This will be my final post from this blog. In the last few months I have moved out of Salford, back across the river into Manchester, to Rogue Artists’ Studios, where I was lucky to be offered a studio in their recent expansion.
http://www.rogueartistsstudios.co.uk
So it’s a good moment to reflect. I was pleased to have the opportunity to show work last year, mostly existing work, but also some new. I started a long project called ‘107 garments’ based on research I did at Nexus in 2009, and showed it at Rogues Open Studio as a guest of Jackie Wylie. I also made my first Artists Book, after doing a course with Lucy May Schofield.
http://www.lucymayschofield.co.uk/
The book, ‘Cow Lane, Salford’ was shown at the Manchester Artists Book Fair, and it was selected for the Latitude exhibition by the Manchester Modernist Society.
I’ve restructured my website and lately have put most of my writing energy into a blog that is linked to that site, where I write about exhibitions, books and sometimes even my own practice!
http://annieharrisonartist.blogspot.com/
As for upcoming projects, I’m working with Jane Lawson on a new installation, ‘Flood’, for the Chorlton Arts Festival in May. And I’ve just accepted a 2 year Artist in Residency at Lime – an arts and health project. This will be the subject of my next a-n blog.
Jackie Wylie, Jude Macpherson and I have started to collaborate, and have already submitted two proposals, the first was not successful, and we are waiting to hear about the second. We see it as an ongoing relationship, and it’s a great opportunity for me to work with two more experienced artists.
I’ve also decided to do start a part time MA in the summer, and am in the middle of applications. I hope to learn how to locate my work within a fine art context and root it in a solid theoretical framework. I also need to learn how to balance the very time-consuming site specific, research-based work that I love, with work that can be shown anywhere. I am very short of the sort of work that can be put into an open call.
It sounds like everything is going well, but I feel that the balance of my time has been weighted towards thinking and preparing, and I haven’t done enough making. This has an impact on my confidence, so I need to focus on hands on work in the next few months. I’m feeling a bit nervous, but I’m excited to see how things develop.
Thanks for reading.
