‘Change’ Professional Development Bursary Blog

On Saturday 6th August I became 57 years old, I spent the day at shell bay near Studland Dorset. It was a bright sunney day and the sea was clear and warm with clear Blue Skies. The view of the Isle of White and Bournemouth reminiscent of childhood sundays spent here or on Brownsea or Southbourne beech. I grew up in Bournemouth allthough a mile away from the sea the air and micro climate had a great influence on me. I have since I can remember produced art work in one way or another, pieces created then refelected on to try and extract meaning or as purpose, intent or perhaps just to please or gain praise and attention as a child or justr for the fun of it. People produce art for a whole range of reasons and complex combinations too. I have spoken my mind and been shuned, dismissed or ignored because of it in the past. In the late seventies I spoke out through my work about environmental issues then social issues from the early nineties. So being 57 makes little or no difference to me speaking my mind, it does however influence the way I want to work in the future as I feel the urgency to make more of a contribution towards social and ecological change. What I really want to do is review and recontextualise 40 years of work but to also begin a whole new body of work and new partnerships to see the work put into process.