…WIPED CLEAN THE WHITEBOARD, TIDIED THE STUDIO AND FOUND A CORNER FOR THE GROWING STONES…
As always in my practice, I tend to have several strands of work developing at the same time. What generally happens is that they move on at slightly different paces and sometimes, something gets left behind. Sadly, it’s time to leave the Improbable Experiments with Growing Stones behind for a while, and move on with my research project, What Difference Would It Make If We Never Died? which I’m fortunate to have received a Grant for the Arts to develop.
So, I’ve had a major clear-out, which is always a good way to start something I think. I’ve cleaned off the whiteboard and cleared the decks. It feels great! But a little sad, so I have reserved a corner of the studio for the Growing Stones. They are, I think, a special piece of work which I will want to come back to and I want to keep them in sight and in mind and one day will be blogging about them again I’m sure when I’m able to pick up the threads of the LIFE NOW project in future.
For now, I’ve decided to start a new blog, WORKING TITLE, at www.a-n.co.uk/p/4538141 to track the project which will be taking up most of my studio time and mind-space for the next few months. It would be lovely if you’d like to read it : )
REJECTION, REJECTION, REJECTION… AND ONE SUCCESS
More than 3 rejections actually. Until last Friday I had a 100% rejection rate for 2014. Looking back at my last 4 blog posts I can see that everything I’ve done in the last 6 months has so far been rejected, including my application for the Wysing Retreat. It’s a bit disconcerting because I feel quite confident about all of the work – I’m sure it is sound and rigorous – so it has made me question my whole strategy of applying for opportunities.
On Saturday I was fortunate to be a panelist at one of Matt Roberts’ Open Forum events at Pallant House – a very nice experience and marvelous opportunity to meet some lovely artists including fellow panelist, Alex Michon from Transition Gallery. By chance, we both talked quite a lot about our DIY approach to making things happen. This spate of rejections has re-inforced the feeling of the need to be self-sustaining, pro-active and independent, but there is something which seems to be important to me which isn’t happening at the moment – the vote of confidence and endorsement of having work selected by SOMEONE ELSE.
Having said all that, I have been especially pleased that I was selected last year for Telling Stories #2 at the Kaleidoscope Gallery in Sevenoaks. We installed last week and it was great to get some work up and be part of an interesting show. I’m exhibiting The Golden Seed which is quite a big installation. I’ve shown it twice before & this might be the last time, so it’s been like meeting an old friend again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXBpCbBHc9k&featur… and http://judithalder-live.co.uk/goldenseed_writing.h…
On a positive note – THE SUCCESS. (I must try to make time to do a flow chart for Emily Speed’s Work Makes Work blog http://workmakesworks.tumblr.com/page/3. The a-n Re:View Bursary would definitely be a key item in it, pulling together the people and the processes which have led to The Success.) I am very pleased to have been awarded a Grant for the Arts for the R&D period of my “What difference would it make if we never died?” project. It’s been such a pleasure today to put the Arts Council logo on my website. This is exciting! It feels like the start of something big and new and stepping-stone-ish. I think there might have to be a new blog.
