blast from the past - the truth about art college

It's amazing what you find in your inbox and on the internet these days isn't it?

No, it's not me!...though she is so very lovely is she not? This is a shot taken of one of my final collection where the class had to make "Le smokin' jackets" using tweed (the tweed we used was rumoured to have been by the same manufacturers for Chanel but we will never know!) and my model in the picture above is wearing the tweed jacket I have designed, cut the pattern for, altered and sewn up (it has lining and all!)
I had gone for a small boxy looking jacket as I wanted to come away from the traditional jacket silhouette that everyone else seemed to have gone for, had slit sleeves and a deep lapel with an asymmetrical front closure fastened by a nifty brooch!

It was a wonderful surprise to be e-mailed these images by an old class mate and certainly a blast from the past with all the memories and good times but my god, the work that went into doing and completing this course was unbelievable!

There were days I was in the pattern cutting studio for weeks from 7am to 7pm, with constant back cramps from hunching over the pattern cutting table, no one ever met their deadlines (they were unrealistic!) and the course very quickly became hard work and no fun.
I studied so hard there for a couple of years and left with all motivation and passion for the arts and crafts I once adored, thoroughly killed off by the college and it's academic course.

The most gutting thing?

Learning on the last day when the course teacher pulled out a book and said they been running course from this tiny book and if we wanted to buy it, it would certainly help us remember the skills we have learnt....i got the book and I wish I bought the book than did the course...the book did a far better job of explaining everything than the teachers could in half the time and stress.
I'm sceptical as to whether art institutions and colleges really do help develop students....I mean I left with all the passion and hopes I had, thoroughly killed off and it took many, many years before I picked  up a pencil and drew once more.

Any art institution/college needs to let its students have a degree of creative freedom, that much I do know! I had a teacher who encouraged us to be individual in our designs but as long as they were within her remit...which was just awful and sucked the passion very quickly.

I mean I don't even have a portfolio from college, I just couldn't bear to go back and collect it and they didn't really help us build one....sucky for sure.

Whatever your creative path is, you just need to to open as possible to everything and most importantly...enjoy it!

Birdie Love
xxx