New Term Planning
I just deleted Instagram off my phone. Again. I realised the rising panic I experienced every time I opened Instagram had no where else to rise. I was full.
Full panic. Horror. At everything happening in the world? Yes, always.
But also the disconnect between telling myself that I am ‘creatively composting’ my writing, while also feeling increasingly disappointed my face doesn’t resemble AI/ filtered faces. The perception gap is real.
It’s also the start of September and the teaching year and I have a sense that I need to achieve all the projects in my head before December ends.
But, this time around I am hoping to be strategic and portion my time appropriately and realistically.
Firstly, I have immutable teaching commitments:
My postgraduate students at the Courtauld are completing their dissertations which I will need to mark/second mark (as appropriate).
I teach on two modules at the Open University, so will have tutorials to run, individual student support tutorials, and assignments to mark. Because the OU is distance learning, the feedback given on assignments must be detailed as this is where so much of the teaching happens.
And in September, I am running two half-day sessions for my own Picturing Mothers creative online workshops. Tickets for this are still available, and details can be found via the link and below.
Then I have writing work:
Contracts are currently being agreed with my agent and others for a very exciting writing project, which is a dream creative collaboration but which I cannot discuss. The deadline is tight and I want to do my very best as this is the kind of work I’d love to do more of. This will take up most of my time until the end of the year.
I will work on my own book proposal, which is taking shape and which my agent wants to be absolutely watertight before going on submission. The world has changed very much since my first book deal, back in 2020, but so has my own ambition and interest.
Earlier in the year I submitted two academic articles to academic journals. They are currently under review, which can take months (years is not unheard of!). I hope by the new year, revisions for one or both of these will need to go into my diary. But for now, I will put my other academic article drafts to one side.
And finally. A project to nurture me.
And that is the real life, tangible, self-made, self-published zine that I’ve been thinking about for so long.
I want something real and scrappy and which takes me away from the screen. And which, more importantly, exists outside of big tech platforms, outside of an algorithm, outside of ‘content’ and AI.
It’s something I can do on the living room floor in the dark evenings, with print outs and Pritt Stick.
It’s for me. Any maybe for you, if you are interested?
And of course, I will still show up here.
What are your plans for the ‘new term’?
Picturing Mothers
Are you interested in art, history, or exploring the evolving concepts of motherhood?
Join this unique lecture/workshop series that explores representations of (m)otherhood and maternity through visual art, spanning from ancient times to contemporary works.
Motherhood is one of the most universal, enduring, and emotionally charged subjects in visual culture. Through art, we will trace changing ideas about gender, family, power and belonging across centuries.
This course is suitable for anyone interested in art, history, feminism, visual culture, motherhood, identity or thoughtful learning.
No prior knowledge is needed.
In this hybrid live and online workshop, we will explore how motherhood has been represented, idealised, politicised and reimagined through art across cultures and historical periods.
From ancient fertility figures and religious iconography to modern and contemporary works exploring labour, identity, care and resistance, this course traces the different constructions of motherhood through visual culture. In doing so, we are able reflect on how these images shape, and have shaped, our own understanding of what it means to be a mother, to have a mother, to picture mothers.
Through a blend of art history, cultural analysis and guided discussion, we will examine how images of mothers shape, and are shaped by, ideas about gender, family, power and belonging.
This course is suitable for anyone interested in art, history, feminism, visual culture, motherhood, identity or thoughtful learning.
No prior knowledge is needed.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A single 3 hour morning session comprising mini-lectures, visual analysis and discussions session
Analysis of iconic artworks across cultures and historical periods
Guided discussion and space for reflection
Online creative prompts to explore in your own time before and after the session
Access to a private course page with optional summer reading materials and a curated book list
An intimate and welcoming group atmosphere
This is a live experience and will not be recorded
DATES & TIMES
Choose the date that suits you, both sessions offer the same programme:
Thursday 17th September 2026, 10am–1pm
Saturday 26th September 2026, 10am–1pm
Live online via Zoom.
TICKETS
All ticket holders receive full access to the live session, private course page, summer readings, and online creative prompts.
Please choose the tier that reflects your current circumstances.
Community ticket — £45
Standard ticket — £89
Supporter ticket — £120. This helps fund the free places and also includes the option to have a developmental edit on a piece of writing of up to 1,000 words produced in response to the course. Limited to 5 places.
This is a live experience and sessions will not be recorded.
TESTIMONIALS
‘This course was such a valuable introduction to depictions of motherhood, as Joanna expertly guided us through a whistle-stop tour of how the work of mothers has been represented.
‘A brilliant combination of formal observation and emotional connection, the ways in which Joanna steered us into thinking about artworks as portals into other’s experiences while reconsidering our own, was a brilliant way to spend an evening. The sessions flew by.’
‘I learned so much and felt very inspired. I particularly enjoyed bringing in political/social context, and linking older works to newer works and understanding how they relate.’
‘ a thought-provoking series of discussions and artworks. I loved being prompted to think more deeply about what artworks are trying to say, and how we receive them’.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this workshop for?
Anyone interested in art, history, feminism, visual culture, motherhood or identity. You don’t need any prior knowledge of art history, just curiosity and an openness to discussion.
Do I need to be a mother to attend?
Not at all. The workshop explores how motherhood has been represented and constructed through art across cultures and history. It’s relevant to anyone interested in these ideas, regardless of their own experience of motherhood.
What does the ticket include?
All ticket holders receive access to the live session, plus a private course page with optional summer reading materials, a curated book list, and online creative prompts to explore in your own time before and after the session.
What does the Supporter ticket include?
The Supporter ticket (£120) includes everything above plus an optional developmental edit on a piece of writing of up to 1,000 words produced in response to the course. Limited to 5 places. This tier also helps support the free places.
Which date should I choose?
Both sessions offer exactly the same programme, choose whichever date suits you best. Thursday 17th September or Saturday 26th September, both 10am–1pm.
Will the session be recorded?
No, this is a live experience and will not be recorded. This is intentional: the discussion and intimacy of the group is central to the workshop.
What platform will the session run on?
The workshop will run live via Zoom. You’ll receive the link closer to the date.
Do I need to do the summer readings before attending?
No, the summer reading materials are entirely optional. They’re there for those who’d like to explore the ideas in advance, but you’ll get everything you need from the session itself.
I have another question — how do I get in touch?
Email joanna@joannawolfarth.com and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
