Hidden Landscapes Project

So it’s been a while since I posted. Mainly this is due to the fact that it’s been a bit of a strange few months in which I’ve not been too sure what to write. Over most of this time I’ve been waiting. Waiting for the Arts Council, waiting for the Letchworth Heritage Foundation, waiting for my baby.

And the waiting still hasn’t finished. (Still waiting for baby).

The Letchworth Heritage Foundation Grant ended up being anything but straight forward and after going in for an extra meeting to explain the project to them further, I came away with anything but confidence that they were going to support me.

It was a meeting that I went into with bold enthusiasm and excitement and ended up coming out of with only a heavy sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The funding committee members didn’t seem to engage with the project or see its potential. They didn’t seem to have read any of my supporting material and didn’t want to explore my previous research. I was met with vague looks of bewilderment and heart sinking obscure responses. It was explained to me, following this meeting that they are not use to receiving applications from artists and this was probably quite abstract and alien to them.

To say I was pretty gutted is an understatement, I tried every way I could to sell this project to them. By the end I was clutching at every straw I could find as they were ushering me out the door saying they’ll let know next month. (It was a classic…don’t call us, we’ll call you moment!)

So two days later I get the complete opposite surprise that came in the form of a beautiful, wonderful, unexpected email from the Arts Council, informing me that they will be funding my project…..!!! Now I’m walking on air! Ok so I still had the dilemma of the probability that I won’t have all the money, but I have most of the money… and I have the Arts Council money! Suddenly, it looks quite possible again.

I was back in touch with Letchworth Heritage Foundation again and hoping that this news of support from the Arts Council might in some way benefit my application to them. (they were hopeful it would be)

So this morning I get a letter from the Heritage to say that they will be offering me funding, wow (very unexpected)… but only a quarter of what I asked for. This I wasn’t expecting, I was expecting a yes or no, (and more realistically a no). But a part of what I asked for and no further explanation to this decision. (huh ?)

So I have more money to find and some thinking to do. I have a project that is almost… so close, to being funding…but not quite. I’m now busy weighing up my options at this point. It’s turned out better than expected. I cannot deny that realistically I didn’t expect to have success with the Arts Council funding, it seemed too out of reach on my first try. I was thinking local funding would be much more likely to see the benefits and investment of a project like this. What a learning experience this is.

Anyway, a side from all this funding stuff… excited that the “Always Greener’ exhibition at PM Gallery is opening next Thursday night. I won’t make the opening… I will hopefully be at home with my baby (if it ever decides to make an appearance…now 4 days late) but look forward to making it in June when they are having a summer fete event at the house.

Finally we’ve been moving into our new studio! There have been a few initial teething problems and the workman have had to be called in again but hopefully this is just a minor hiccup and should be back on track pretty soon.

I am so excited about having this space and with such a great bunch of people too! I don’t think I realised just how much I was missing having a base just for my work and people to work alongside. The building’s rather rustic and needs some serious love and attention but there is a great feeling about it and it is located right in the centre of town.

I’ve got to wait until 9th April to find out about the Arts Council funding and a few more weeks for the Heritage Foundation’s verdict. I’ve been trying not to think about it but that’s rather difficult when there is so much of my plans riding on it. Anyway, had a nice phone call from the Community Grants Officer at the Heritage yesterday wanting to talk through my proposal further and it seemed to go positively… after my initial panic that he was phoning because maybe my application wasn’t clear enough, I was relieved that, that didn’t seem to be the case and as far as I can tell he seemed to be giving off some good vibes (although dangerous territory I know –reading vibes).

So having the studio to concentrate on is the perfect distraction from all the things I haven’t any control over at the moment.

‘The belly’ is doing well and growing rather nicely. Can’t believe there’s only about 6 weeks until it’s due to pop out!

Well, the applications have gone off and receipt confirmed. So now just a waiting game, I guess. In the Arts Council’s email they’re obviously trying to prepare me for the worst…’October – December 2011 only 44% of eligible applications received funding. So start looking at your other options now.’ However I’m not really sure what they are at the moment. Anyway, Arts Council…. don’t worry I am thinking realistically, preparing for a rethink if needs be…

….but please, please, please give me the money!!!

Still at the kitchen table… but have made some serious headway towards departing from it very soon. Last week we signed the contract for our new studio space, harrah! So all set to move in on the 25th February and get settled in well before the little one makes an appearance. I’ll be sharing with three other artists, one of whom I was happily studio neighbour to for a few years at Digswell and the other two I know pretty well already also. So we’re all massively excited by this new space of our very own and it’s very local to me which is going to be so helpful when I’m juggling work and baby.

I’m still busy with the funding applications, but feel confident that the budget is now workable and complete. For the rest of the application it’s a case of trimming down and polishing, but feel it’s definitely ‘getting there’.

So anyway, back to it.

After last weeks attack of the January blues, I’ve made some progress and am putting a little bit of that negativity and sulking behind me.

I guess sometimes you just have to take a fresh look at things. Getting down about it does seem to kind of serve a purpose, of forcing a fresh look (once I’d stopped feeling sorry for myself). So this week has been from that new perspective. Namely, allowing myself to feel a confidence in this project and my ability to carry it out.

After tackling the budget again in smaller chunks I could actually see it coming together and finally the figures have started matching up. So with a deep breath and a clearer head it’s becoming more manageable. I’ve even started filling out my ACE online application. Filling in those boxes does seem to give a strange kind of pleasure (must be those little ticks you get when you’ve completed a section!)

Also, I managed to finally get a meeting with Keith, the NHDC Museum Archaeologist and Sian, the Museum Curator yesterday. This was a really valuable meeting and a definite boast to the projects planning. They were extremely helpful and generous in their support of the project and I can’t wait to be working alongside them. Keith is just an incredible source of knowledge and working with him will be so valuable to the research. He was really enthusiastic about the collaborative element between Archaeology and Contemporary Fine Art and seemed to really embrace my vision for the project.

As well as this I’ve been invited to show my work ‘The Island’ as part of a group show curated by Rosemary Shirley at PM Gallery in May. This is an unexpected and extremely welcomed opportunity to show this piece again after the MA show. Considering much of my plans for this upcoming Outskirts Project stem from the work, it feels amazing to be getting it to an audience again.

So a thoroughly productive and enjoyable week and a weekend visit to London Art Fair in store. Feels like 2012 is a little more on track!