On life:
I’ve been in Leeds for a few days doing the Drawing Shed project at PSL. It was a lovely thing to do and although I haven’t really looked at the animation properly yet (I suspect it is slightly dodgy – need a heavier tripod as there was stll jumping around in the picture) I did what I said I was going to. That might be the first time such a thing has happened.
http://www.projectspaceleeds.org.uk/emily_speed_un…
I was also invited to a dinner the gallery held for its new volunteers – this was interesting; to see it from a gallery’s point of view. Given that they a) made the volunteers dinner and b) asked what their preference for work times and roles were and c) offered to help with things like CRB checks, I would say PSL are some of the good guys. Helps to be a small team within a less formal organisation I guess, but nice to see a two-way relationship. I also had some visits from people – Axis came and interviewed me in the shed (seriously, much err-ing and hardly anything of interest said!). I also had a visit from Josie Flynn, an artist and relation of mine, which was a really nice surprise. Lastly, Liz, a curator from Axis popped in – we had a good chat about online stuff, doing art for a long time (i.e. me still cracking on 9 years after graduating – not that it has been seamless I might add!) and how children affect (or not) your career. All great input. Also enjoyed getting to know the staff at the gallery, although I had met Amelia before on an a-n trip to Lille. Phill, an artist and all-round gallery assistant was an interesting chap and I have interviewed him about art, life, money and working conditions. Seems I can’t go anywhere without getting people on tape. I shall transcribe that and post some of it here later.
Now I am making eggitecture, which involved learning about silicone rubber. Techy stuff gives me brain strain if I’m honest. Also thinking about the exhibition at the start of October in Milan as I really need to let the curator know what I will show. Trying to adjust to this mad future timetable and planning concept, but it is all new to me. I think the days of making things when I get there or on the day of the opening may be over!!??
In other exciting news, my twin sister has finally bitten the bullet and is opening a craft workshop/shop in Frodsham. I am really thrilled to see her doing something about her real love (not a career in HR) and will be offering lots of support.
Lastly, the journal, Cardboard Folly, seems to be looming so I shall have to see where it is all up to and start on the marketing. Best crack on with the logo/cover then! Yeeeek.
On the funding cuts:
Spoonfed have done a quick ask round about funding cuts from those in London. I liked what Cathy Lomax (Transition Gallery) had to say:
Lots of institutions will be struggling – the cuts could be seen as helping to weed out wasteful institutions and practices but I don’t really see it like that. Some people like to think that adversity produces better art and I find myself thinking that sometimes. But ultimately I don’t believe its true. I think that art patrons like to think of their artists as struggling. Look at the whole outsider art thing – patrons like mad, poor, suffering artists. It’s a kind of weird vicarious-ness – you can buy into some bohemia and wallow in the terribleness of the artist’s life and then go back to your own good/normal existence. Cuts basically mean that people that don’t have privileged backgrounds will not be able to make art.
http://www.spoonfed.co.uk/spooners/tom-699/funding-cuts-the-impact-on-culture-in-london-3544/
