SHOWCASE

Open College of the Arts

 2009 No. 2

Catriona Meighan

Accreditations Up!
The number of students working towards a degree with the OCA
is on the increase. In the last year applications for assessment
have increased by 41%. This is great news and reaffirms our
strategy of investing in new courses, refreshing existing courses,
and developing further means of communicating both with and
between students – such as this Showcase newsletter and the
OCA website (of which more on p3). The OCA is changing fast,
and in the coming year you can expect to see further change.
However some things remain fixed, firstly our determination to
offer the best in learning opportunities. Secondly our absolute
commitment to be accessible to the widest range of possible
students. Finally we will always be available to students
whatever their motivation, whether that be to develop their
artistic practice or to gain a degree.

Inside
Short story The OCA Mike Stevenson:
Competition winner website Finding the Pattern
2, 4 & 5 3 6&7
 Showcase Who’s who at OCA
is published three times a year by
the Open College of the Arts.
Jane Horton Paul Vincent
Open College of the Arts
The Michael Young Arts Centre, Paul has worked for OCA since 2004 and
Unit 1B, Redbrook Business Park is responsible for the development and
Wilthorpe Road, Barnsley S75 1JN maintenance of the OCA website. He
Telephone: 01226 730495 has an interest in photography and an
Email: enquiries@oca-uk.com inexplicable affection for classic (rusty)
Web: www.oca-uk.com VW Campervans.
Registered charity no: 327446
Company limited by guarantee no:
2125674

OCA welcomes contributions to Jane joined OCA in July 2008 as

Showcase but reserves the right
to edit materials at its discretion.
Views and opinions expressed in
Showcase are not necessarily those
of OCA, nor does the inclusion of
an item, insert or advertisement
constitute a recommendation.
To amend your contact details or to
give feedback – please contact Dee
Bean, Marketing and Events, on
01226 704364
or email deebean@oca-uk.com
Curriculum Director, in charge of
commissioning new courses and
ensuring a portfolio of courses fit for
the 21st Century.  For Jane this role
was an exciting coming together of her
experience and interests.  A life long The OCA website is increasingly
enthusiast for all the arts, Jane is a becoming a key resource for students and
practising artist, but has a career full of with great enthusiasm, Paul is looking
experience in distance learning. forward to continuing its expansion.

Short Story Competition

Winner
We asked, and you delivered! Over the course of two months,
Showcase received more than 30 entries for the short story
competition on the theme of “Kitchen Table”.
We encountered kitchen tables in many manifestations - as
mementos of departed loved ones, as metaphors for life and
instruments of death, and as, quite simply, “Solid wood, marked
by many years of slicing and dicing.”
Your stories touched us in different ways; some made us laugh,
some made us think and, some made us sad. We met characters
from all walks of life, from the rakish great uncle Ernestto, to
Andrea, the belittled daughter-in-law who cooks up a fiery feast
and the love struck Gwilym.
All in all this was an impressive and widespread effort. And while
we greatly enjoyed reading your literary offerings, we knew the
time would come to make a decision. So without further ado, we
present two commended authors and the winner of the OCA Short
Story Competition:
Commended: Arlo Richardson for Camera Girl
Commended: Gwilym Pennant Roberts for Josef’s Table
Finally... First prize goes to Angela Johnson for I’m Here, Mr
Obama. Angela will receive a £50 Amazon voucher and you can
read her winning entry on pages 4 & 5.
Grateful thanks to everyone who participated in this competition.
Your contributions were invaluable. Our thanks also to Tutor
Nina Milton, who had a very difficult task indeed in choosing our
winning entry.

2
The OCA
website
OCA’s website has never been more popular amongst its
students and tutors, traffic is up 36% in the last year. We now
have over 600 students registered on the website, half of whom
have added their work to the website portfolios; a reflection
of society’s embrace of modern web-based technologies. This
increase in student participation has encouraged OCA to
develop the website further, making it an increasingly valuable
resource for students and tutors of the OCA.
The website has so far attracted registrations from 35 countries,
increasing the diversity of participants and artistic perspectives
beyond UK shores and the forums are providing a fertile ground
for rigorous artistic debates amongst students and tutors. It
is through such rigorous and productive dialectics that the
understanding of subjects and concepts can be allowed to
develop and evolve.
To encourage this, we have placed an emphasis on the community
aspects of the website, recently initiated developments aimed at
encouraging the OCA’s artistic community include:
• A more comprehensive resources section, so more types of
media relevant to your course(s) can be accessed from your
‘dashboard’
• Audio player in the portfolios for music students
• Video upload facility in the portfolios for film students
• Improved permissions in the portfolios; as a student you can
now choose to make portfolio items visible to:
- the general public
- OCA students or tutors
- only tutors and students on the same course.
• Downloads section in the course resources area – so now files
relevant to your course can be downloaded. Students and
tutors can add files considered to be relevant.
“
...traffic is up 36%
These additions are intended to enhance and encourage OCA’s
student and tutor community of artists, and bridge the physical
distances between students and tutors.
The OCA will also soon be resuming its themed competitions
through the website. These will be announced by e-mail and
through the website closer to the time.
We look forward to meeting more of our students through the
website as it continues to grow and thrive, we would also like to
thank the students and tutors that have aided the growth of the
site through their active participation, both verbally in the forums
and visually in the portfolios.
Register online: www.oca-uk.com
 Student: Angela Johnson
I’m here, Mr Obama
‘Last night, Mr Obama, I had this sudden urge to stand up and
shout, “I’m here.” My mam was lying on the sofa, with Tabitha
curled up and purring on her knee, waiting for the soaps to start,
and I was sitting at the kitchen table, sending texts on my mobile,
well, that’s not true really. I was only pretending to send texts as I
don’t go to school anymore so there’s no one to send them to.
It was hard to get everything you said what with my mam pointing
to the wall and whispering, “They’re there in the entry, listening
to us,” as soon as I walked into the living room and tried to get
near the telly.
“Mam! You’ve forgot to take your tablets again haven’t you?”
I said, handing her the tranquillisers with a cup of water. I sat
holding her hand a bit to calm her. Then I threw a ball to Tabitha,
and she kept moving her stump of a leg as if she thought she still
had her right paw to bat it with. It looked dead funny. Well, that’s
not true really. It was sad. Then my mam leaned back, and lit a
ciggie. “Soaps will be on soon,” I said.
“You’re a good girl, Becca,” she said, patting my hand. My mam
forgets I’m fourteen and a half, and speaks to me like I’m a little
kid sometimes.
I wanted to tell her what had happened to me when I saw you
making that speech on the telly. I wanted to say how when you
turned your head and said you weren’t just speaking to them
around you, but that you were talking to everyone in the whole
world I felt you were speaking direct to me, but her eyes had that
funny, glazed, half dead look in them, and she’d only have said
something daft like “Who is he, some new filum star?”
It’s funny I thought, watching my mam’s eyelids getting heavier
as she sank back in to one of her half dead trances, it’s funny me
wanting to shout out “I’m here” because me and my mam spend
most of our time pretending the opposite. We have to keep our
heads down and creep round like we’re invisible because we don’t
want to attract too much notice on account of the local gangs
targeting us all the time. Even at school I got picked on which
is why I don’t go no more, and they send a teacher to my house.
That’s all right because I’m okay here with my mam and the telly,
4
and the cat, well, maybe that’s not really true. But if I get fed up
I can go into the kitchen on my own for a bit.
I heard a thud on the window later, but my mam was too spaced
out on her tablets to notice so I never said nothing. I scraped the
dog muck off when she’d gone to bed, but I felt so angry because
it was like you’d told me I had a right to be here, and I kept
thinking this shouldn’t be happening. Maybe that’s why, when I
was on my way to the shops this morning, and I saw Lauren Snell
coming towards me I didn’t turn back, and bolt myself inside the
house as usual.
“I want a word with you,” I said, trying not to think about the way
her and her gang had scared the shit out of me for so long.
“Yeah?” she said, looking at me in her sneering way.
I stood in her path then. “Why are you so mean to me?” I meant
to sound so strong, and in control, but my voice came out all sort
of weak and whining.
“Excuse me,” she said. “I haven’t done nothing to you. You’re the
one
making up all them stories about me bullying you, and I’ve never
fucking touched you.”
“You get other people to do your dirty work.”
“Fucking liar!”
“I just want you to know I’m glad I don’t go to that shitty school
no more. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about that gang of yours
throwing me against the wall, and smashing my glasses.”
“You fucking made all that up.”
“’You got someone to shoot my cat. She’s only got three legs
because of you.”
“I don’t know nothing about that,” she jerked away from me, but I
got hold of her arm. I’d worked my self into such a state I felt only
anger and no more fear.
“You took my boyfriend. You took Ashley away from me didn’t
you? You can’t say that’s not true. What’s up, Lauren? Can’t you
get one of your own or something?”

“Ashley was never interested in you, you dozy bugger. He felt
sorry for you, that’s all. Even he got sick of listening to you in
the end. You think everyone’s got it in for you don’t you? You’re
crazy you are just like your fucking mad mother.” She laughed
in my face and walked on.
I kept thinking of what she said all the way to the shops.
It wasn’t true. Me and Ashley had something really special
between us till she come on heavy to him. Not that I was
bothered anymore. Okay, so he might have made my day
when he walked in and handed me this big wet bundle of
fluffy white fur with big black spots and pale green eyes. I can’t
say I’m not glad he rescued Tabitha from them lads trying to
drown her. And I might have thought I was dead lucky to have
him when he sat with me, drying her, and getting her warm by
the radiators as she sat and purred between us like as if she’d
always been there. But it’s no big thing anymore if he wants to
hang round after the likes of her. She’s welcome to him. I kept
saying that in every shop I went in, but it wasn’t true really.
When I got back home I sat at the kitchen table, texting on
my mobile, well, pretending to. It’s my little hiding place, that
back kitchen away from my mam looking like she’s already
dead in the living room. Then the social worker came.
I stayed at the table, still pretending to text. I switch off when
I’m sitting there, to my mam saying the gang’s there, and the
social worker saying it’s all in our head. But just before the
social worker left she said something about how my life had
narrowed to this one room.
“It’s become like a nest where you feel safe, and you’ve gone
into a kind of voluntary hibernation,” she said, and I thought
yeah, well maybe I have, and who can blame me?
“Everybody’s dead round here,” I said. “Hadn’t you noticed?”
I felt restless after she’d gone. My mam was watching some old
film on the telly so I thought I’d take Tabitha for a walk down
to a bit of waste ground where there’s a few scraggy trees
and bushes. Tabitha was enjoying herself, jumping up at some
insects and watching the birds, everything just looked grey and
dead to me. Then I heard a flutter of wings, and I saw this bird
on the ground with its legs tied together with wire. I picked it
up nice and gentle, and managed to get the wire off its legs.
Then I let it go. It flew right high up into the sky, singing and
chirping on its way. Then another bird started singing, and
another, and suddenly it was like as if the whole place was
full of life. “I’m here,” I said, only I never shouted it from the
rooftops like I thought I wanted to. I just whispered it quiet
like to myself on a bit of wasteland full of beer cans and crisp
packets, but, you know what, Mr Obama, it was true. ‘
Author’s
profile
Angela began writing fiction in her 40’s whilst studying as a
mature student at Chester College, where she won an academic
prize for a series of poems depicting life on the large housing
estate where she lived.
In the 1990’s she became a member of the Chester Gateway
theatre playwriting group. She wrote a number of plays which
were given rehearsed readings in the studio theatre. One play
“The Budding” was later selected for workshop development
at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick and given a rehearsed
reading in front of an audience at the Bolton Octagon. The
director was Bill Smith and the dramaturg was Kaite O’Reilly.
More recently she has begun to write short stories and has
been short-listed for the Cheshire Prize for Literature and the
Ian St James award.
Angela began studying with the OCA after receiving a grant
to fund a course to help further her writing ambitions. Talking
about her studies she said, “I have really enjoyed my work
with the OCA, and I feel I have learnt so much, and I am still
learning. I am a student on the Writing 2: Storylines course,
which I am enjoying immensely.
“The idea for my story came when a friend told me of her
experiences as a part time teacher, teaching children who are
unable to attend school, in their own homes. I felt inspired
to write the story after watching Barack Obama delivering a
speech soon after his victory in the US elections. He seemed
to be trying to reach out to everyone, particularly those whose
voices are never heard. I wanted Becca to be someone with
little or no hope who happens to hear the speech, almost by
accident, but is somehow inspired to look beyond the stultifying
boundaries of her own existence, and affirm her right to live.”
Angela works as a volunteer drama tutor for Scope; writing and
producing plays with a group of adults with varying degrees
of cerebral palsy.
5
 Tutor: Mike Stevenson
Finding the pattern
Mike Stevenson trained at Liverpool College of Art, where he
was awarded the National Diploma in Design in Sculpture. He
undertook art teacher training at Manchester College of Art
qualifying with Distinction, and later gained a Master of Arts
degree with Distinction from the University of Lancaster.
Mike has worked in all spheres of education, both as a teacher
and as a Local Authority Advisor. Mike ended his career as a
General Education Adviser responsible for improving performance
and attainment in a group of schools.
He is now, once again, a practicing and exhibiting artist. Talking
about his work Mike says, “Anyone who pauses to look at a view
in this country will quickly realise that our changing weather
and light means that what we see constantly changes. Areas of
lightness and darkness will interchange, and colours will fluctuate
in intensity. Rarely will anything be still. Then, there will be the
6
subtler responses of hearing, smell and perhaps taste to consider.
There will be an awareness that the land we see was here before
we existed and will be here long after we are gone. It will have
stimulated myths and figured in legends and stories. It will have
evoked and stimulated other poets, musicians, writers and artists
to record their own responses. It will have rewarded, frustrated
and perhaps even taken the lives of the hunters, farmers, miners,
labourers and peddlers who walked here and worked the land
before our time. It will provoke memories in us of other places and
the people with whom we share our lives. All these resonances
and echoes are what I seek to portray in my work. I try to look
beyond the appearance of the land - to see its bones and inner
organs – all the things we don’t immediately see, but without
which, the landscape remains just another view.
“I am particularly interested in the quality of light and its effects
Ridgewalk - Derbyshire
on the landscape. I have no particular
allegiance to any media, I work in whatever
seems appropriate to what I want to say
or do.
“I often mix media to produce a specific
effect. My work almost always starts
with drawing something I can see, and
watercolour sketches to record colour and
tone. I do not want to be constrained
by attempts at photographic reality.
Each finished work involves making
many drawings, working towards the
final statement. These might range from
tentative scribbles to detailed ‘finished’
drawings. Each drawing distils some visual
element or intuitive response from the
starting point. Most of the finished pieces
are developed in the studio from the many
scribbles, drawings, watercolours, pastels,
notes and jottings that fill my sketchbooks.
“I visit Wales and the Peak District for
inspiration. Finding the pattern, structural
qualities and atmospheres of the landscape Porthclais - Pembrokeshire

are as important as depicting what I observe. I am particularly
fascinated by the problems of recession and perspective -
making an illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional
surface is a constant source of enjoyment.
“I believe that all artists, whether experienced or beginners, are
constantly engaged in the process of teaching themselves how
they produce their own works. In order to progress as an artist I
need to understand how we see and interpret our world. I need
to understand the visual elements of line, shape, form, tone
colour, etc., and know how to use them. I need to have control
over the media and techniques I use. I need to be aware of how
other artists have resolved problems similar to those I confront.
My work is simply the process through which I deepen and enrich
these understandings. The work has its genesis when I succeed
in blending these four understandings with my own intuitive
response to the landscapes I experience.
“I also regularly draw in the ‘Life Room’, since this is where I
remind myself that formal issues such as proportion and
perspective, history and tradition still have meaning and validity
throughout the visual arts, and are neglected at our peril.  Some
of my art work develops alongside or from my poems. I have
also chosen on my website, to open the pages of some of my
sketchbooks, since although these are rarely seen by the public,
they are the places where starting points are recorded and ideas
and possibilities tried, tested, rejected and developed until some
become the more finished works.“ 

For further information see www.mikestevensonart.co.uk

A View to the Sea

7
 Advertising feature
Alex Mahoney on the
benefits of good framing
“Bad artwork needs a good frame, good artwork deserves one.” To
this day I don’t know if the guy who told me this was serious or
joking. The fact is that whether artwork is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is a mat-
ter of opinion and should not, in any way, affect the standard of
framing. There are certain styles of artwork I personally wouldn’t
give wall space, but it is my responsibility as a framer to be as
professional as possible when dealing with the artwork and art-
ist/customer.
How artwork is handled, before and during the framing process,
is not just a matter of initial care, it does affect the longevity of
the piece.
There are, of course, different levels of framing recognised
within the industry to suit the many levels and types of artwork
available.
For example:
Minimum - Putting economy first
Budget - Visually pleasing, but offering no long-term
protection
Commended - Guarantees a degree of protection, with design
playing an important part
Conservation - Helping preserve your artwork for future
generations
Museum - The ultimate protection for your artwork
This is not to say that every artist should have all of their original
works framed to museum standard; determining which level is
suitable should be a key part of the consultation between artist
and framer.
For an artist it is important to develop a working relationship
with a framer and the basis of this relationship is trust. Do you
trust this person with the care of your work? Are you happy that
they understand the process and materials needed to frame the
piece to its required standard? Are they aware of the different
standards? Can they advise on the best style of framing?
Any framer willing to undertake the framing of original
artwork must at least be able to answer an artist’s questions
satisfactorily.
My recommendation to any artist working with a framer is to
discuss and check their standards against those of the Fine Art
Trade Guild.
The standard of framing is not directly linked to the ‘glitz’ of the
gallery. I have re-framed pieces previously framed by established,
high street galleries and found the contents to be woefully sub-
standard. Conversely I have re-framed pieces from ‘hobby’ framers
and been very impressed by their obvious attention to detail and
research into the subject.
With original artworks there can also be a financial implication,
not least the cost of framing should one of the higher standards
be considered necessary. Even more important is the financial
effect on the piece as a direct result of framing. Auction houses
have, for many years, lectured on the dangers of improper framing
and have numerous tales of highly collectable pieces having been
de-valued due to inappropriate framing.
All this said, don’t lose sight of the most important point; the frame
and/or mount are there to augment and enhance the artwork not
overpower it. If we do our job properly the frame should be viewed
as part of the work.
Remember, it’s all about the art. People have put art on walls for
thousands of years, but no one hangs an empty frame. 
Bespoke Framing
Quality Professional Framing
• Offering a personalised service encompassing all
types and styles of framing.
• Our workshop maintains the highest standards at
competitive prices.
• Helpful advice is always available from our
experienced framer.
01494 433191
info@bespokeframing.org.uk
www.bespokeframing.org.uk