Time to break out of my local shell, at last; responding to my need for raising a family and practicing my art, I have, over the past 17 years, become a “super local artist”.
The a-n bursary came at a time where all my local work had ceased and I was willing to aim further afield, not because the “grass is always greener…” but simply because I could no longer thrive as an artist without experiencing the new.
” A Field Guide to Getting Lost” by Rebecca Solnit, my last read, was an inspiration for reviving my thirst for new lands to explore.
A week on through my mentoring and my practice and work prospect has already changed;
I have gained a couple of contracts out of my boundaries( perhaps out of serendipity or a change of energy around me) and am shaping a proposal for an artist call with an in depth research plan.
My new year’s wishes were to secure at least one residency with a high profile organisation, get work exhibited by a gallery and perhaps return to university to carry out an practice based research.
I also set out to focus on collaborative working with artists, curators, partner organisations as a way to further my work and its impact within social and political contexts.
In order to write the bursary application, I identified the missing points in my life that stopped me getting there and hope to address them through my taylor made programme.
With the help of my an Re-view bursary I will aim to find a place in a constantly moving and challenging art scene where the competition is high and funding hard to reach, and prepare a solid base for the challenges ahead.
