I recently spent a couple of indulgent hours at the V&A. It was the first morning of our Creative Industries module on the MICL (Masters in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership at City University London) and we were to look for inspiration for our 'artefact' assignment and to begin our Reflective Journals.
For a business person with a business family life who lives out of London, this felt very special and exciting, if a little daunting. I hadn't visited for years and I was required to equip myself with drawing and writing materials. In the stationers the day before, I had taken my time to choose, like a child in a sweetie shop. I selected an A4, hard-backed sketch book with black pages, metallic pens and a box of oil pastels. This was something new for me and I was excited. My choice of materials was my way of pushing myself into a new space. Black, plain pages rather than white, lined. Coloured pens rather than a black ballpoint. A pencil case! Hadn't had one of those since school.
I loved those few hours in the museum. We were asked to find something that 'sang' to us. Perfect instructions. I headed off to find a statue I had noticed on the way in, that had, indeed, 'sung' to me.
I sat on a fold-up stool. No conversation. No interruptions. Just me and my thoughts, feelings and my self-expression on the page. What a great way to start on a Reflective Journal...
