23rd November - Derby University Open Day

I visited Derby University on 23rd November arriving around 10 am.   I sought out the Creative Expressive Therapies stand and spoke to Martyn Parker Eames who runs the course.  I asked him about  doing the course as a top up to my course.   He advised that it might be possible to come in at year 2 but I would have to show that I had prepared and delivered workshops and that had knowledge of counselling.   I was quite annoyed because I had written to him in September this year asking the same questions as I was asking today.  One specific question was "what would I need to do to be able to get on the course i.e. any counselling course".   I heard nothing from him and emailed again in October and subsequently did receive a phone call from a lady and I stored the message and planned to listen to it to get her details however I left it too long and my phone erased the message and I had no details.   I felt Mr Parker Eames was a tad patronising and really wasn't interested in having someone on the course to top up.   I did actually think having reviewed the course outline, year by year, that it wouldn't be an easy transition.  So I didn't bother going for the talk at 12 noon.

I then went to the Fine Art stand and was directed to the bus outside to go to Britannia Mill.   There was a small room in which we had a talk from Denis O'Connor.   His presentation covered work that had been done by previous students, what was expected, what facilities there were.  I had the opportunity to look around the Mill which is a dedicated fine art building.   Textiles is covered within that area in a fine art capacity i.e. not creating garments.  He showed some lead boddices that had been created and stitched.   Another piece of work was a table and chairs made of tea leaves !

There is a fine art blog on the university site.   At interview, Denis advised us to piece one piece of our work as that is what we will be talking about.  Bring sketchbooks to interview.

The week is a four day week in the studio (Monday, Tuesday and Friday) and Thursday is history of art lectures.    Wednesday PM is for visiting artist lectures.  

I felt inspired by the facilities available, specially around the textiles area.   They only take 30 people each year.   Interviews are in December, Denis said so I would need to apply now.  I asked about the Erasmus scheme and he said they do take part in it, but they're not that great on it or words to that effect so I felt that he was saying it was bit hit and miss as to whether it gets organised.  

Photographs of some of the fine art facilities 

sounds familiar