Armley Mill Leeds residency

I have realised whilst looking over this blog that it doesn’t end at the exhibition, I used it to continue writing about life after the residency and that I never included final images. So here they are and this is the final blog for this project. Life after the residency continues in another blog title ‘Finding the Thread’.

I had the nastiest flu like thing last week you wouldn’t believe it and during this nastiness I had the interview for the residency at the children’s centre to attend. I did think about cancelling but then I decided against it and chucked the most possible number of flu strength Anadin Extra down my throat I was almost foaming at the mouth. I’d managed 2 hours of interview prep the previous day, looking into how I would run a few of the sessions, god knows how I’d done it. It had taken more than normal to get the car out because it had snowed and I got stupidly lost on the way there. When I finally arrived they were running a bit late (turned out to be about 40 mins) and as I’d calculated that the proper time for the interview; 11.00am, to be the optimum time for all the medication to be working, once they’d showed me around and I’d actually got into the interview the Anadin Extra had started to wear off and I got delirious and the chill/sweats during the interview. I have no idea what I talked about apart from the fact that I couldn’t shut myself up and as my voice was croaky I sounded like I would go down a treat if the interview was for an adult chatline and not to work with very young children. It almost didn’t register that they have tried to reduce the hourly rate and the length of contract from the one set out in the initial advert. I didn’t care I just wanted out and to be at home and reunited with my duvet.

I got a call a few days later from them asking me if I would come back in next week to run a workshop for some 3 to 5 years old. The big cynical part of me is thinking that they’re getting a lot of ideas/activities for free, not sure how many other artists they interviewed or are having run workshops. I’ve not done workshops for such small people before and I’m a bit anxious to what the Children’s’ centre actually want from an artist. It is great that there is this opportunity but it could be a massive learning curve for all who are involved. They have mentioned (a lot) about displays, and it seems that they could possibly be more concerned with that than the interaction between the artist and the children. They have mentioned using the Reggio Emilia approach, but they seem a little naive to how this could work in reality. Anyway I’ve set up a really good workshop introducing the children to elements of line, looking at how differently drawn lines can ‘mean’ different things including representing different personalities and the aim is to get the children to talk about the lines and draw stories based around this. I’ve been looking at some excellent books about aesthetic responses in children and as art education usually fails as the children are not encouraged to discuss their own individual experience, they usually just have some art materials and get on with it and make a ‘finished’ product. The aim therefore is to discuss what they’ve done (without it being too representational), getting their emotions involved in the process and to learn and develop from this. I like the fact that it’s the process that matters more than the finished product and how the process is led by what the children have discussed. It kind of mirrors my own practice and that’s why I’m quite excited about this.

Well the show is up and the opening, apart from the ghastly weather, went really well. The wasn’t loads of people there but enough, and I met some lovely people and had some really interesting chats. It was really great too as some people really wanted to know about the work and I gave a few ad hoc mini tours around the gallery. Ace.

I’ve been working on this for the last 2 months and really not thought about anything else (I actually started to think of nothing else since getting the email saying that I’d got the residency in July). So there’s definitely going to be a Armley Mill shape hole in my life. Nina emend really pleased and she managed to get some figs, cranberries and posh juice and the nibbles looked amazing!

I spent most of Friday evening designing a map of the gallery and explanations of the works in kind of museum speak, which seemed to go down well. Once I’d explained what the work was about, everyone seemed to really engage with it, which was great. I’ll slap some photos of the finished works on here tomorrow probably as I really need to go and have a lie down on the sofa for this afternoon!

I’d like to say a big thanks to all at Armley mill for giving me this opportunity and to the staff and the members of the steering group. Cheers!

I did post some clips of the animations, honestly but they seem to have been lost somewhere in the ether. Maybe they will turn up, may be they won’t. I’m also a little worried as they were rather good.

I’m also worried about the snow. Got an email from Nina yesterday saying that because of the technical issues and me panicking (all calm now- see previous email) plus the threat of snow…did I want to cancel the opening? I laughed in the face of the threat of snow and keep looking at the skies. IT”S STILL ON PEOPLE!

Nina said that we could have figs as nibbles as they are in season and festive. I don’t think that they are but suggested (not to Nina that would have been rude) that we could open a tin of prunes instead. It’s a bit different? And it reminds me of my Gran.

Hey, nearly at the end of a very busy and frantic week. Thank goodness. Major technical issues have been dealt with amazingly by Frank the fabulous technician at Armley Mill. THANK YOU FRANK! The space is looking fantastic and I’ve feeling quite proud. Not off the hook yet though, still some bits to do but all should be ok for opening on Saturday.

This has been a massive learning curve for me (and the Mill too as I’m the first of the artists in the residency programme) I’m think of doing a checklist for others doing residencies…both for institutions and artists. I’ve found that leaving things to the last minute; me…always, combined with others saying that they’ve got stuff, or stuff’ll be done easily, doesn’t work. Don’t take anything at face value and as soon as you can get things done as other stuff always will crop up at the end! Major thing too, to sort out who’s in charge of what and what things are the responsibility is the artist. All this should be in the contract.

This got me wondering the other day about is this what it’s like for a self employed artist? The amount of freedom I’ve had has been fantastic but really strange. Like me having to decide the dates of the show etc. really early on, and naming it when you’re not sure what really is happening, right at the middle of the residency! Also being responsible for things and making sure that they get done, liaising with staff and ultimately making the picture of the show in your head a reality.

Every job is going to be different, with different people, spaces. themes and learning opportunities. Keeps us all on our feet eh? How lucky we are…just a shame that we’re not as valued as we should be and that there’s so many artists and not many jobs!

I’ve included snippets of the animation that I’ve done for the show. They’re from the engineering drawings in the archive and I decided to animate some of the working parts. The full animation, along with the other work, can be seen in the MillSpace throughout December.