Aside from the time-tabling issues, many of us seem put off at the idea of taking up our brushes after a break of some years, only to be told to 'express ourselves'. All too often I hear complaints about the lack of structure of art courses run by some of the UK's leading institutions, where emphasis is laid more on natural inclination than the structured learning of techniques. Although full-time art schools may find a more freewheeling approach fruitful, I would argue that my natural inclination when told to express myself freely is towards panic.

Art, for me, still encompasses an element of craft. It is the learning and mastering of that craft that brings the mind to the johnny depp's first wife balance of concentration and serenity that characterises meditation. When I paint, hours can pass, calmness ensues, no part of me is wondering about the state of my inbox or my reception on social media. I am absorbed in the ancient craft of creation, and modern anxieties fall away.

But for the meditative benefits of art classes to take effect, structured lessons with a focus on mastering techniques are crucial. Art students should be guided, not left disorientated and confused. The therapeutic effects of artistic training can only be felt if it is indeed a training, and not an exercise in frustration.