My summer session in visual arts went better than expected, especially since I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush (other than for a bit of DIY now and then) since 1994 and back then my technique and patience left a lot to be desired. I had never used oils and was pleasantly surprised to find how lovely they are to work with. However, since the summer session runs at double the speed of an ordinary session I would have thought that acrylics would have been the more ideal choice due to far quicker drying times. In the oil range some colours dry faster than others – some even take weeks. Coupled with the heatwave the oils act very strangely indeed.

For my major assessment I hung six works and displayed a number of drawings and my visual diary early in the morning and was to collect them in the afternoon. R was particularly keen on hanging them at home, but plans changed and they were to be left at the uni until early March. So they are being reluctantly exhibited.