A few years ago now, I decided that I needed to do something outside of work to get the grey cells in my head doing something again.
This resulted in a decision to take some evening classes.
After a bit of thought, and being fascinated by the world that James Clavell painted in Shogun, I decided that I would try to learn some Japanese. I really enjoyed that, but two years of it were enough (maybe some material for a future post!).
When I looked for something to follow it up with, I decided to try something to do with art, as I have always thought of myself (with good reason) as the least artistic person I know.
I found a class run by the Local Education Authority, taught by Ron Freeman called Painting and Drawing. I really enjoyed this, it was as though part of my brain was switched on that had never been used before. I am not saying that I was any good, but I was nothing like as bad as I had feared that I would be.
Anyone else out there found something unexpected that has helped broaden their horizons?
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I can’t remember ever taking any sort of course, other than a university night course in marketing about 25 years ago. Which was actually very creative, believe it or not.
I think that the ’switching on’ of other parts of the brain is a wonderful way to broaden horizons.
Have you ever heard of the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards?
Comment by azahar January 26, 2008 @ 9:39 amps
Comment by azahar January 26, 2008 @ 9:41 amHave you set your blog to have a static front page? This post doesn’t show up when you follow a link here (like, from my blogroll) – you have to either click on it under Recent Posts or refresh the page. Just wondering…
Sorry the reply has taken a while – just back from a week’s holiday.
Strange time to have posted asking a question I know, but I finally thought of something!
Yes, my art teacher recommended that book, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
And lastly, no – not a static front page, it refreshes OK for em when I go to it, and have checked the settings, and they seem OK.
Comment by bigbadjohnnyp February 2, 2008 @ 9:27 pmI was wondering where you’d disappeared to … so, where did you disappear to?
Comment by azahar February 3, 2008 @ 10:41 amAh – as I just commented on your blog – a week’s skiing holiday to celebrate my father’s 70th birthday!
Wonderful
Comment by Big Bad Johnny P February 3, 2008 @ 10:47 amI’ve done courses in french polishing, book binding and vietnamese.
all fun courses but I didn’t really continue on with what I learnt so now I’m rusty at all three
Comment by nursemyra March 2, 2008 @ 10:42 amThat’s the trouble – I would remember more of the Japanese I mentioned if I were to look at the books again, but at the moment, almost a blank.
Similarly, I am not practising the Art – not finding or making the time. Seems a shamne and something that I must do something about.
Comment by bigbadjohnnyp March 2, 2008 @ 6:50 pmHmm. Most of the things that have broadened my horizons have not been “formal” classes. When I was studying massage back in 1990, that broadened my horizons substantially, taught me how to “listen” with my hands, how to feel energy inpeople, things that I was completely unaware of before. I learned to canoe about 6 years ago, and now have my own little 14 foot single canoe. That was broadening also, gave me more confidence about my own physical being.
Comment by healingmagichands March 12, 2008 @ 11:53 pmCanoeing is fun (at least it was when I tried it many years ago). Trying new things on holiday can be liberating too. Ladst year, as I mentioned to az, we went on a narrowboat for a week. Helping my daughters be confident steering a 60 foot boat down waterways and through bridges that are at times only perhaps a foot wider than the boat is an eye-opener (or sometimes shut & prayer) too.
Comment by bigbadjohnnyp March 14, 2008 @ 8:30 am