Reflections on 2021
To say that I’m glad 2021 is over would be a gross understatement, and I’m sure a lot of other people would feel the same way. But while the world may have gone up in political, COVID-infused flames, 2021 was a year of big achievements for me (surprisingly!).
Two of my writing pieces were officially published – some of my talented peers from a non-fiction writing course I took in 2020 compiled an anthology of our works, titled Memory in Lockdown. It’s pretty unreal knowing my writing is out there on actual, physical paper.
I also won second place in Creative Hearts, a competition run by small local Newcastle space Galerie Shangri-Lah – and won some free wall space as a result. I exhibited several works and actually sold a few, much to my delight (a real artist, making real money with my art!).
(This gave me some confidence, knowing there are complete strangers out there who would drop money for something I made. It gave me more incentive to start looking into opening an online store – make it more than an idea I keep thinking about.)
One of my biggest achievements was being a part of CUSP, which started out as a university assignment but ended up becoming so much more.
“A collaboration of six multidisciplinary artists, coming together to respond to the theme of CUSP, and reflecting on a transitory period in their lives.”
COVID really did a number on our intended plans – do you know how hard it is to do a group project when you can’t see each other face to face? (Thankfully Zoom is a thing, but it still doesn’t come close to collaborating in-person.)
But in the end, we had our exhibition, with over one hundred attendees. I think we really put our skills to the test, exhibiting in such a unique space, and making it happen in such a small timeframe. But we were determined to capitalise on this opportunity we missed out on during the uni semester. It might be obvious in retrospect, but a lot of the stuff we learned at uni really was applicable in a real-life setting (the budgeting – not that I did any of the hard work when it came to our budget, but I’m still glad I made mock-up budgets in class).
CUSP was not only an amazing team experience, but also personal experience as well. The amount of sustained creativity it takes to conceptualise and develop an idea, then physically make it happen, then exhibit it to an audience. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not great at continuing long-term projects – being a part of an incredible team of creative practitioners made it so much easier for me to feel motivated and excited about our work.
If you’re interested, there’s a more in-depth explanation of CUSP on our website, plus recordings and images of our stunning finished works
All of these achievements heralded the fact that I finished my degree at the end of 2021. I officially have a Bachelor of Creative Industries degree (we haven’t had our graduation ceremony yet, and I don’t know when that will happen, either – thanks again, COVID).
But sadly, the Creative Industries degree doesn’t exist anymore.
I’m sure it’s a very routine thing, university degrees come and go all the time. But it feels different when it’s the degree you’re in the middle of completing. A lack of enrolments, a lack funding, a global pandemic. It all adds up.
I think there’s only two graduating cohorts left before Creative Industries is phased out for good. I sympathise with those remaining students. Although the university had, and still has, an obligation to see us all through to the end of the degree, the reducing course choices, disappearing lecturers and the demolition of old, established studio spaces will put a damper on anyone’s will to study.
But I made it to the end. I saw the light at the end of the tunnel (and narrowly missed getting skittled by the incoming train).
I attended a close friend’s gallery opening a little while ago (like me, her degree also no longer exists, and COVID robbed her of the chance to exhibit her work during the university semester, so she went and independently organised an exhibition for her cohort – we love a go-getter). She had a guest speaker – an older gentleman who attended Newcastle uni about fifty years ago. He reminisced about how things were back then, and lamented the state of tertiary education now.
The 60’s and 70’s sounded like golden years to study (at least the way he told it – don’t we always want to hang on to the good memories?).
So what about 2022?
Putting every skill I’ve learned over the last three years to good use? Yes, definitely.
But also, more study!
I’ve decided to go back and do Honours! (Although I have to do it through a different degree… I know, I know, I don’t want to talk about it).
I genuinely enjoy learning – I feel like there’s still more higher education juice to be squeezed out of me yet. I’ve made some valuable connections in my time at university, and I intend to continue to make more this year. I’m keen to develop some new (and long-term!) ideas – so keep your eye out for something big this year from me!
Keep up with my art journey!
