to function independently, despite my being completely oblivious. Safe and comfortable in my own home; but what had I been thinking?”

Thanks for sharing Joe! Find the zine in our bio and submission guidelines for the next edition.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Foundations #Drawing #CreativeArts #Interdisciplinary #Photography #Home #Zine #edgezine #IkeaPillow #Sleep #Documentary

Can Constraints Improve Our Creativity?

If you were asked to picture an archetype of an artist, what would you see? Perhaps someone living a free and bohemian life, who spends hours watching clouds rolling by, waiting for the muse to strike? Is artistic inspiration something that arrives on a breeze, or is it something that can be induced?

The romantic idea of the divine nature of artistic inspiration still commonly influences the way artists are perceived today but has very little to do with how most creativity happens. Most of us have jobs and personal commitments that make living a life of artistic freedom impossible. The 2024 CREATe survey of UK visual artists’ earnings and contracts found that 51% have other jobs in order to support their practice, with 46% of those roles being in non-creative fields.

How about instead of seeing these things as frustrating roadblocks, we start to frame those constraints as positive influences on our creativity?

Read @opencollegearts tutor Robyn's blog on the WeAreOCA site - link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #OCAFriends #Degree #Creativity #Constraints #Motivation #Inspiration #Art #Design #Music #CreativeWriting

Yesterday, 6 February, was Time to Talk Day. @opencollegearts student Katherine Pilling submitted this work as part of our EDI Calendar Callout - link in our bio.

"One in four of us will experience a mental health problem. Time to talk day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health, to talk, to listen and to change lives.

Mental health problems can be a weight of heavy, dark, tangled weight on our shoulders. There is hope out there, no matter how small that is and little moments of hope can help ease some of the weight and let it fall from our shoulders.

This is a piece made from knitted samples, crochet chains and paper hope stars. All materials are recycled and unusual materials which are given a new life."

Thanks for sharing Katherine. As we go into the weekend remember to find time to talk.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Textiles #MentalHealth #OCAFriends #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #EDICalendar #TimeToTalk #Wellbeing

@opencollegearts Fine Art student @vickywhitefineart submitted this series of work ‘Home Displacement - Washed Out’ for our Home edition of edge zine.

“Currently living in Nottingham, I work as a year 6 teacher to ensure financial stability, but my real passion is studying fine art with the OCA, having just finished my 2nd year. I am interested in considering material processes and themes that have a social context.

Home is such a strange term to define as one may shift and move from place to place or sometimes disaster to safety numerous times if one is lucky enough to have a long and fruitful life. Perhaps the term home resides in my head – if I don’t feel threatened or violated within a particular space, for a period the space in question is home. Yes, that’s my thoughts, home is a place where I can shut down knowing that I will wake albeit perhaps weary but intact tomorrow.

It occurs to me that I cannot possibly understand what those fleeing their homeland have endured or how their experiences have tilted their life path in a new direction. And yet I am drawn to exploring their plight through art. I have tried to make sense of how this global crisis has affected me within my parallel project for Investigating Drawing 2. I feel helpless and wonder too whether the news reports that reach the UK are loaded with propaganda and untruths. All I realise is that there is a blackness in their stories that is juxtaposed with the beauty of the oceanic ecosystem and the vibrance of life that dwells under the waves.

Working with oil paint and fluid mediums on glass I used various implements including my hands. Working this way allowed fluidity in mark making and the ability to make rapid changes. Although I investigated the potential of using colour and different media, for me the glossiness of the oil and the blackened marks created signified the richness of the ocean and indeed the depth of the home displacement crisis."

Thanks for sharing Victoria!

Submission are now open for the next edition of edge - Encounters. Link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #edgezine #Zine #FineArt #Drawing #Home #Creativity

For our Summer of Sustainability 2024 @opencollegearts student @sarah_davis_art sent us her collages.

“I explore space and depth by collage using old magazines, catalogues, flyers, packaging, envelopes and old drawings.”

Thanks for sharing Sarah!

Watch this space for our 2025 callout and series of events.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #Collage #Environment #Recycle #Reuse #Upcycle #Sustainability #ClimateChange #ClimateJustice #ArtsAndEnvironment

This work was submitted by @opencollegearts student Mirjam Lorek as part of our EDI Calendar callout.

Today, 27 January, is Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) and it marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.

"History is part of our cultural identity. This also includes continually having to deal with the atrocities of humanity and being reminded of them. Maybe one day people will learn..."

Thanks for your contribution Mirjam.

You can find our EDI Calendar in the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #CreativeArts #EDICalendar #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #Remembrance #LightTheDarkness #HolocaustMemorialDay

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Upcoming Events

Mon 28 Apr
Women Artists Through Their Words - 11. Francesca Woodman
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28 Apr 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Join writer, editor and curator Anna McNay to learn about a selection of better- and lesser-well known women artists, from across the ages and working in different mediums, by listening to them talk about their art - and their lives more generally - in their own words.
Tue 29 Apr
The 12 - Set Sail Studios
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29 Apr 2025, 17:30 – 18:30
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Join Sam Parrett, a U.K. based type designer, who owns and operate the Set Sail Studios type foundry.
Wed 30 Apr
Speed Portrait Drawing to Music
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30 Apr 2025, 19:00 – 20:00
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Join Kirsty Lockhart, an artist and illustrator from Dundee, for an OCA x Pencils4Tea collaboration hour of speed portrait drawing to music.
Multiple Dates
Tue 06 May
Brand Design and Development
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06 May 2025, 17:00 – 19:00
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Join graphic designer Arlo West in this two part practical investigation of brand design and development.
Wed 07 May
Depicting space: A Problem and an Opportunity
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07 May 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Join OCA tutor Dr Bryan Eccleshall for this online lecture: Depicting Space – An Ongoing Problem and Opportunity
Sat 10 May
OCA Photography Social Group: Peter Mitchell: Nothing Lasts Forever
London
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10 May 2025, 11:15 – 14:30
London, 16-18 Ramillies St, London W1F 7LW, UK
Join the Photography Social Group in London.
Mon 12 May
Women Artists Through Their Words - 12. Monica Sjöö
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12 May 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Join writer, editor and curator Anna McNay to learn about a selection of better- and lesser-well known women artists, from across the ages and working in different mediums, by listening to them talk about their art - and their lives more generally - in their own words.
Mon 19 May
Art and Narrativity
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19 May 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Join OCA tutor Dr Bryan Eccleshall for this online lecture: Art and Narrativity
Multiple Dates
Tue 20 May
Kahlo Collective
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20 May 2025, 17:00 – 18:00
Online Workshop
The Kahlo Collective is a group for students at all levels who are living with long term health conditions and/or chronic pain. Sessions are supported by Drawing Programme Tutor, Helen Rousseau .
Mon 09 Jun
Women Artists Through Their Words - 13. Angelica Kauffman
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09 Jun 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Join writer, editor and curator Anna McNay to learn about a selection of better- and lesser-well known women artists, from across the ages and working in different mediums, by listening to them talk about their art - and their lives more generally - in their own words.
Thu 12 Jun
The 12 - Behind the Curtain: The Untold Story of Cinema Design
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12 Jun 2025, 18:00 – 19:00
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What makes stepping into a cinema feel like entering another world? In this session, Rick Hudson lifts the curtain on the art of cinema design, revealing how every detail from lighting and acoustics to layout and materials comes together to create immersive environments.
Mon 23 Jun
Women Artists Through Their Words - 10. Barbara Hepworth
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23 Jun 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Join writer, editor and curator Anna McNay to learn about a selection of better- and lesser-well known women artists, from across the ages and working in different mediums, by listening to them talk about their art - and their lives more generally - in their own words.
Wed 25 Jun
Speed Portrait Drawing to Music
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25 Jun 2025, 19:00 – 20:00
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Join Kirsty Lockhart, an artist and illustrator from Dundee, for an OCA x Pencils4Tea collaboration hour of speed portrait drawing to music.
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Wed 02 Jul
Keeping up Momentum: Kin: Bloodlines and Beyond
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02 Jul 2025, 18:00 – 20:00
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Keeping up Momentum: Kin: Bloodlines and Beyond- With OCA Tutor Diana Ali and Helen Rosemier.
Wed 27 Aug
Speed Portrait Drawing to Music
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27 Aug 2025, 19:00 – 20:00
Online Event
Join Kirsty Lockhart, an artist and illustrator from Dundee, for an OCA x Pencils4Tea collaboration hour of speed portrait drawing to music.
Wed 29 Oct
Speed Portrait Drawing to Music
Online Event
RSVP
29 Oct 2025, 19:00 – 20:00
Online Event
Join Kirsty Lockhart, an artist and illustrator from Dundee, for an OCA x Pencils4Tea collaboration hour of speed portrait drawing to music.
Date and time is TBD
Arts, the Environment & Sustainability Resource Hub
Online Resource
Learn more
Date and time is TBD
Online Resource
OCA Staff and students are invited to browse our new Arts, the Environment & Sustainability hub on our Virtual Learning Environment. Watch this space for our event schedule for 2025.
Time is TBD
OCA's Big Draw 2023 - Ongoing & Open
Online Activity
RSVP
Time is TBD
Online Activity
Drawing With Senses online short course,