Art Psychotherapy Queen Margaret University

*Transcript* video is below.

Art Therapy course (Psychotherapy) Queen Margaret University.

“Before I discovered Portfolio Oomph, I was really unsure how to go about putting a portfolio together.

So I had a goal in mind, which was to apply for a specific course [art therapy course], and I knew the course would be competitive as it’s the only one in Scotland.

And particularly as a mature student returning to Art, I was really lacking any teachers and mentors.

And I recognised I would need support and advice from someone who knew what they were talking about and could give me some guidance.

I think I was also lacking in confidence and in hindsight I didn’t have much clarity around what I wanted to make or why I wanted to make it.”

“I decided to get in touch with Julie as I felt that I wanted to apply for an art therapy course.

However, I was really unsure how to go about putting a portfolio together for it.

I was also aware that there were gaps in my knowledge and that if I was successful in getting onto the course, there would be other students that were there who already had done art degrees.

So the teaching aspect of the course really appealed to me and I knew it would provide a structure to support my making and my creativity.”

Erin studied for success on my PLAN CREATE SUCCEED portfolio preparation course.

“And one big factor as well was the online aspect that really suited me and just the fact that I could work at my own pace, which offered flexibility and it meant that I could work around my job and my kids as well.

It was great working with Julie.

I found her really helpful throughout the whole course.

Julie was really encouraging and supportive.

I loved working through the course material, which gave me a really good grasp of the research and development process, which I don’t think I really had before.

I found the tutorials were really varied and covered a huge amount and helped to guide me in my work.

The exercises and tools provided are so helpful, especially if you’re feeling a bit stuck.

Main things I learned was to embrace the research and development process and to sit with the uncertainty of not knowing what the end result would be.

I think that was a really new way of thinking for me and I found the playful and experimental approach really took me out of my comfort zone initially and it enabled me to push the materials and my ideas.

There were times that I found that hard but having Julie there to support me, made sure that I really kept on going and pushing through.

I think it’s so important to have mentors and so for me that was the most valuable aspect and the most helpful part I think of doing Portfolio Oomph.

I think having someone that’s experienced and who knows what they’re talking about, leading you step by step through the process in a really clear and accessible format and being able to offer support and advice along the way, that to me was just invaluable.

And I think Julie offered huge amounts of support.

She gave lots of advice on things like the best platforms to use, which pieces to present to show off my skills, and just how to present the work so that it looks most effective.

So I love Julie’s course so much and learned so much from it that I took the decision to do a foundation art course, which I’ve just finished.

So I passed that with distinction and also won an award at the final show for outstanding work.

And I really think that Julie’s course gave me a really good platform to start that course from.

I have a place on the Master’s in Art Psychotherapy course at Queen Margaret University, which starts in September, so I’m looking forward to starting that.

Yeah, I think having done the foundation course as well, here you’re in the studio setting with other people.

What I found about Julie’s course that was really nice was not feeling that sense of self consciousness.

So just having the freedom to work at home in your own space and in your own time and engage with the materials and the tutorials just yourself without having to think about other people kind of looking at your work or think, what they’re thinking about.

Now that I’ve finished working with Julie, I can just reflect and think that it was just such a good decision.

I learned so much by doing Julie’s course and there are lots of the exercises that I know I’ll just keep returning to in order to develop my work.

And in hindsight, I realised how much of a gap there was in my knowledge base before I started working with Julie, and how much my art practise and confidence has grown since then.

I think if someone was thinking about working with Julie and doing Portfolio Oomph, I would just say to go for it.

I think it’s really great value for money.

I’ve only got good things to say about it and I think you’ll learn a huge amount and be well supported to achieve your goals.

I think since doing Portfolio Oomph and working with Julie, I think my life has changed considerably.

I think Julie’s course really opened my eyes to the possibilities of what art can be and it really increased my confidence.

And ultimately it was her course that led me to apply for the foundation art course, which I’ve just finished and really loved.

And I’m really looking forward to starting the art therapy course, which, of course, without Julie’s help, I don’t think I would be on.”

This article was written by Julie Read, a leading educator in the Creative Industries, as featured in The Guardian newspaper, on a mission to create a legacy to ‘unlock your creative genius’.

My passion and mission is your art portfolio, to help to get you that place at college or university.

CLARITY, in particular around the creative process, sketchbooks, and what the Colleges actually want to see are the founding principles.