Scribbling this blog longhand on a train bound for London, I can use the time to reflect on the week gone by and the day ahead – and hope that no one sits next to me.
This trip in itself could be seen as a marker of failure, as its purpose is to collect some paintings which were not selected for exhibitions. But these things don’t bother me. I’ve decided to accept them as part of the learning process and see them as useful experiences. I’m reminded of a ‘how to be a writer’ book I read when I was eleven or twelve – it said to get used to rejection, expect enough publishers’ rejection letters to paper a room, or something like that. Maybe that’s what put me off writing! That, or more likely, that interest just fizzled out in the face of art. Anyway, it’s a principle which applies to all creative endeavour. Keep trying and keep learning. The whole concept of dealing with rejection hasn’t always been something I’ve been so adept at, but I’ve picked it up over the last few years when I’ve been creating more and subsequently trying more. Also, I’ve been accepted into exhibitions I thought I had little chance of, where others I know have been unsuccessful, so the point is that to get something out, you’ve got to put something in. There’s only a chance if you try. Also, I think about some more writer’s advice – write about what you know. Well, my plan is to add every experience, whether good or bad, to my bag of tricks. I’ve got enough for a few hair-raising stories… but you’ll have to buy the book first!
I have to rush across the city and make it back in time to pick up the young man from his football club. It’s a pain to have to be in London without making the most of it but it’s better than dragging a bored kid and a giant portfolio around on the tube. Today will also give me a break from the paintings I started this week as well as the work I’ve been doing for our end of year exhibition.
Before leaving I emailed the others about the blog/website I’ve made for our show. Inspired by/stealing from Lily Daniels, I want to do some interviews with the group. I’m hoping this will create good, high quality content without my having to spend hours drafting and editing essays about each person, although composing and editing each interview will still take quite some time. The site will also be helpful for some of us without websites as well, so I don’t feel too bad about nagging the others during the break. For some reason it took absolutely ages to write up the first blog post – a blurb about our exhibition. After all this, I’m inclined to include ‘freelance editor’ to my cv. I’m also managing the Twitter account and administrating the Facebook page with Xanthus, as Kate was headlining that aspect but has to step back from that now.
Earlier on I designed the ad for a-n’s Degrees Publication, based on Kate’s design. I’m realising for just how many things the buck stops with me.. which of course is grand if they all work out well, but if not… whoops.
I think that all of this effort is to make up for what I believe to be a significant disadvantage – not being a London art school.This perceived bias is something which I’ve heard mentioned elsewhere, and may well be just that – perceived – but after reading broadsheet reviews of graduate art shows and noting that they were composed exclusively of London schools, I felt that our tiny college might as well not exist in certain circles. Is all of this marketing going to amount to anything? I don’t know – I guess that’s down to how you define a successful result. I do know that I, personally, have worked far too hard at my own practice to let this show come and go with a whimper, without even trying for a bang. After all, it’s more than an exhibition’s presence which has an impact; it’s the documentation which also persists and transports the content across time and place.
So it may not always go to plan, but to get something out, we’ve got to put something in. There’s only a chance if you try.
@Henwood8
