When I was made redundant a few years ago I found it  difficult to getting back into the workplace so I decided to try a different direction.  I’d done an art course in my teens but had drifted into factory work over the years so when I came across the VTOS Adult Education prospectus, I thought I might like to join the VTOS Craft course.  I didn’t have any expectations as it had been a long time since I was in a classroom environment.

There are different options available on the course which give you the chance to find out what you are most comfortable working with, for example, wood, glass, metal, clay or in my case painting and drawing.  It gave me a chance to brush up on my skills and to learn new ones.  I was never any good with my hands but it gave me the opportunity to try.  It gave me the confidence to develop some ideas so that when I finished the course I could think about finding ways to sell my work.

Since leaving the course, I’ve looked at different ways of showing my work.  I’m member of Waterford Homecrafts’ and I’ve shown some of my work at their craft fairs.  I was also involved in the Winterval Festival where I exhibited with the Waterford Enterprise Board.  I also set up a blog site- catmelodjan.blogspot.ie- to display my work on the internet.  It’s early days but so far the response has been good.

I strongly feel that my two years learning in the Waterford Adult Education Centre has helped me greatly in my preparation for college