blog…

Day two of the big clear out.

Scary moment this morning when the council representative informed me that I would have to start paying business rates as I had changed studios. All sorted.

The studio block is on the side of a park so as I trotted in and out covered in dust and carrying dustbins and boxes and sacks and plinths all around me were browning nicely in the sun.

A young black cat whose owners leave him out all day has been overseeing operations. His charming companionship was very nearly permanent; he shot out of the car boot just as I was about to leave for the final tip run.

I just hope I haven’t maxed out on his black cat luck. Haven’t seen him since; I fear he may have gone off me.

So – I still have no idea if things will fit in. Especially as I have decided that there is no way I can live without my bookcase.

We will find out tomorrow.

10am -7pm.

Spent the day clearing my big studio space to move to another, smaller studio in the same block.

Just can’t justify the extra expense anymore.

So – have spent the day slashing and burning ……..and still no discernible difference, Backache and a car full to the brim of stuff for the tip.

Now not sure if it will ever fit in…

Have thrown all the old life drawings. Thrown the old proposals and price lists, the show cataolgues and the books I no longer need or want. Thrown all the bits of wood and tissue paper, the old paint and aging brushes, the incense I never used and the silly radio I was given.

Have kept; my orange Buddhist scarf, the yellow ‘everyone act normal’ badge, the scary baby shop mannequin, the diamante lobster claw and the lava lamp. Non negotiable.

I will be back again tomorrow to try harder.

Hobby Horses installed and the PV over and done. Loads of people – and lots of them villagers coming to have their photos taken with the hobby horse they made. Our great project photographer Sarah Medway worked hard all afternoon welcoming, calming and posing everyone.

Its just so rewarding that everyone is so supportive and engaged. We even had two more horses made and delivered to us in the week before we opened in the gallery.

Sweetest photo was of a tiny Brownie with the horse she made us towering over her. Our oldest visitor was 87.

Lots of fun this project, especially for for me as Farningham is my village so every venue is yet another chance for a party. I think sometimes that it must be a bit hard on Ros all this meeting and greeting…

Everyone now wanting to know where they will pop up next – no firm dates; although we are in talks as they say. Another job to be tackled between us.

All this takes so much hidden work doesn’t it? Ordering decals, making signage, taking photos, sorting images, thank yous, evaluating, sending photos to the local Historical Society to be archived, uploading onto the website….on and on.

No time at present.

I have two days left to sort out a talk on being an ordinary artist that I give to the students at my old college. Scary because they get some well known faces and great curators in a series of talks that ends up with me telling them how to be their own secretaries and find opportunities. Still, its all the stuff I always wanted to know but was too scared of looking stupid to ask….

I always think plenty of questions = ok talk. I will let you know!

This is how to waste time and not do the work you should be doing for your solo show………….!

Just back from great friend’s birthday party. Spent a happy afternoon doing this yesterday. He runs a firework shop………………

Will I ever stop procrastinating and get on with it?

Like a naughty child.

I wonder how many conversations go on behind the Artists Talking curtain so to speak?

I occasionally have e-mail conversations with artists who having read my blog e-mail me rather than post…maybe if you know someone well it seems oddly impersonal to post. I don’t know.

Anyway, I have spent the day wondering about a response to this one:

‘ You’re right, I think the wasps can be read as defenders or aggressors. How do you feel about appropriating other things to make work as opposed to making it all yourself? I’ve always used found items in mine, and find it quite tricky and a bit lonely when i don’t. but I’ve only just started thinking about this recently ….. I know you do both, so I’m interested to know if you feel different about work that has found objects as key ingredients?’

In between doing stuff I have wondered about this all day. How come I haven’t given this proper thought before? In this time of eclectic materials does it matter?

Why do I do it? How does it fit with my work?

I came easily to the first conclusion -that the materials I use do have great resonance for me.

They have to be absolutely right. They have to say what I am saying. They have to be perfect for the moment, but made, bought or found is truly immaterial.

Why do I continually mix them? I tried to work out why. I have no agenda or political or eco reasoning for using found objects.

It appears it is the age or emotional content of the found object that allows me to expand it into a full blown work. I spin the narrative from the objects – goose bones, leather suitcases, dress pattern tissue, dead insects……the starter material must match my ‘voice’ for the piece and everything must be right – colour, texture, age, size…

Objects either offer me a narrative or they don’t. My work always deals with memory and memorial in some way. I seem to be looking for my found objects to contain something ethereal, some homeopathic memory that still flutters in the world that will allow me to spin the story……….

I don’t seem to be able to get any further than that. I hope it will suffice for my friend.