Well my absence surely just shows how hard-working I am, how dedicated etc etc yawn.
In recent news! I went for an interview at Leeds to do an Ma in History of Art and was offered a conditional place. So that's pretty exciting. Although now I am worrying about if I don't get the requirements for the conditional offer, but before I was fine.
I'm also applying for various residencies in schools so I can teach the future, man, about art and stuff, dude. And, clearly, I'm freaking out a bit about the impending degree show et al.
When everyone in the department says "Oh your year's degree show is going to be fabulous" you start worrying: what if it's not? What if none of it works? What if the damned RECESSION (yes, I said it) has meant no-one can afford anything or we can't afford to make anything (last week I spent £150 on clay and colour. That's 10 weeks' food shopping).
On the other hand, I could bitch about how it's all a terrible struggle, bleat on about how no-one understands artists or craftsmen and how it's all so bloody Nietschze. But really, we're doing something we love for three years, and then, if the passion is there, you're doing it for the rest of your life. Yes, it's pressured, yes it's frustrating, yes you are essentially playing to the crowd, but so what? What are your other choices? What is there in life but pleasure in work? Love may come and go, friends may be true or torture and family (as Easter never fails to point out) are absolutely atrocious.
But work…aah, work. The ever-fixed mark on which you can rely. If you love, and I mean love, your work, then you surely have the greatest empowerment of all.
I've been reading a lot lately about craft and work and the ethics of aforementioned. I haven't got to a point where I think I can talk about it wisely enough (probably won't in all my life). But when I get to a point where I think I can talk about it brusquely and aggressively, I will definitely do it here.
PS Image is sideways. Why?
