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Julie

  • Studying: PhD in History of Art (full-time)

Julie is a PhD student in the History of Art department, researching Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s imaginative use of flowers.

"Having returned to academic study in my late forties, I have increasingly recognised that each incremental step towards gaining knowledge of a particular subject is actually a move towards acquiring knowledge of self.  As a consequence each journey is unique and personal.  Having first graduated in 1985 with a BA Honours degree in German, I enjoyed a long and happy career in public relations before personal circumstances prompted a re-evaluation. I wanted to start a foundation degree in English literature, but my application was turned down due to a lack of recent academic study. Undeterred, I attended weekly classes at   Continuing Education until I had acquired both experience and confidence and reapplied. The two-year part-time Foundation degree was the start of an unimaginable trajectory, which culminated in a MSt in Literature and Arts at the University of Oxford, before being accepted as a full-time PhD student at the University of York. I am fortunate to have Professor Elizabeth Prettejohn, one of the world’s leading authorities in Pre-Raphaelite art, as my supervisor."

Monday

I have found that a fairly rigorous timetable is the best way for me to keep on track. Obviously, my research takes precedence, but I have to work part-time to fund my studies. Having attended a series of University business seminars, the Career’s department awarded me £500 proof of concept funding and a further £2,000 from the Santander’s Summer Accelerator Programme to develop a new business: stefanius.co.uk.

I schedule in a few Skype calls with clients first thing, allocate work to a full-time co-ordinator and freelancers and commit to the work I have to personally deliver before lunch. Knowing that my fees and living expenses are covered, I can then focus on catching up on some reading for a few hours before heading into University to collect some more books delivered to the library through Interlending. I’ve elected to collect them from King’s Manor so that I can nip into York Art Gallery for another look at the Albert Moore: Of Beauty and Aesthetics exhibition and catch up with a couple of friends in the café afterwards. We recently had a two-day conference on Albert Moore, which attracted academics from around the world, with a keynote by Professor Tim Barringer. It was fascinating and provoked lots of new ideas. This follow-up visit sparks more interesting conversations, which, in turn, stimulate new thoughts on the direction of my current chapter.

Tuesday

While these new ideas are fresh in my mind I settle down to write. I have learned that it does not matter what I write as long as I write as often as possible. I aim to write at least 1000 words a week and add half a dozen titles to my bibliography, which I update regularly. In the first year most of these words have ended up on the metaphorical cutting room floor, but they have helped me to refine my argument and to find my own voice. In any case, some paragraphs will undoubtedly find their way into my final thesis.  I have a break just before lunch, check my emails, go for a walk and think about conference opportunities.The University is really supportive of ideas for innovative conferences (in terms of morale, advice and finance) and I am mulling over a couple of concepts – one within the University campus with a group of interdisciplinary York students and the other in conjunction with postgraduate students at my alma mater in Oxford.  The main challenge is timing. Last year I got carried away with the thought of jumping in straightaway, but quickly realised that the thesis must come first. 

I revise a couple of paragraphs from the morning and then put my work to one side until tomorrow: a bit of distance is always good. 

I help out with the Department’s contributions to the alumni newsletter and have just received a couple of emails from former students who want to contribute. I respond with edited copy and request photos to accompany each news story before adding a few events to the What’s On section of The Detail – the Department’s internal monthly summary of news and views along with opportunities for students to contribute to conferences at home and abroad.

Before finishing for the day, I chase up a couple of bibliography queries with our Department librarian and email DIY SOS to confirm our client’s participation in the next television series.

Wednesday

I start the day with a supervisory session with Liz. She returns a draft chapter to me with helpful notes and we have an hour of lively discussion in her office. I may have to think again about how the material sits together, but generally things are going in the right direction.

After grabbing a quick coffee with a friend, we head off to attend two back-to-back psychology lectures in the Humanities Research Centre. Although these particular lectures, given by Visiting Professor Adam Phillips, are not directly relevant to my research, ‘Psychic Pain” and ‘Shame and Attention` seem right up Rossetti’s street. Besides, writer and psychoanalyst, Professor Phillips, is introduced as ``one of the most influential essayists and thinkers writing today,”  and I am hoping to learn more about how he structures his arguments.

Thursday

An early start – heading down to London to visit Reflections: Van Eyck and the Pre-Raphaelites at the National Gallery and Alma-Tadema: At Home in Antiquity at Leighton House Museum. Reviews for the former have been mixed, with one claiming that the exhibition is ‘a sham of a show comparing the clumsy daubs of a group of mediocre pseudo-intellectuals against great artists’. I guess Mr Jones is not that into the Pre-Raphaelites! I feel drawn to compiling my own critique and possibly submit it to the PRS Review if it has anything useful to offer. The two-hour journey straight into Kings Cross gives me time to make some revisions to my chapter and then I spend the best part of six hours immersed in art – inspiring and motivational in equal measure. While making the journey between the two galleries, I receive a call concerning a client’s possible participation in the Royal British Legion’s Thank You campaign, commemorating a century since the end of the First World War. We need to come up with a creative campaign to engage 400 member companies and justify our involvement.  I arrive home around 11 pm, exhausted but exhilarated.  It’s been a particularly good day!

Friday

Checking emails, I see that an MA student from York has contacted me to ask what I think about the flowers in Leighton’s After Vespers. Liz has put her in touch with me. I don’t know Leighton as well as I am beginning to understand Rossetti, but I use what I do know to try to help. It feels good to be able to make a contribution, and she asked if she can quote me in her dissertation! There is also a response to my email to a professor in the botany department, kindly identifying one of the flowers in Rossetti’s The Beloved and an invitation to take part in a craft fair in College at the end of term.  After a number of phone calls to make sure that the PR work is all on track, I spend a few hours pulling the business into shape, ready for the following week, before planning research over the weekend.

Jules