For feedback point 5, the halfway point in 3.2, the course notes asked student to prepare a short summary of progress to date along with a concise summary of up to 500 words of work in progress plus aims and objectives for second half of this unit. Along with these summaries, the notes ask for a selection of research and practice work. Along with updates to my planning, this felt like quite a lot to cover in a short call with tutor. This half way point feels in a way, very similar to the end of 3.1. It not a point where my research has been exhausted or where my creative ideas have fully crystallised but is maybe just further along the path.

The end of 3.1 was a way marker in my studies. It was not place where anything complete or where ideas had fully crystallised nor where my research interests had been exhausted. Indeed, such an ending might never happen and my research and creative interests might continue for the rest of my life.

One difference in my studies for 3.2 compared with 3.1 is that the student is asked to consider an external facing project. I initially approached this project from a selfish point of view; looking at benefits for myself and for my work and for potential personal gain from students and practitioners at a more advanced level. I imagined that my research would continue on trajectory set in 3.1 and not be impacted by this external project. This mindset influenced my initial approach in seeking external partners and what I asked of them. I came to realise that this was a narrow approach which limited potential partners and opportunities and that a changed approach might allow me more opportunities to find partners with different backgrounds, experiences, artistic and research interests. It was an opportunity to use this year of my degree studies as a safe space to investigate my project from a very different perspective, to experience cross pollination of ideas, receiving external feedback and also to adapt my practice to provide feedback and creative inputs to my chosen partners in a way which would be of benefit to them. A search for partners willing to share in my project about death, loss, memory but also with their own interests and unique approach is something which I hope will provide new insights and different perspectives to my own work and which could lead to different outcomes and directions for my own research and, importantly, what, if anything, I decide to do with my work. It will be interesting to see how my practice responds to external input in such a project and whether a new shared practice is a potential outcome for this work. As the distance learning model can seem a solitary journey this work provides a chance to change that perception. To date, the search for partners interested in a collaborative work has been frustrating and slow. When I studied at level 2, I worked with a graphic artist, a poet and a textile artist so it didn’t occur to me that finding partners would be difficult at 3.2. Is this difficulty because my project is less appealing or is it because students at higher levels of study are busier or am I being more picky about what I am looking for? I changed my approach part-way through my studies so as to broaden the appeal and have also decided to seek more than one external partner which will cater for risk of any partner dropping out.

In second half of this unit I will continue to work on external facing projects and will continue to refine and, hopefully, improve my dissertation.