Over the last five years I have been to-ing and fro-ing between being a Maker and working in education, specialising in the arts. During my degree I took on various art education based voluntary work from making animations with young people with additional needs, to running a pottery club in a heritage centre. But while I loved being involved in these sessions, I was always happy to get back to my own projects and get stuck in to new ideas within my own work. I had come to the following conclusion: I either become a Maker and work in cafes and restaurants to pay the bills until I become the next Grayson Perry or Lucie Rie (highly unlikely), or I become an Art Teacher and abandon my life as a maker (because I have definitely never met a teacher who had spare time to run a business… none with any hair left anyway).

It’s taken five long years of completing my degree, finding a half decent admin job in a university & bucket loads of volunteering work, for me to finally decide to become an Art Educator. I don’t know why I haven’t thought of it before. I’ve been working along side an art educator for most of my volunteer work, and it didn’t occur to me. Not once. Nevertheless, its better late than never.

I have completed a few workshops in schools, and am currently on a professional development course (more on that later!) and today I cashed my first pay check as an Art Educator ☺ So far so good…