Diary of an Art Historian

DRAWING: Developments of a current drawing from a photograph of one of Rosetti’s models.

ART: Operation hone drawing skills is still underway… have started something tiny (a drawing from a photograph of one of Rosetti’s models) so that it doesn’t seem like an unmanageable task and will post the results when it’s done. Still trying to figure out how to continue an art practice while studying full time. I’m glad that the desire to persevere keeps on surfacing and that friends are encouraging me to carry on in spare moments! A friend has recently set up a textile business and has been coaxing me back into creative things.

PHD: Have submitted my Art History PhD proposals to the USA and may start my UK applications this month.

ART: Have committed to drawing for 30 minutes per day in an attempt to refresh my skills in this area. I hope this time I can keep it up! I’ve been shading recently. Will try and post some examples and thoughts once a week though I may cringe with shame to begin with…

ART HISTORY: Finished writing a critique of a lecture by Briony Fer, my supervisor at York University liked it a lot, I might post it on my website, or on here. The Fruitmarket’s Eva Hesse conference, at which the lecture was presented, was excellent and its effects are still resonating in my brain and throughout my tactile senses. Have also almost finalised my PhD application statement and essay, a scary business, but one that I hope will pay off and lead to exciting intellectual challenges and friendships in the near future.

WRITING: Am very happy with the two most recent pieces I’ve had published (see them at my portfolio) and am going to set aside a little time this week to look for new outlets for my critical writing. Will update on any successes.

CRITICAL WRITING: My most recent review of ‘Dance With Camera’, an exhibition at the Philadelphia ICA concerned with the past forty years of dance and film/video collaborations is up on my portfolio and can also be read on the beautiful, soft paper of the brilliant contemporary art publication MAP Magazine.

ART HISTORY: My MA and future PhD plans are pretty demanding on my time at present. Have written my first draft PhD research statement on classical and materialist interpretations of Agnes Martin’s grids. Today I’m writing a coursework essay critiquing Briony Fer’s recent lecture at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, on Eva Hesse’s test-pieces or Studioworks.

ART PRACTICE: Have taken up drawing and making almost nothings again and am committed to working a little each day. My work is now included on the Centre For Recent Drawing’s online community page, perhaps something interesting will come of this. Will try to update once a week with progress on art activities.

A full time MA in History of Art is exhausting! I’m feeling frustrated that there’s no time to make art, or to rest properly. I’ve been out walking this morning at St Nicholas Fields conservation site near where I live, partly to have space to think about what to do… I want to use this blog to keep engaging with some kind of art practice while I’m studying.

Keeping an art practice going while studying full time must be possible. It has to be, if I’m to begin a PhD in History of Art next September but don’t want to lose my creative core. I’m going to make a commitment to blogging once a week (but trying to keep off the internet otherwise!) and to try to give one day per week to making art. I’m going to set a goal of exhibiting something in June 2010 so that there’s an end point in sight, to focus on.

Right… going to find some inspirational images and get drawing.