If it hadn’t been for the pandemic, I think it very unlikely I would have embarked on a full time degree course at the tender age of 55! As the country locked down back in April 2020, my self-employed taxi business suddenly had no customers; in the absence of anything else to do, my long time watercolour painting hobby suddenly took on a new significance. 

As the summer went on, I reached a point where I couldn’t envisage doing anything else but making art, learning new processes and finding out more about all things arty. I found myself applying for a full-time  BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing and Printmaking degree course at Arts University, Plymouth. To my great surprise, I was accepted! I opted to do an extended course with a foundation year tacked on to the start; as someone who had been out of education for many, many years, I needed the best head start I could get.To my surprise and relief, I wasn’t the oldest student around any stretch and it didn’t really matter. The “youngsters” were great to be around and there was very much a sense that there was more uniting us as new students than there was dividing us. Being around younger people is good for the soul..probably! Also surprising was that as an old dog I could be taught some artistic new tricks and I was still more than capable of writing an essay.

Feeling greatly inspired by my extended foundation year intro, the remainder of my degree has flown by at an almost alarming pace. Exploring new subjects to draw and paint, learning new techniques, particularly in printmaking, engaging in research about other artists and art movements and becoming involved in artistic endeavours in my local community have all contributed to a very rewarding experience. As well as pushing my own artistic boundaries I have also discovered a previously untapped interest in teaching and public speaking.

Hopefully I am finding a new artistic voice and embarking on an exciting new future as my degree course enters the final business end of proceedings, at the tender age of 58. I didn’t really want to retire anyway, so I’m hoping exciting new doors may open for me so I can have many happy and productive years ahead doing something challenging and enjoyable…whatever that may be.

If you think you are too old/ too set in your ways/ too rigid/ too “settled” to try anything new, please disregard these self-imposed barriers. Just go for it! It might change your life!

Some things I may not have tried if I hadn’t gone to Uni……..