OCA Course Authors

Gaynor Goffe has a BA Hons from London University and has tauhht for 30 years (24 of then teaching calligraphy). She trained in Calligrapy and Heraldry Illumination at Reigate School of Art & Design and has taught at all levels up to degree level, in art schools and on residential courses throughout the country and overseas Her two books, Calligraphy Made Easy and Calligraphy Step by Step (with Ravenscroft) were published in 1994. Her work has appeared in numerous calligraphy books and exhibitions. She combines teaching with working freelance on commissions and producing work for exhibitions sales.

Stephen Taylor studied at Leeds University where he was taught painting by Paul Gopal Choudhury (Slade) after which he studied ‘Perception and Technique in John Constable’ as an art history post-graduate student, at Essex University and as a visiting student at Yale University, USA. After two years as Resident Artist at Felsted School in Essex a successful show persuaded him to turn from art history to pursue a career as a painter. Until recently, Stephen taught painting and design history part-time for various institutions including: NADFAS, Cambridge University extra mural board, Colchester Art School, the Inchbald School of Design (short course director) and the Open College of the Arts (Painting Course Leader and author of ‘Painting 1: Watercolour’ and ‘Painting 3: Advanced’). He also recently co-ordinated a feasibility study for an art school for the Government of Dubai. His painting initially covered a variety of themes including portraiture, shooting pictures and landscape. Early exhibitions included a one-man show at the Oakwood Gallery, Aldeburgh 1993, Walton Contemporary, London 1994. Since the mid-90s Stephen has concentrated on modern landscape, combining traditional oil techniques with digital analysis to produce paintings which are vividly real and yet at the same time unmistakably works of selection and art. Larger pieces involve integrating many different kinds of study and can take up to three years to complete.

Michael Freeman is one of the world’s most highly respected professional photographers. He is widely published, with more than 80 books to his credit including the classic 35mm Handbook (over 1.5 million copies sold). Recent publications include Spirit of Asia, Angkor: Cities and Temples (both Thames and Hudson), Japan Modern and The Modern Japanese Garden (both Mitchell Beazley). Michael has now produced a unique new series of guide books for the digital photographer and these are published by ILEX, who are digital media specialists. He has worked on commissions for many well-known publishing clients, including Time-Life, Reader’s Digest, Condé Nast Traveller and GEO. He is also the principle photographer for the Smithsonian Magazine. Visit his website at http://michaelfreemanphoto.com.

Nigel McLoughlin holds an MA with distinction in Creative Writing (Poetry) and a PhD in Creative Writing both from Lancaster University. He has been a Creative Writing tutor for over eight years, working with all levels of student from absolute beginners to those completing their MA degrees. He has also been involved in design and development of Creative Writing programmes up to MA level working with a number of third-level institutions. He co-edited Breaking The Skin in 2002 an anthology of new Irish writers published in two volumes by Black Mountain Press. He has three collections of his own poems in print: At The Waters’ Clearing, 2001 (Flambard & Black Mountain Presses), Songs For No Voices, 2004 (Lagan Press) and Blood, 2005 (bluechrome). His work has appeared in many literary journals and anthologies in Ireland, the UK and abroad. He has won or been short-listed for a number of major poetry prizes, and gives readings of his own work. He is a Fellow of the RSA.