Perhaps I should have enrolled in the creative writing course instead of repeating the Introduction to Watercolour Painting. I had a disappointing start last Monday, having somehow forgotten the disappointing end to the course I did in 2023. Note to self: don’t look at what other people have achieved. Then I had the brainwave of using poetry on card-sized illustrations, putting a wash on each piece first. I made a start today. So far, still disappointing – although it was a restful, meditative thing to do on a Saturday afternoon.

There is a connection missing between what I visualise and what appears on the paper. Those yellow blotches are meant to be thistledown, and those black splodges are meant to be cows going in for milking in the rain. They look more like wildebeasts or perhaps elephants. And was I thinking of Purple Rain? I need another brainwave if I’m to cope with the remaining five classes.