It’s never too late to start all over again… I have new ideas this time.

Amy Holmes – March 2019

All this is a little bit alien to me…

As I sit Struggling to navigate my way around WordPress and realising that a lot has changed in the last 11 years since I had my last degree experience! Yep! – This post entitled Educating Amy means entirely that! At 32 years old! well… 31 years young and 8 months to be precise (lets be honest though after that “half year birthday prosecco” voucher from Prezzos hits your mailbox in January.. you’re practically 32!) I have decided to re-educate myself and start my degree journey again.. this time with a new attitude and new ideas!

My blog is all about honesty.. no matter how explicit or awkward. I am not ashamed to say I made a royal mess of my twenties. Why you ask? – I have drawn ever since I could pick up a pencil. My primary school teachers used to tell me I would be an Illustrator for children’s books. I went on to study Graphic Design at GCSE level and excelled in it. I carried this on into my BTEC in Graphics Design at college and again, showed much promise for the future. After a gap year I returned to study at degree level. This is where my design journey ended (for the time being!)

My early twenties sparked a deep depression; I never felt like I fitted in (I still don’t actually!) I never felt “enough” I simply put.. felt lost. I became disheartened. I left uni and several jobs later and one toxic relationship that lasted for 10 years and almost cost me everything… here I am! Stronger, resilient and with more motivation and drive than I have ever had my entire life. It is not easy… I have so many ideas and thoughts that cross my mind, so much I want to achieve. So much I want to create and make!

Time sometimes is a curse – I work full time in a secondary school; my job role? Working within Graphics and Textiles and I basically cover most things! – technician! Teaching Assistant! reprographics! I also have a double life.. I work in retail in the evenings. I have a lot on my plate to juggle! The most common question asked me.. “How do you do it?” my answer – “because I HAVE to.” Up until this point in my life I have hidden behind, supressed and denied my creative ability; reserving it only for people close to me to see. People I meet tell me “I’m wasting my talent” although I have always deemed myself “out of touch” and the “it’s too late for me now” attitude…. I became suffocated by a comfort zone.

The last decade has given me a lot of life lessons – I believe everything happens for a reason, everything has a thought, idea or a meaning behind it otherwise what is the point? I would like to think I think and do the things I do for a reason… The reason I love being creative is for a reason…. my talent happened for a reason… and here and now happened the way it did to get me to this crucial reasoning. Deep isn’t it! – I know! Deep provokes thoughts, ideas and emotions! I have a feeling you will be seeing more of that! 😀

Thank you for viewing my blog and over the next few weeks I hope to upload ramblings, ideas, designs and general insights into my world and this whole new weird, alien but cool chapter of my life whilst obviously.. remaining very much “candidly Amy” .

A xo

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