What kind of a year has 2013 been for you?
Exciting, busy, exhausting. Pretty great all round!
What has changed for the better and what, if anything, has changed for the worse?
For the better: there are bigger, more exciting and more terrifying projects being offered to me all the time. For the worse: I no longer have much free time at all and am in a constant state of anxiety or excitement because of the aforementioned projects.
What do you wish hadn’t happened this year?
Pretty much most of the policies introduced by the Conservatives.
What do you wish had happened this year, but didn’t?
I wish I’d won the Northern Art Prize. I reckon I could have stretched £16,500 pretty far and I would be in a very different situation now regarding the time I’m able to spend in the studio versus other paid work.
What would you characterise as your major achievement this year and why?
There have been a lot of projects this year, but I really loved making the piece I exhibited at Castlefield Gallery, Build-Up, and felt quite at peace with it in a way that I never have with any other work. I can recognise now that the work has been a catalyst for lots of things and I think it opened a lot of other opportunities up for me too.
Is there anything you’d like to have done this year but haven’t?
Taken a proper holiday! I also wish I could get my studio working more efficiently. It is literally a pile of things at the moment; not very encouraging.
What would make 2014 a better year than 2013?
Taking a proper holiday (or two – is that greedy?) and taking more time to make decisions (on everything in general) so I’m happy about everything I’m doing. I also think spending more time reading would vastly improve my life. I can’t wait to see how the Paying Artists campaign with AIR Council develops – it would be great to see that making a difference. I’m really excited for next year, there are some stonking projects coming up!
