Having taken all my work off the top shelves, and from under the table and the previously neatly stacked corner, I now have an untidy studio again. I’ve sent lots of work off to America for the show, and have the “reject” pile scattered everywhere. It’s been taken out and sorted and put on one side, NOT going to America. So what do I do with it now? If I have decided it is not worthy of that, then what is it all worthy of? The paper based stuff I already have started a programme of chopping and book making. But there are other things, previously exhibited, dry mounted or in frames… what do I do with those? I also have quite a big pile of textile items. Some I want to keep, but lots are left overs from previous projects. I may have a fondness for, but really I no longer need them. Some of these I think I can’t reuse in any way, and may put in a basket at my open studio event for people to just take away if they like the look of them… maybe ask for donations? Other things I want to put prices on, albeit small numbers, in the hope that they will go, some of them at least and I will get a bit of cash for them, to be reinvested on materials, or maybe the gas bill.
But then after the Open Studio, what then? Give them away? Throw them out? Burn them? I am in a mood to dispose of things… space has become the thing I crave most, so in order to gain space I must just say goodbye to things that serve me no further purpose… however pretty the fabric, no matter how expensive the paper was ten years ago, no matter how much time I spent making it… they have done their job. They are redundant.
Tomorrow I shall lay the things out and take some photos… if any of my blog readers fancy anything, call in and collect it, or let me know your address and you can have it for the price of the postage.
