I have a day at home today! Well, the morning at least..
I was in Yorkshire last week; a really nice three days at one school, but then Thursday was just exhausting. I was at a little school where they had decided the best way to use their day with me would be to put me with 39 6/7 year olds. Seriously, talk about setting me up to fail! It was okay – we all made things, but it was just a constant struggle to settle them and get any kind of concentration. Not great. Couple that with a confusing meeting at the park and I was ready to get back to Cheshire.
Friday and Saturday was the first Lancashire Artists’ Book & Zine Fair at UCLAN in Preston. As usual I broke even on cost, but didn’t make anything. Still, these events really are more about meeting people, getting some books out in the world and looking at other people’s work. I had some really lovely comments and caught up with various people I don’t see enough, so it was good.
The new house is still fairly corridor-between-boxesesque (I only have Sundays to unpack at the moment), but my studio is starting to take shape. I have to go into Liverpool later today, but this morning I am going to start on a bit of stone carving. I need a nice pair of pink legs for a piece I want to make so will make a start on some soapstone before tackling the more expensive pink talc. I haven’t carved since my first year at eca, so it may take a few goes. I may end up casting them with pink resin or plaster in the end, but I have to try or I’ll always be wondering! Just got to find the chisels now…
Bloody hell. I need some more days this month; it’s getting ridiculous.
Absolutely knackered, life still in boxes blog:
Firstly, thanks so much for all the recent kind comments – these have cheered me up immensly and make me want to continue blogging.
Secondly, I didn’t put the link to the the conference if anyone else fancies watching it. Still haven’t watched anymore yet.
http://www.thersa.org/events/state-of-the-arts-con…
I am in week two of four straight weeks in schools in Yorkshire and am pretty shattered after not being able to sleep last night. I have to get up at 5am on Mondays to drive over (I stay with a friend’s parents in the week) and today I only just made it up the motorway with my eyes open.
Moving house the weekend before last was so much worse than I anticipated. I would really like to be at the new place unpacking, but I can only do bits at the weekends. I will be spending my evenings writing and also laying out the books for the end of the YSP project so at least I am doing some useful things. This week also involves some book finishing off as it is the Lancashire artists’ book and zine fair on Friday and Saturday.
Lastly, Susan Jones posted this on twitter earlier from the Guardian. Talk about badly researched, over generalising, romantic artist stereotyping. Pah, in my opinion, this article just sets artists back in public perception to starving in an attic or being eternal students.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/jan/24/arti…
I am also keen to know which visual artists out there earn £521 per week? That’s the average apparently. I like the way they also mention sales from the affordable art fair and say some of that may go to galleries – try around 50% usually. Do more research next time please.
Awesome news this afternoon: I got a phone call offering me a place on A Foundation’s A Curriculum studio residency, starting in March for 2 months. It magically falls in the two months I have off YSP and as my exhibition in Milan has been moved back to September (Curator has a baby on the way) it is perfect. I am very very very very very pleased as I am dying to work hard in the studio during that time away from YSP, but also feel a need for some research/pressure/discussion/engaged peers/big kicks along with it. It also comes with a £500/month bursary so it takes off a huge amount of bill-related stress.
Tonight (in my travelodge room near Doncaster somewere..) I have been watching video footage from the State of the Arts Conference.
1. Observations on Jeremy Hunt’s speech:
Liz and Matthew seem to be keen tories.
He was incredibly nervous (who wouldn’t be!?).
Points for their plans to cut admin costs.
In my horribly cynical way of reading things – he seems to be saying he will cut funding for the arts upon Tories getting into power, and attempt to maintain levels through other sources, He mainly cites US philanthropy and endowments as a model; this seems like passing the buck? I don’t know if I have this all right, but it’s worrying anyway.
His chat about the UK having loads of money (comparative to the US) may be true, but surely that money is split between a tiny percentage of the population. Are we to depend on their generosity?
He made a confusing critisicm of targets in funding agencies, whilst stressing the need for more engagement as a result of funded projects. I would like to see less ticking boxes/more independent choice making, but would have been nice to hear how he plans to go about it.
Is it just me being too bloody northern, or does his comment about holding the event outside London next time – to step back and get perspective – imply that they are mainly stepping back from and therefore talking about London?
Bacially at this point I am suspicious.
Everyone who asks questions is a director of something. Generally the twitching audience is very enjoyable to watch, especially the staring woman at 25.40 ish.
Lastly, what are Liz and Matthew whispering about?
Happy Birthday blog.
Blog is one! It’s been a very exciting and progressive year, which I have to credit in part to ‘Getting Paid’. This is mainly because it forced a change in the way I approach my career/practice. I think the blog has been particularly responsible for making me analyse what it is I do with my time and what skills I have, which in turn has made me see new ways I can apply those skills. I started writing down things such as achievements and aims – something that I often think about but never do and this made me realise how hard I was working. These are things that we all know about ourselves, but often just have floating about our brains in a grey woolly confusion. The blog has also raised my profile and led to a few opportunities (directly and probably indirectly too) including: talking at an AIR event in Manchester, Talking at Chapter in Cardiff, writing news items for a-n, not to mention the fact that my increased presence on the blogs has meant ongoing conversations with lots of fellow bloggers and artists.
So good developments in 2009 include:
Finding out in January that I had got the Feiweles Bursary at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and starting that in September.
More work doing talks/lecturing rather than minimum wage work
Being commissioned by Artland in April
Being nominated by Liverpool Biennial for the Linz residency (and being chosen by Linz of course!)
Getting three stockists for my artists’ books
Being offered more opportunities and work than I applied for (just!)
Being commissioned by the Grundy in Blackpool to do their January exhibtion.
Transforming from a ¾ time artist with a part time job, to a full-time artist with a lot more options for making a living.
To look forward to in 2010.
Finishing YSP with a book and closing event
Teaching a drawing course in Cape Cod in the summer
Showreel project in Milan
Going back to Linz to launch the new book I am making
Solo Show prep for YSP in 2011
And………????
Aims and objectives for Emily this year
Less guilt.
More regular (and more efficient!) accounting and admin.
Curating one exhibition/event (and no more).
More writing and research
An ambitious new body of work well underway
More books and drawing
Less compromising.
Kittens & good times in the new house.
A long (i.e. more than a week) holiday with my husband.
Right, I’m off for some cake. Or to Liverpool to move house. Or both.
