Published on 15 January 2026 under the Studying category.

I start my degree in art history at the Open University in under two weeks. Just after the holidays, I got access to the materials for my first year, which is made up of two modules: “Discovering the arts and humanities” and “Cultures”. In the former module I’ll study a new topic each week in the Humanities, including the reputation of Cleopatra, Vincent Van Gogh’s painting and the blues in music. In the latter I’ll be studying ancient cultures, art and power, literary classics, and cultural journeys.

Looking at the syllabus, I’m excited by how many new-to-me topics I am going to study. I’m excited both to build a foundation in the humanities and to use that knowledge when I read, when I look at paintings and sculpture, and, more generally, when I think about things and the world (including technology and its role in society!).

As part of preparing for the course, I have spent many hours exploring my university’s website to see what resources are available – workshops, forums, library access, and more. One of the resources that stood out early was a documentary called “Age of the Image,” which explores the role of images – broadly defined, ranging from cave paintings to canvases to photography – throughout time. What can images do? What properties do images have? How has the power of images been harnessed in history?

Next week I have my course induction, study prep, and will be going to several other online events that look interesting too. I want to try as many different things as I can.

One of the things I have signed up for is a carbon literacy training course. I have already completed half of it, reading and reviewing materials; the next half is a live workshop next week for which I am excited. This workshop has me thinking again both about how I can make more sustainable choices, and also how I should think about sustainability in the context of technology. While the latter is not specifically a focus of the course, it is an area I hope to explore more. (Reading recommendations are appreciated!)

In summary, I am ready for this new chapter, and I’m so excited!

On the topic of art history, I recently went to the National Gallery of Scotland and, to my delight, found that they had an exhibit of J.M.W. Turner’s art, “Turner in January.” The art, watercolours from throughout his career that are only displayed in January and in relatively low light to preserve them as best as possible, was breathtaking. I appreciated every painting, and was especially delighted to learn he had made a few paintings near where I grew up.

This encounter with Turner’s art was particularly apt because I had been admiring one of his paintings digitally through being linked on Tracy’s website in her excellent ongoing series on the concept of “aura” as it applies to digital art. The painting at the top of the post, “Rain, Steam, and Speed” features Nature and industry together: the railroad and the rail bridge and the river and the sky, obscured by fog. I love fog – both in art and in real life. It always makes me think about what I can see and can’t see in a given moment, and how the fog transforms a place.

After going to the Turner exhibit, I went to the Portrait Gallery. While there, in the modern portraits exhibit, I saw portraits of people who came from where I grew up. My home is in this big gallery! My heart, too.