Back when I was in the process of stepping away from my job, I started looking for an art class. I rejected the tempting City & Guilds courses. I am stepping away from one treadmill and I recognised that I was trying to legitimise my decision by stepping onto a treadmill towards a qualification. I may do it one day, but I have to accept my creative pursuits don't need a certificate to make them acceptable.
In the search I discovered this great place that runs an amazing selection of courses, creative and otherwise. It is in two huge old Georgian buildings on a picturesque secluded London square. It's the Mary Ward Centre if you want to take a look. I chose a course called "A Book of Your Own". I couldn't resist the Virginia Woolf reference. I am drawing a lot at the moment and very excited about making books. Perfect.
We had the first class on Tuesday. I hadn't been sure whether each term would be the same course repeated, or whether it would develop across the year. I only signed up for this term. The class was so amazing and there is definite development across the year that I rushed home and signed up for the other two terms. There are only 12 in the class and a huge waiting list. They have a policy that you do not automatically get a place in next term's class, it is first come first serve for all, so I didn't want to risk it.