Home: Welcome

WELCOME,
TO YOUR STUDENT ASSOCIATION

We are different, together.

Allan O'Neill

When I decided I wanted to try to do something more creative with my life, OCA were really welcoming and offered the perfect blend of practice and academia with a friendly supportive culture - after 10 years with OCA, I’m still very grateful for this.

Jade Chaplin

All of my tutors have been incredible and I have learnt so much from their feedback and experience in their respective creative fields. That is probably one of the best parts of learning with OCA; I had never received such detailed feedback before, and at so many stages of my projects.

Catherine Levey

I came in to the degree barely able to draw so it's been a steep learning curve. I accepted I had a lot to learn and soaked it all up like a sponge. The experimentation has been fun and I found the failures were just as much about developing as the successes and this is one of the most important things I'll take away from this degree...progression not perfection.

"We are two BA Drawing students who have spent the past year developing three collaborative projects together. In this first post, we’re excited to share our response to Igor Stravinsky’s ground breaking 1913 ballet score, The Rite of Spring.

Our drawing became more than a response to Stravinsky’s music; it became a map of our interior landscapes - a record of instinct, influence, memory, and exchange. Collaboration revealed perspectives and impulses that might otherwise have remained hidden."

Read about Charles Worvill and Sarah Johnston's collaboration on our blog. Link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OCADrawing #OnlineLearning #Degree #Drawing #Collaboration #Drawing #Creativity #Music

"I am a Textiles student at the OCA in my early 20s, unemployed, part of the chronic illness community, hoping to have a career in Textiles. For the first time in my academic life, I have felt seen by my teachers and my work has been recognised. Even though I am still in the beginning stages of the course, I have been assisted in seeing my work from a different perspective, work freer and have been encouraged to be more creative when creating."

Read about Alice's learning journey on our blog - link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCATextiles #Textiles #Creativity #LifelongLearning

Thanks to @vickywhitefineart for submitting this work ‘A Simpler Time’ for our Nostalgia edition of edge zine.

“I am interested in the human form and enjoy exploring social stories within my work. These acrylic paintings were created recently whilst awaiting enrolment on my next fine art course. The brief ‘nostalgia' induced a plethora of responses, but it was reflection on past experiences and activities that hooked me in. I’ve recently worked on reducing my colour palette to evoke tension, atmosphere and to allow the paint itself to create an emotive response.

Nostalgia can be defined as a personal reflection – a happy memory rooted in the past. Both these works, painted in acrylic on board 40 x 50cm, offer the viewer a moment's reflection to activities that were once commonplace in childhood experiences. Our fast-paced society and intrusion of AI means some things are taken for granted and we no longer recognise the simplicity of playing Mum and hanging out dolls’ laundry or indeed the magic and strangeness of listening to audio from a portable device for the very first time.”

Thanks for sharing Vicky!

Submit for our next issue - Protest - link in our bio for information.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Zine #edgezine #DigigalMagazine #Painting #Drawing #Nostalgia #Memories

The theme for Issue 17 of edge zine is ‘Protest’. We welcome ideas, sketches, works-in progress, writing, images and music. Released quarterly @opencollegearts students, alumni and staff are encouraged to submit work to be published in our digital zine.

Founded in 2016, edge zine began with the idea of bringing the creations of students who live apart, together.

Find info via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #Zine #Protest #OnlineLearning #Creativity #StudentMagazine #DigitalMagazine

"I chose to do an illustration for international woman's day. I was raised by 2 of the strongest women I've ever met, my mum and my gran. With occasional help from my auntie. I then grew up and got married to another strong and smart woman, we had two kids together a boy and a girl, they're both great but I can already see the strength in my daughter, she has her mum's smarts and my humour.

When I think of all of the women in my life and how far all women have come over the years, I felt inspired to draw an image dedicated to all of the women out there."

Thanks to @opencollegearts student Kevin for submitting this work for our EDI calendar callout.

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

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion

@opencollegearts and the @ocastudentassociation is in the process of organising our Student Voice Festival 2026.

In order to inform it we need your input. Right now we are collecting information regarding the student experience at OCA. We are sure that there are things that OCA can be doing better, and we want to hear all about what you have to say on that topic. We are also very interested in the things that you like about OCA and what is working well.

Find the link to our survey via our linktree in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #StudentExperienceSurvey #StudentVoiceFestival #Voice #Survey #Feedback #OnlineLearning #DigitalPedagogy

"I am a behavioural scientist and artist currently studying painting at the Open College of the Arts. I paint in oils and acrylics. I also enjoy video art. In my nascent practice I tend to explore the intersection of cognition and embodiment, informed by my professional background (I work as a professor of behavioural science). My subjects tend toward the ordinary: objects from daily life, reflections in water, moments and memories that catch my attention. I completed my Foundation Diploma in Painting in 2024 and began my BA (Hons) in Painting in January 2026.

In Dictée Magique II, I revisited a submission rooted in nostalgia I had created for the last assignment of my Foundation Painting course. I had decided use a treasured childhood toy, called "Dictée Magique" (a happy mistranslation of the English "Speak & Spell") as inspiration for a still life painting. I managed to source a replica and played with it with my daughter. After a couple of times hearing the male robotic voice telling her she was wrong, we both felt like turning it off: "it's creepy!" she said. "I totally agree!" I answered. That experience made me completely reconsider that nostalgic memory and my fascination with that same machine as a child in the mid-eighties. Looking at it through my adult parent mind's eye, I felt a little sorry for that little girl, considering she was raised by her single mother and there was no male voice at home! After that realisation I no longer felt like lingering in nostalgia and spending hours painting that toy but I also wanted to capture that sensation and somehow get closure. So I created that video piece as a response. I submitted it as an aside to explain why I had changed track. I was surprised by the feedback that it could "easily be shown and viewed as a painting." That really expanded my conception of what a painting is or can be!"

Thank you to @opencollegearts student @gaelle.artstudio who submitted this work for our Nostalgia issue of edge zine - find it in the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Creativity #Zine #edgezine #Nostalgia #VideoArt #OCAPainting #Painting #MixedMedia

@opencollegearts students, alumni and staff are welcome to join us for one of our most fun events - Speed Portrait Drawing to Music - Tonight! With @kirsty.a.lockhart and @pencils4tea.

Register via the events link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #Drawing #Portraits #Music #SpeedPortrait #Community

@opencollegearts student Mary sent this textile work to celebrate Losar -The Tibetan New Year: 18 February - 20 February 2026.

"This Textile was inspired by Tibetan folklore which is also deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhism. Tibet lost their independence to the Chinese in 1959 and this is my small way of keeping Tibet on the map."

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Losar #NewYear #Tibet #EDICalendar #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #OCATextiles #Textiles #Creativity

Yesterday - February 11th - was The International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It is an annual observance adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to promote equal participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields.

This image was submitted by @opencollegearts student Sara during our EDI Calendar callout.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #EDICalendar #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #WomenAndGirlsInScience #STEM #STEAM

Congratulations to our @opencollegearts Creative Arts tutor @rachel_artsmith for being one of five nominated artists in the UK, to be considered for the Women to Watch exhibition series, which will be held at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC in 2027. The exhibition will focus on book arts within contemporary art practice.

Find out more on our WeAreOCA blog site - link in our bio. Well done Rachel!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OCACreativeArts #CreativeArts #WomenToWatch #Exhibition #ContemporaryArt #ArtistBooks #BookArts #SustainingPractice #Creativity #OnlineLearning

"When I finished sixth form, I definitely felt finished with school and learning, and I was quite lost in terms of what I wanted to do in the future. I never really wanted to go to a brick-and-mortar university because it seemed very stressful to me. I also went to quite an academic school that didn’t value artistic subjects at the same standard, so although art was my passion, I felt almost pushed away from studying it further. I ended up going straight into employment after school, but still never felt satisfied. I didn’t find out till about a year later about the OCA and that studying Fine Art at a degree level was possible online. This was kind of life-changing for me because I had finally found something that I actually really wanted to do. I love that I have the flexibility to work whilst I study, but there is still enough structure to keep me engaged with the work."

Fine Art Programme Tutor, Hayley Lock, discusses the student journey so far with Jess Reid, a student on the @opencollegearts BA Fine Art degree, read more on the WeAreOCA blog - link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #FineArt #OCAFineArt #Creativity #PerformanceArt #Film #Photography #MovingImage #CrossDisciplinary #Self

We're delighted to bring you issue 16 of edge zine - Nostalgia. You can view it via the link in our bio.

Thank you and congratulations to everyone featured.

Apologies for the delay in getting this out. Watch this space for the next theme, we hope you'll get involved!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Zine #edgezine #Nostalgia #CreativeArts #Creativity #DigitalMagazine #StudentMagazine #ArtAndDesign #MixedMedia

Can you describe your OCA journey?

"As a very technical person, learning to think as an artist has been an ongoing challenge. Learning how to express myself, and to understand the language of art, continues to present walls worth scaling. I have had to unlearn a lifetime of approaches, but I am beginning to see how those same skills can be carried into this new endeavour, creating something blended between the two."

Thanks to @opencollegearts Painting student @m.you.ng for sharing his student story with us. Read it via the link in our blog.

#WeAreOCA #OnlineLearning #OCAStudentAssociation #Degree #OCAPainting #Painting #Creativity #Drawing #Practice #Artist

What does studying with OCA mean to you?

"It enables me to study and expand my skills and understanding whilst still working full time. I don't think this would be possible for me without the OCA. I especially like that the students are from all age groups, backgrounds and places."

Read about @opencollegearts Illustration student @sarahjshepherdarts learning journey on our blog - link in the bio.

Thanks for sharing Sarah Jane!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #Degree #LearningJourney #StudentStory #OCAIllustration #Illustration #Creativity #Drawing

We are really pleased to announce the launch of our @opencollegearts EDI Calendar 2026.

Thank you to all the students who submitted a piece for consideration. We hope you enjoy the diverse range of events and creative mediums displayed.

View and download via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #EDICalendar

A very Happy New Year to you all! Why not join in one of our events and have a creative start to 2026!

Coming up:
Women Artists Through Their Words with Anna McNay - Paula Rego: Tonight Monday 5 January.
Getting To Grips With Art History with OCA's Bryan Eccleshall: Tuesday 6 January.
OCA Photography Social Group with Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora: Wednesday 14 January.
Introduction to Painting Series with OCA's Lydia Merrett: Friday 16 January.
Introduction to Critical Theory with OCA's Rab Ferguson: Monday 19 January.
OCA Europe - Artist talk and discussion with OCA's Dan Robinson: Wednesday 21 January.
No easy answers with OCA's Andrew Conroy: Nation and national identity
Wednesday 21 January.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #CreativeArts #Workshop #Lecture #StudyEvent

Tell us a bit about your current creative practice as you reach the finale of your Creative Arts degree.

"As a theatre production teacher and student of the creative arts, I work across several disciplines, including theatre design, textiles, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and film.

Most of my work involves textiles in one form or another, but I would not limit myself to textiles alone and often my work involves combining disciplines to achieve an effective outcome."

Read @opencollegearts Creative Arts student @mel_anne.art interview with tutor Rachel Smith on the WeAreOCA blog - link in our bio.

Congratulations Melanie!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #OCACreativeArts #Degree #Creativity #TheatreDesign #Textiles #Sculpture #Printmaking #Film #Photography

Thank you to @opencollegearts student @jonathan515050 who submitted this work ‘Folly Bridge, Chelwood Vachery Forest Garden’ for our Green edition of edge zine.

“I am a photographer based on the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, where I live with my wife and two children.

My work combines conceptual, landscape and documentary approaches. Currently I am working at Rye Harbour Local Nature Reserve, exploring 3D scanning and printing techniques to reveal the construction of the natural.

This bridge acts as a portal to one of my favourite places on Ashdown Forest. It was built in the 1930s by FJ Nettlefold as part of an elaborate garden, which also featured a gorge from stone transferred from Cheddar across the Forest by private railway and rare plants from expeditions he commissioned to the far corners of the globe.

A wide palette of greens washes across the scene due to the unusual variety of vegetation. The photograph appears almost too verdant, yet viewing it is an accurate representation of the intense yet calming green experience in which the visitor bathes, particularly after rain. These tones extend to the bridge itself. The garden fell into neglect during WWII and a landslide following unusually wet weather in the 1950s destroyed much of it. It has now been partially and somewhat artistically recovered from nature.

Once the bridge carried Nettlefold across his land without having to descend to the level of the public footpath which passes underneath. Today the garden has been reclaimed for the public yet it remains a local secret, not easily found by visitors to Ashdown Forest but protected by its Conservators.”

Thanks again for sharing Jonathan!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAPhotography #Photography #Green #edgezine #Zine #Forest #Environment #Landscape #Documentary #NatureReserve

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December. This day aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development. This poem was submitted by @opencollegearts student Jemma-Tiffany for our 2025 EDI Calendar callout. "I wrote this poem about my experiences with my own chronic pain condition."

We would love to see your contributions for our 2026 EDI Calendar - information can be found in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #CreativeWriting #OCACreativeWriting #Poem #Poetry #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #EDICalendar #DisabilityRights #internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities

The sixth issue of the Creative Writing online magazine Bookmarked - Puddle of Sky – is going live on the 2 December. You can visit the magazine and have a look at the incredible issues via the link in our bio. (You'll have to log into your OCA account)

Join us for this live reading event! We would love to see you there! Events link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OCACreativeWriting #Bookmarked #StudentMagazine #Magazine #Writing #Fiction #Poetry #Playwright #CreativeWriting #OnlineMagazine #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity

'We've All Got The Blues - Journeys In Indigo' is a travelling exhibition (2025-26) by ten @opencollegearts student artists spanning the UK, Sweden and Iceland.

Taking inspiration from the ancient colour of indigo, each artist explores its emotional and symbolic resonance through their own chosen medium.

These works reflect the many moods of indigo, revealing how one hue can embody many interpretations, shaped by each individual process, material, and vision.

Find out more about their collaboration on our blog - link in the bio. And follow the artists @ocapainterpeople

Participants: Anne Stenbom, Asa L. Aradottir, Deborah Masters, Mary Galbraith, Janice Scott, Jennifer Berrisford, Sarah Fletcher, Sheena Fowkes, Sue Jones, Therese Livonne.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAPainting #Collaboration #Indigo #Painting #Colour #Creativity #Exhibition

These are just some of our upcoming events over the next couple of weeks;

Women Artists Through Their Words - Tonight! - 24 November.
No Easy Answers - Wednesday - 26 November.
Bookmarked Live Reading Event - Tuesday 2 December.
Virtual Life Drawing - Wednesday 3 December.
OCA Europe - Colour Fusions - Saturday 6 December.

We hope to see you there, events link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #ArtAndDesign #Lecture #Workshop

Today November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance - an annual observance that honours the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

This work was submitted by @opencollegearts student Jenna for our EDI Calendar 2025.

"The photographs are of masks that I produced for a Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial in Yeovil, Somerset. The Single mask has all the ways that transgender people died during the period October 2023 to September 2024. The group of masks contains the name of every individual that was listed as having died during the same period."

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #EDICalendar #TransgenderDayOfRemembrance #LGBTQIA

EDI Calendar 2026: Submissions Now Open!

The @opencollegearts & the @ocastudentassociation believe in building an inclusive and respectful community and we want your help in putting together an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion calendar for 2026.

We welcome contributions from across the OCA community including students, alumni, tutors and HQ staff. Link in our bio for guidance.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #ArtAndDesign #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #Calendar #StudentWork #Belonging

@opencollegearts students recently attended a Big Draw workshop with OCA tutor @bryaneccleshall. In the workshop participants contributed to a large, multi-authored drawing based on the idea of the Tower of Babel. This is the result. Thank you to everyone involved!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Workshop #TowerOfBabel #Collaboration #Creativity #Multimedia #Collage #TheBigDraw

“I am an aspiring Illustrator who enjoys creating 3D paper collages.

As a paper collage artist I create a lot of scraps as I work. I love to recycle and use this as a part of my creative process. I keep a bag of interesting scrap papers and old book pages to create new artworks. I also work with paints, and I sometimes mix too much to use. I don't like this to go to waste so I usually use this extra paint on papers and save them for my collage work. This artwork is made using these recycled papers. I hardly generate any waste in my studio which is something I am proud of because nature is one of my favourite themes so it's nice to give back to the planet as I work.”

Thanks to @opencollegearts student @bethany_illustrates who submitted this Dragonfly 3D Collage for our Green issue of edge. We’d love to see your submissions for our next issue - Nostalgia, find info in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #Zine #edgezine #Green #Sustainability #Paper #Collage #Sculpture #OCAIllustration #Illustration #Recycle #artandenvironment

“Hi, my name is Mars, AKA bad soup, I am a fibre artist and photographer working out of Hull. I am currently experimenting with methods of applying my photography to textiles with both permeant and semipermanent dye and printing methods.

Working within the city centre there are a plethora of spaces that we have taken from nature; some have been repurposed into green spaces, others into constructed waterways, and yet more into building and roads. There are small corners of these spaces where nature is trying to take back control and, given enough shelter from the public eye, it is succeeding. Locked in a delicate balance between discarded bottles, seekers of quiet spaces, and pollution, it is succeeding. This is the balance I have tried to capture, as fleeting as it may be. I have taken these images using half frame camera on budget film stock to embrace the imperfections of these places.”

Thanks to @opencollegearts student @bad.___.soup for submitting this work ‘The Reclamation Project’ for our Green edition of edge zine.

Find it via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Zine #edgezine #Green #Photography #Sustainability #Nature #Creativity #Interdisciplinary #Environment

November is National Care Leavers' Month. It exists for the public, professionals, carers, decision-makers and the media to come together, celebrate care leavers and raise awareness of the issues in the care system.

Those with care experience have significantly poorer educational and life outcomes than the general population on average, and are underrepresented in higher education. All universities and colleges must consider care leavers in their access and participation plans.

This image was submitted for our @opencollegearts EDI Calendar Callout. Nina's image "represents the feeling of home when it is temporary; when you do not know when your next move is."

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #ArtAndDesign #Creativity #EDICalendar #Equity #Diversity #Inclusion #NationalCareLeaversMonth #NCLM #CareExperienced #CareLeaver #Home

@opencollegearts Stage 3 (HE6) Painting student @artroger23 is aged 66 years and is working full time as a Project Engineer in Santiago, Chile.

"During my time as a building services engineer, contracts included the National Gallery and Wallace Collection which enabled me to steal time during the lunch hour looking at art. After studying an NVQ in Photography and taking painting classes in Valencia, Spain, I finally decided to embark on my dream of a Painting Degree in 2016, after settling in Chile."

Roger’s work uncovers histories from the past, present and future using repetition, series, and transparency; opening dusty boxes of nostalgia, happiness and character related to autobiographical history. Techniques such as layering, colour, scale, and opacity highlight elements of memory and abstract thought to represent recollections of past experiences.

Read more about Roger's learning journey on our blog - link in the bio. Thank you for sharing Roger!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCAPainting #Painting #Creativity #SustainingPractice #Figurative #History #Memory

edge zine Issue 16: Nostalgia - Submissions are now open!

We welcome ideas, sketches, works-in progress, writing, images and music.

Released quarterly @opencollegearts students, alumni and staff are encouraged to submit work to be published in our digital zine.

Find the submission link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OnlineLearning #OCAStudentAssociation #Zine #Degree #edgezine #Creativity #DigitalMagazine #Painting #Drawing #Photography #CreativeWriting #Illustration #GraphicDesign #InteriorDesign #Music #CreativeArts #Textiles #Nostalgia

The @opencollegearts North group recently met up for a visit to OCA Alumna @helenruthjonesart studio and to hear her speak about 'Life After Art School'. Following this OCA tutor @bryaneccleshall led a practical workshop on 'Collecting and Using Source Material'.

A wonderful thought provoking and creative time was had by all!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #StudyEvent #Degree #Creativity #OCAFriends #OCAAlumni #Workshop #ArtistTalk

We're delighted to announce the launch of our @opencollegearts and @thebigdraw 2025 activity. Our Big Draw initiative takes the form of a short online course which encourages participants to discover how drawing can bring us together, unite us and connect us in meaningful ways. We have a series of live events for OCA students and some for everyone and our main platform is open to the public for everyone to join it.

Join via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #BigDrawFestival2025 #TheBigDraw #DrawnTogether #Creativity #Degree #OpenLearning #Drawing

"I am Sarah, an artist and full time reader development librarian. I would describe myself as a curious artist using my art to connect with the world and as a way to tell personal stories . I am dyslexic so drawing is a way for me to communicate. My practice is concerned with recording my life, sometimes through memories and often with place and nature."

Read about @opencollegearts BA (Hons) Drawing Alumna @sarah_davis_art learning journey on our blog - link in the bio.

Congratulations Sarah and best wishes for your future creative endeavours!

This week is also Dyslexia Awareness Week - 6 - 12 October - and we think Sarah is an inspiration to all our students but in particular to those with dyslexia.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCADrawing #Drawing #Creativity #DAW25 #DyxlexiaAwareness #Collage #MixedMedia #Stories #Curiosity

Thanks to @opencollegearts Textiles student Karen Allen who submitted ‘Miss Textile Landfill Site’ for our Green edition of edge zine. Issue available via the link in our bio.

“I am a mature student currently studying for a degree in Textiles. I am interested in all things 'green' and my topic for my final year is based on textiles ending their days in landfill. For my final project I manipulated a wedding dress to show the decomposition rates of manmade and natural fabrics.

Following research for my degree I discovered a huge amount of data relating to textile landfill sites and the effect these are having on the environment. To try and inform the public and especially the younger generation, I used a wedding dress to show the decomposition rates of different materials. I chose a wedding dress as it attracts attention, is usually worn once and then discarded. I used cotton that I rotted in my garden contrasted against purple polyester and plastics. I hope my work will encourage others to consider how they can play their part in reducing the enormous amounts of waste garments ending their days in landfill. In this respect I contacted the local Brownie group and gave a talk on the dress. We had a long discussion on various ways they can help reduce garment waste. All this will be used as evidence for their Zero/Eco badge. I have since been approached by other organisations to exhibit the dress and currently it is being exhibited in our local library. It has produced a lot of interest and more importantly, discussions on green issues and what people can do to make a difference, however small.”

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #OCATextiles #Textiles #Zine #edgezine #StudentMagazine #Green #Environment #Sustainability #ClimateChange #Landfill #Recycle #Upcycle

@opencollegearts Creative Arts Student @brindusaf is exhibiting (H)Être - a body of worked conceived in dialogue with a 268-year old beech that was felled a year ago in her mountain village in alpine Switzerland.

“I was irresistibly drawn to the Tree when I learned it was going to disappear. Over the past year of working on this project, the Tree has taught me about memory, mourning, and continuity in a dimension larger than the human. Working with the Tree naturally became part of my practice. At the heart of my work lies a fascination with how the energy of the natural world — subtle, rhythmic, and often unnameable — can be made visible. Like the rings of a tree quietly recording time, I seek to transmit emotional, geological, and ecological echoes. Cracked surfaces, dense blacks, elemental lines don’t so much represent as they vibrate. My work is not symbolic: it is vibratory.”

The exhibition takes place at Chalet de la Treille, Troistorrents, Switzerland between 20 Sept - 12 Oct 2025, Thu-Sun 3-7pm but Brindusa is guiding an online visit on October 1st at 3pm CET. Registration is free. Find out more by visiting our blog - link in our bio.

Congratulations Brindusa!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OCACreativeArts #CreativeArts #Exhibition #Installation #Sculpture #Audiovisual #Painting #Environment #Sustainability #ClimateCrisis #Trees #CoCreation

@opencollegearts Stage 3 Graphic Design student @everarddesign submitted this work for our Green edition of edge zine.

“I’m a graphic designer and illustrator currently completing the final unit of my degree with the Open College of the Arts. My work combines traditional and digital techniques, with a focus on communication, nostalgia, and everyday storytelling. I have a particular interest in print design, experimental typography, and tactile formats such as books, zines, and playing cards. Alongside my studies, I work in the automotive sector, where I’ve developed a strong appreciation for heritage, detail, and craftsmanship—qualities that often influence my creative practice.

This piece was originally created in response to the theme Movement, and features a green plastic army man toy. I chose this subject because of its strong association with animated movement in pop culture—particularly films like Toy Story, where these figures come to life and move. Although they are physically static in real life, they represent movement through posture, storytelling, and cultural memory.

The army man is almost always green, which made it an ideal subject to also explore the theme of Green. Rather than relating to nature or sustainability, this interpretation focuses on how colour can hold strong visual and cultural associations. The green plastic is instantly recognisable and symbolises play, childhood, and a kind of manufactured, nostalgic world.

The creative process involved photographing the toy in various poses, then exploring ways to exaggerate or suggest movement through drawing, layering, and sequencing. I was interested in how a still object could appear animated—how the illusion of movement could be created through composition.

While the piece wasn’t originally created for the Green theme, its subject, colour, and concept are strongly connected, showing how one idea can naturally lead into another.”

Thanks for sharing Emily! View and download the latest zine issue via the link in our bio.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Zine #StudentMagazine #edgezine #Green #Creativity #Movement #PopularCulture #GraphicDesign #Design

We're excited to announce our Green issue of edge zine is now live! View and download it via the link in our bio.

This edition explores the word "Green" through a variety of creative lenses.

Our contributors used this prompt to delve into the concepts of narrative, roots, and growth, while also examining the cultural and literary associations of the colour.

You'll find work that interrogates broader issues like sustainability, environmentalism, and climate change, alongside pieces that represent the literal colour and more abstract ideas around science, harm, and dystopia.

Some of the featured artists even collaborated directly with nature, using organic and recycled materials in their
work.

This issue features photography, creative writing, photomontage, textiles, painting, and collage—each a unique interpretation of the word that started it all.

Thank you too to our student selection team for volunteering their time.

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Zine #edgezine #Green #Creativity #Painting #Photography #CreativeWriting #Textiles #Collage #ArtsAndEnvironment #Sustainability #Abstract

Some of the wonderful work created by @opencollegearts students at our Abstract Landscape Collage Workshop over the weekend. Thank you to OCA Alumna @arlenesharp.art for facilitating!

#WeAreOCA #OCAStudentAssociation #OnlineLearning #Degree #Creativity #Abstract #Workshop #Landscape #Collage #OCAPainting #OCAAlumni #Alumni #Painting

Congrats to @opencollegearts Painting Tutor Joanna Whittle who was one of the final four shortlisted for the John Moores painting Prize 2025 and is currently taking part in the winners exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery.

Find out more about the prize and Joanna's work from the Painting Department on WeAreOCA - link in our bio. Well done Joanna!

Image: Darkened Heart (a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth) by Joanna Whittle. Photograph: © Joanna Whittle

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“Hi, I’m Evie. I’m a queer freelance illustrator and creative living in South Yorkshire. My areas of work are primarily digital illustration and graphic design. Key themes in my personal work often include life through an LGBTQIA+ lens, nature and the environment, and social justice. I’m currently studying BA Visual Communications with OCA and have recently been enjoying creating process-led work and experimenting with line and digital textures.

I was inspired by the theme of encounters and started thinking about unexpected experiences. For me, this relates to a health issue that began suddenly and causes dizziness and a lack of balance. I wanted to portray this through the distortion of the landscape and vertical symmetry of objects, as well as the bendiness of the characters who feel to be falling. This theme also got me thinking about unexpected meetings/ events and being faced with challenges along our paths of life. I liked playing with the idea of balance and symmetry, which to me feel safer, to almost negate the unexpected nature of the theme.”

Thanks to @opencollegearts Student @art_byeves for submitting this work ‘Vertigo’ for our Encounters edition of edge zine. Our latest issue Green will be out soon, find the link in our bio to view all editions.

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Join us tonight Wednesday 27 August for our @opencollegearts x @pencils4tea collaboration with the wonderful @kirsty.a.lockhart. An hour of speed portrait drawing to music - the most fun you'll have on hump day! Link in our bio.

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Despite never having met in person, @opencollegearts students Eleanora Alis and John are now collaborating on their fourth project together.

John studies Photography, while E.A. is pursuing Fine Art. Their decision to create a film together emerged organically from a conversation following their first group project.

As E.A. approached her final show, she struggled to connect the pieces of her recordings from the past two years. She reached out to John, who had already started to explore film making and inviting him to collaborate - not just to bridge those gaps, but also to explore how their artistic practices could merge.

Over time, they discovered numerous connections between their creative approaches. Most importantly, they shared a deep understanding of each other’s work and developed a strong, structured work ethic.

When they first met, neither had much experience with creative collaboration. But the timing was right, their ideas aligned, and their process evolved into a natural rhythm. Their first joint piece, Transient, can be seen in this video.

Find out more about their collaboration on our blog - link in our bio.

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@opencollegearts Alumna Nina Cruse-Vallard is an administrator based in Yorkshire currently studying to be a librarian. In her free time she blogs and makes zines. She writes often about mental health and navigating postgraduate life.

“I often use free writing, in my practice, as a way to share my thoughts unfiltered. Although this may be seen as unpolished by some, I find free writing a cathartic way to process my ideas. When I think of encounters I cannot help but recall the meeting that changed my life; it set off a chain reaction that led me to where I am now. Similar to my writing style this event was incredibly chaotic... but I went with it.

At one point I thought I should make this poem more structured and sophisticated, like the great romance poems. But I am neither of those things. So the poem stayed uncertain, cautious and uncouth. Like I was at the time.”

This piece ‘Union’ was submitted for our Encounters edition of edge. Link in our bio. Thanks for sharing Nina.

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“My education, in France, was quite traditional, but inside me was someone who wanted to experiment and express herself creatively. Questioning this, I realised that it was in my day-to-day proximity to textiles that I saw a medium to achieving this.What OCA brought was an intellectual and imaginative framework to help me develop my thinking and push the boundaries of my (at the time) early emerging practice.

As a full-time worker the flexibility and approach to study of OCA was an ideal way to structure this learning and to come into contact with like-minded students and great tutors. It’s only once I started the course that the world of textiles really opened up to me. I now feel fully vindicated in choosing OCA as my gateway to achieving that early ambition.”

Read about @opencollegearts Textiles student sophie_textiles01 learning journey on our blog - link in our bio. Thanks for sharing Sophie!

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Creative Arts in Conversation: Rachel Smith and Trine Wade-

“As an artist of Place, my process-led practice is centered around an exploration of embodied experience, the ‘being-in-place’. With an auto-ethnographic focus and a phenomenological methodology, I respond materially to thoughts, feelings, and experiences that emerge from both fleeting encounters and more long-term emplacements.

I prefer to work with long term projects as it allows my ideas and intentions to develop over time. As a project evolves I explore a range of methods to determine which ones are most suited to convey my ideas and aesthetic. My interdisciplinary practice includes photography, printmaking, collage, sculpture, text, installation, and video.”

Read @opencollegearts Creative Arts Student Trine Wade in conversation with Program Tutor Rachel Smith on the WeAreOCA blog.

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Tricia Burton - Wind Eathbound

“What if understanding contemporary art practice plays hide and seek, not in academic theory but in the muddy adventures of a six-year-old, wandering the semi-industrial and wild fringes of North-east England? As a BA Creative Arts student currently working in assemblage and installation, the connection between 1980s childhood freedom and my current posthumanist practice reveals some fascinating insights about how we develop our relationship with the material world!

This relationship manifests in works like Wind Earthbound—a recent piece I created during our BA Creative Arts ‘JUST DO IT!’ make and discussion session. Where I collaborated with wire already sculpted by wind from my fringe environment installation, anchored by a lichen-covered log left behind from forest management. The wind’s curls, twirls and bends became the primary creative force, while I simply responded to what was already there. As one insightful peer observed, these sculptures ‘symbolize the chaotic and often fraught relationship between industrial societies and the natural world’—exactly the kind of edge-land dialogue I navigated as a child.”

Read about @opencollegearts student Tricia’s work Wind Earthbound on our blog - link in our bio.

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@opencollegearts Fine Art student Rita Lisnevskyte reflects on her recent course with Fine Art Programme Tutor, Hayley Lock.

"I’ve considered myself an artist for as long as I can remember. I studied academic art during my school years, which laid the foundations for my creative journey. Currently, I work with children with special needs, an experience that has deeply shaped how I see the world and the potential art holds as a tool for communication and healing.

I’m especially interested in how art can be used to support others emotionally and psychologically. For me, obtaining this degree isn’t just about academic achievement, it’s a personal journey to expand my creative voice and hopefully use it to help others."

Read more on our WeAreOCA blog, thanks for sharing Rita.

#WeAreOCA #OCAFineArt #OCAStudentAssociation #FineArt #StudentStories #Degree #OnlineLearning #Creativity #ArtTherapy #Wellbeing #Interdisciplinary

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