It’s life ‘n’ that innit?
Gaaaah! Four weeks of illness. FOUR WEEKS! But thankfully, I am on the mend now and my energies are directed to the upcoming North Yorkshire Open Studios. My first attempt, so I am a bit anxious about putting on a good show as it were. My plans for having new prints and artists books are scuppered; I only got to the planning stage before I was cut down with the dreaded virus, so I’ll be showing some work old and new, framed and unframed alongside sketchbooks for visitors to browse through. Normally, I’d have a real go at getting some of this work done, but I am really having to pace myself while I recover properly.
This is very frustrating; I think I was probably more exhausted by overseeing the on-going eco house renovations, my duties for RAW and trying to keep my practice going than I realised so I am trying to take a breath and look after myself better.
I wonder if my Chinese sketchbook will be back from the Rabley Sketch 13 tour in time to have it on display? It would be nice to have it back in the studio.
We did manage to get down to Margate last bank holiday weekend. Sorry Claire Smith, I did not get in touch with you because to be honest, I was still ill and only staggered round the exhibition before having to retreat back to our hotel inland for a lie down. Next time. . . We were surprised that the journey only took us four and a half hours from up here in North Yorkshire, so it’s definitely something I’d do again.
I’m so glad I did make it to Margate, to the marvellous Turner Contemporary, to see the Frankenthaler/Turner show. It was a thoughtfully curated exhibition; the first time I’d seen so many Frankenthaler paintings together. Watching the video of Frankenthaler’s working life, I couldn’t help being jealous of her huge studio spaces – I dream of such opportunity!
I came away, having spent a good three hours going round and round the show, sitting in front of the paintings, peering up close to some of the Turners and most of the Frankenthalers, (with a break in between for a very good coffee and scone), feeling quite elated and much more informed about Frankenthaler as an artist and the work itself. I smiled at her home made painting tools such as a sponge on a stick, and the fact that she worked on the floor; all things I do when I get the opportunity to make big paintings.
Margate appeared very run down, which made me sad; I remember visiting as a small child on a day trip on the train from South London with my grandmother and family but not much about the town itself. I’m sure the Turner Contemporary is having an effect on the local economy; one woman I chatted to in the gallery had driven down from Peterborough especially to see the show and we would not have been the only ones travelling considerable distances. This can only bode well for the future development of Margate as a cultural centre.
I loved the Old Town, but could see that it needed a bit of vision to make it as vibrant as, say, The Lanes in Brighton. Anyway, thank you and good luck Margate, I will visit again when I have more energy!
So back to my studio this week, to organise, take stock, make notes and plan for the Open Studios. Not forgetting the publicity side of things! I might get some of those small boards I prepared about five weeks ago painted, you never know. What I do know is; I must not try and take on too many responsibilites at once, cos it is too much of a drain on my physical as well as mental health and then I won’t be good for anything and four weeks of that was enough, thanks very much.
