Part of your submission for assessment will be a reflective presentation or evaluation. It can be either 750 words or 6 minutes in length, that traces the approaches you have undertaken that have resulted in your final body of work.

I cannot simply reflect on this unit in isolation without reference to the wider degree and my time with the OCA. A tutor was joking with me recently about the fact that I had been with the OCA longer than they have. It is very true. My study for this degree has taken a long time but has been broken by periods when my children were very ill. These traumatic things I have learned are a part of me. I have used them as inspiration in my studies. I have dipped into a black well at my core, bringing parts of my essence into the light. This is not a process which I will end as my time at the OCA ends. My study, the thought which goes into creative works, and the research which underpins my efforts build my practice and will lead to an improved sense of myself, my work and my place in the field of death studies. The final four years of study have been the most impactful for me. Here I was helped by two brilliant and insightful tutors who have helped me no end with my learning and finding trees in amongst the woods. Before that point the course units felt shallow and were a bit of a slow drag. Having said that, each step builds upon the last so perhaps those early units served a purpose. I am now getting ready for my final assessment which is always a time of worry and stress for me in case I have missed crucial points or misunderstood questions.

Key to my approach to my final body of work has been to understand what I was trying to say and, having understood the narrative and the emotional impact of what I wanted, to be clear on how to approach delivery. These things didn’t come into being at the beginning of this unit but slowly seeped into my consciousness as I continued my research through trial and error and with feedback. This had a similar feeling to when I was writing my dissertation. I tried to refine my argument and reject that which wasn’t necessary, resist the temptation to look at a topic too broad because of limitations on size and lessen the depth to which I could explore my subject. Artistic work has the same feeling and the recognition around keeping my narrative tight and avoiding muddled or fluffy and unnecessary complications when presenting visual works. An example of muddled thinking was one of my concerns about my audience’s reaction and whether my work might be too challenging or upsetting. I realised that I should present my work and be faithful to the story I wanted to tell, and if the audience felt my project was too much of an emotional trigger, that was for them rather than for me. I looked at other artists and theorists working in a field similar to mine, looking at their arguments and art. This helped expand my contextual knowledge to understand my project’s boundaries better. In my head, I imagine these cultural and historical boundaries as being like a burial ground beyond the city walls. Beyond my research, experimentation and feedback have been hugely important, allowing me to test different ideas and measure the response against my expectations and hopes. Recognising my preferences in how I like to work was necessary, as I was learning from test pieces which haven’t worked out whether such ideas were to be abandoned or can come to light in future projects. Having a flexible, clear plan that isn’t set in stone helped me, too. I have not held my exhibition yet so there might well be further learning opportunities which will alter my approach. These final steps will impact when I reflect on the outcomes of this unit and reflect on outcomes: what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved so things become easier next time.

When my undergraduate study is complete, my current plan is to consider looking at some Open Calls and Artist Residencies which would focus on my creative energies while a potential Masters in Art Therapy, which would be a good use of my skills and experiences, would focus more on my academic side. I mention these things here, and although these are not part of the approach I have taken which resulted in my final body of work, they represent my next chapter after the OCA and show the lasting impact my final body or work has outwith the strict university walls.

755 words