The induction fortnight is flying by. I will be officially beginning my course next week so I have been spending the past couple of days trying to prepare myself for study. I have studied other subjects before, but not anything so expressive and personal to me. I have moments when I feel completely overwhelmed. I try to create and my mind is blank. All I am able to write about is how much I like writing, and how much I am enjoying college life. Getting a support structure in

When I started the course, one of the induction activities was to reflect on my motivations. Instantly I found I was reverting to my old ways of thinking, and I felt like I needed to have some sort of lofty goal. As I tapped backspace, I took a breath, and wrote “Writing saved my life”.

In the first of this series of posts on collaborative drawing, we discussed our drawn response to music created by exchanging a physical drawing through the post in reaction to Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. This time, we wanted to create a single drawing online while working simultaneously, albeit from different locations.

"I would say that studying with OCA quite often acted as a point of stability, so while everything else in life was changing, it was good to have a linear path and clear goals on the Visual Communications course." Read about Visual communications graduate Holly's learning journey.

"Walking in the landscape and taking photos has always seemed a natural combination to me, but last year I kept leaving my camera at home because 'I've already photographed that' (though it didn't seem to matter that I'd 'already walked there'). Needing a boost, I decided to sign up for the 10-week OCA/RPS online course Investigating Place with Psychogeography." Read Sarah's course review.

Read about OCA Alumna Nina's journey from student to staff member.

I am Diane Goring, a recently completed BA Hons Fine Art student, having retired from Social Work I pursued my second passion, my love of art and have successfully completed my degree.

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 groundbreaking 1913 ballet score, The Rite of Spring.

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.

"I'm retired currently a Photography Student at the OCA living in the Ashdown Forest in the UK with my family." Read about Jonathan's learning journey below.

"I am a Canadian software engineer in the pension industry, thinking about life after the office as I hit 50. I'm studying painting with the OCA." Read about Martin's learning journey in the post.

"Hi, I'm Sarah Jane, a mid 40's BA Hons Illustration student who works full time as a Chartered Surveyor in Suffolk." Read about Sarah Jane's learning journey in this post.

OCA Painting student Roger Sidney is aged 66 years working full time as a Project Engineer in Santiago, Chile. "Level 3 has given me the confidence and opportunity to work independently finding my way with intelligent support from my tutors and peers."

I am Sarah and artist and full time reader development librarian. I would describe myself as a curious artist using my art to connect with the world and 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.

OCA Students Teresa and Paul have been collaborating and would love to hear what you think!

We are a group of 102 students, residing all over Europe and spanning different disciplines. Although united by a common passion for the arts, we see our cultural and artistic diversity as one of our key strengths. There is a core group that facilitates the group’s activities.

Eleanora Alis and John are both students at the Open College of Arts. Despite never having met in person, they are now collaborating on their fourth project together.

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.

We have been collaborating on a project entitled Everydays since 28 Feb 2024, when we decided to take a photo every day (of anything at all!), and use it as a way of sustaining and growing our practice as well as flexing our artistic muscle daily.

"Although I worked as an engineer and then psychologist, I have always done something creative." Read about OCA Fine Art student Jenny's learning journey.