After 42 years in education, Carmen Jennings was ready for a new chapter. Retirement gave her the time to pursue something she had long been curious about; art. What began with a design to learn how to draw has grown into a rich creative journey filled with new skills, friendships, exhibitions and opportunities.
My Creative Journey at The Learning Connexion
After a 42-year teaching career, including 16 years as a principal, I decided it was time to retire. But I also knew myself well enough to realise that I needed something in my life that would keep me learning, growing and connecting with other people. Those were the aspects of teaching I had loved most, and I wasn’t ready to give them up.
My inspiration for pursuing art had actually been planted years earlier. When my youngest daughter left college, she spent two years at art school. I was incredibly envious of the wonderful artwork she brought home and the creative opportunities she was enjoying. When I mentioned this to my husband, his response was simply, “Your time will come.”
Well, it certainly has!
During my final term as a principal, I mentioned to a colleague that I was thinking about pursuing art after retirement. She had recently completed some study at The Learning Connexion (TLC) and suggested I take a look. She kindly took me on a tour of the campus, and I was immediately captivated by the artwork in the gallery and the incredible range of creative opportunities on offer.
I enrolled – and I have never looked back.
I was so busy with my job at the time that I didn’t explore any other options. As it turned out, I didn’t need to. I have genuinely loved every minute of my time at The Learning Connexion.
One of the things I have valued most is the opportunity to explore such a huge range of creative media. Over the years, I have experimented with glass casting, ceramics, printmaking, collage, painting in a variety of media, life drawing, stitchery and so much more. There always seems to be something new to discover in the art world. Just today, our wonderful painting tutor, Justine, taught us how to disrupt our paintings, adding a new style to our repertoire and keeping our artwork current.
When I first started at TLC, I couldn’t draw. So, in my very first week, I decided that learning to draw would be one of my goals.
I have been incredibly fortunate to attend many of Alan Poole’s drawing and illustration classes, which have helped me achieve that goal by teaching me, above all, how to really observe. I believe drawing underpins so much of art, and my experience has reinforced something I learned throughout my teaching career: everyone is capable of learning. Good teaching can develop skills, confidence and understanding – and that is just as true in art as it is in any other area of learning.
There is always something new to discover
One of the things that makes TLC so special is the commitment of the tutors. They genuinely care about their students and regularly go the extra mile to provide individual feedback, suggest ways to extend a particular skill or idea, or point out something they have noticed in a student’s work that might spark a new direction.
Classes are never boring!
I particularly love the way the programme is structured. Each term, I can choose two different learning foci, spending a day immersed in each. Tuesdays are optional, but they provide another wonderful range of experiences. Students are also welcome on site on other days to use the facilities, which is especially helpful for people who don’t have enough room at home to create.
Our Tuesday sessions vary each week and include talks from artists – often past TLC students – sharing how they have developed their art practices and built sustainable careers. We also visit galleries and explore the wider art world. These sessions are varied, interesting and presented by different members of the TLC team. All classes include students from across the campus, regardless of their level of study.
Tuesday afternoons are devoted to drawing with Dan. Every second week, we work with a life model, experimenting with different media and approaches to capture the person in front of us. On alternate weeks, we might be drawing to music, drawing glass or trying something completely different.
Then there are the Makers Weeks at the beginning of each term. We choose from a range of three-day creative experiences that aren’t part of the regular programme. This is where I have had the chance to try glass casting, stitchery and paper clay – my favourite clay!
These opportunities allow us to work with different artists and tutors, learn new skills and, perhaps most importantly, discover things we never knew we might enjoy.
At every level of study at TLC, students are assigned mentors to help guide them along the way. Mentors help students meet the guidelines and study requirements, stay motivated, develop their work and study practices, and discover what they are capable of. They offer suggestions, encouragement and personal guidance, while also challenging students to take risks and supporting them to work independently.
They are a real asset and are there for students whenever they are needed.
More than art
My time at TLC has given me far more than artistic skills. It has introduced me to wonderful new friendships with people of all ages and from all over the country. Many of those friendships have continued beyond my time in the studios.
It has also given me the confidence to step beyond TLC and become involved in the wider art community – both exhibiting my work and looking for ways to develop the next stage of my artistic journey.
I am currently secretary for Friends of Pātaka and class coordinator for Mana Arts. Both roles have expanded my experience, introduced me to even more people in the art world and provided opportunities to contribute to the creative community around me.
During my time at TLC, I have been fortunate to exhibit in the LAB Gallery each year. I have also enjoyed learning more about the exhibition process by serving on the organising committee. Along the way, I have exhibited at Thistle Hall in Cuba Street, Pātaka, Buzz Café, 24/7 Gallery in Newtown and Mana Arts Society.
And yes, there is a tremendous buzz when someone buys one of your artworks!
But I also love giving my work away. There is something incredibly special about seeing someone’s face when you present them with a painting of their beloved dog, for example. I have been slowly working my way through my long-term friends, hoping eventually to give each of them one of my artworks – a little piece of me that they can keep and remember me by.
And the journey continues…
My next goal is simple: keep producing, keep learning and keep developing my own artistic style.
I’m highly motivated, so I regularly take classes at Mana Arts and attend their monthly pastel group. Once I finish my study at TLC, I’ll have more time during the week to paint, experiment and continue connecting with artists at all stages of their creative journeys.
I also plan to continue my role with Friends of Pātaka. It gives me opportunities to attend artist and curator talks, exhibition openings and a wide range of events, as well as to contribute to the community through initiatives such as the Winter Music Series.
Looking back, I am incredibly grateful that my husband was right all those years ago when he said, “Your time will come.”
It did.
And if you are at a similar stage of life and wondering whether it is too late to develop yourself as an artist, my advice is simple: give it a go.
You are never too old to learn. In fact, I think learning alongside people of all ages and at all stages of their creative journeys is one of the things that keeps us young.
The Learning Connexion has opened many doors for me – artistic doors, educational doors, social doors and doors into a whole new community.
I walked through the first one because I wanted to learn to draw.
I’ve been opening doors ever since.
Why not open one for yourself?
To find out more about enrolling in Level 4 contact us at 0800 278 769 or email info@tlc.ac.nz
