My work, reasons behind it and what happens to it.

I sometimes wonder about the artists who say they are travelling up and down the country dropping off work and installing exhibitions.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think they are lying – I’m just curious to find out how they can afford to do that. I’m doubting that the galleries/ venues involved pay expenses – so does it all come out the of the pockets of the artists?

Also, If they are doing all of this travelling – how do they find the time to work ? ( paid or their own )

It’s crossing my mind as I have to spend yet another bank holiday weekend working, as my own work piles up around the house in various stages of completion, waiting to be assembled.

If it wasn’t for the fact that I saw two people dressed as seagulls, entertaining the holiday makers yesterday, while staring out of the window feeling a bit envious of everyone enjoying the sun – it would be depressing.

I bet they were artists.

I’ve been hit with the lurgy this weekend, which is really a gentle reminder that I can’t do as much as I would like to think I can.

As my only day off this week was spent in London, I’d been trying to finish off the Chapel gallery installation as well as deal with all the correspondence relating to our NY exhibition next year, in the evenings.

As with most of my installations, I get frustrated with the making and always believe they will never work. This one has been particularly bad as there are too many parts to it that need to be glued, with a waiting period to dry, before another part can be added. It’s just too complicated and time consuming. My bug has made me unable to think straight or have the patience to complete anything and I’m aware of the time ticking by.

With this in mind, and knowing I can’t realistically work on another installation this year, I’ve been revisiting some of my older work to see if they can be re-used.

I went through the boxes of paper houses I’d made last year and picked out favourites. Almost each one had a little story or memory attached to it and I enjoyed handling them again. I know I will probably feel the same about the paper balloons I am making, in the future…. but not now.

I don’t know what I will do with this ‘new’ work, but it was good to have a bit of a break and make something that was much less time consuming.

Now I can just sit and rest, knowing that I have achieved something, no matter how small

Almost a week without working and although I feel better for it, I’m starting to get a little restless.

Blowing my hard earned cash, I had another exhibition filled trip yesterday, heading towards ‘that’ London. It was quite tiring cramming so much into my one day off, but I really felt that I got my ‘monies’ worth.

The V & A wouldn’t honour their reciprocal deal to Tate staff to see the Bowie exhibition there, which was really annoying ( they said it was too busy ) But we did go to ‘Ripleys believe it or not’ for free ( a bit of silliness before starting the more serious exhibition tour)

Really liked the Patrick Caulfield at Tate Britain…was a bit disappointed with Gary Hume (looked so much better in reproductions IMO)… and was bemused at how unbelievably busy Lowry was. (pretty quiet in the other two!)

I hugely recommend Simon Starling at TB. Fabulous, mesmerising film.

I thought Tate Modern was a bit ….meh…but then, I was probably in exhibition overload by then and completely disorientated with the building work cutting off the Turbine hall. Having said that, I LOVED Ellen Gallagher. The small body of work I’d seen before in a previous exhibition, hadn’t been stimulating enough for me to research her work more thoroughly, so when I saw this huge expanse of work dating back over 15 years or so, I was completely taken aback.

I’d had a period of black gloss paintings myself a few years ago, but had abandoned them after reaching a mental block on them. If only I’d seen her work earlier, it may have inspired me to take them further. I had no idea she had gone through this period herself.

I’m so glad I did this trek as I feel slightly more charged up now. It can be so draining working on multiples as you can’t think beyond that small space you are occupying.

There have been several opportunities recently for postcard exhibitions, but my mind had gone blank when attempting to fill just this small scrap of card. I go into panic mode when faced with these things – how much work do you do? Can it be a small scribble? Does it have be totally decorative or more time consuming?? Every time I see the end results from others I think ‘Damn ‘ I could have done that!’.

I must promise myself that after I have completed this installation, I will spend more time drawing…. Or painting…or printing… just to open my mind again

Today, I’m trying to build up some motivation to try to get back to work after a weekend off. Back to my own work that is, as I’m still on leave till Wednesday.

Despite getting caught with gangs of drunken football fans (Walsall vs. Tranmere match) on both the trip down to Wolverhampton AND on the return, it’s been a really nice weekend. I met my non artist friend Julie and we headed off to see the Ron Meuck at Wolverhampton Art gallery. It was a novelty for Julie to visit the gallery and she was excited about the work, which was a lovely, rare experience.

I don’t know if it’s an ‘artist’ thing, or the fact that we work in a gallery, which puts off some of my work colleagues ( and arty friends!) visiting exhibitions, but I do tend to end up going places on my own more often than not.

I went to the Bluecoat on my break last week (to see Portfolio NW) and asking if anyone would like to come with me, I was met with a stony silence. I sort of understand though. You get to read statements and see artwork everyday and after a while it all tends to become a little stale and pretentious (imo) You see the same things happening over and over again and the work is no longer challenging or exciting (sorry for the ‘challenging’ description, but its difficult not to fall into the art speak trap, even though I know its tosh )…. (at least I’m aware of it and try not to drift back into it when writing my own statements or talking about my work!)

So anyway… I briefly met fellow blogger Elena Thomas in Wolverhampton, as part of the Junction Arts Festival. It was nice to see her person and hopefully we will meet up again on future trips. Maybe we can arrange some bloggers gallery trips?

In the meantime though…………..another 50 paper hot air balloons need cutting out!

Another day, another exhibition

Well…. I’ve just been accepted for The Altrincham Arts Festival, which happens in October. It may not be as established or as ‘high profile’ as the Barnaby Festival just yet, but they are leading on filling empty shops and seem to have other events in the planning. It’s a good opportunity to get my work out there (for free!) Thank you a-n jobs and ops!

I must admit that I’ve never been to Altrincham and hadn’t really planned how to get my work there if accepted, but I’ll cross that bridge later.

I was slightly amused by the email which sort of apologised for the shops being ‘dusty’ or in need of a lick of paint. Oh believe me, I’ve been there, done that. It was only in March that I was crawling around on the cold, dusty floor of St John’s church in Leeds with my paper planes!

Although it sounds like I’m putting myself under more pressure to create work, it isn’t the case. I’m just showing my paper shoes installation again, so all I have to do is get there and set it up.

I have done a lot of work this week for the Chapel gallery exhibition, but only because I wanted to leave a few days for ‘me’ time. Fifty paper hot air balloons have now been cut out and are waiting to be assembled. There’s no way I could have allowed myself this free time otherwise… unless I contacted the gallery and said ‘ do you know that installation of 100 hot air balloons I promised – do you mind if it’s just 3 now?’ Hmmmm….. that’s an idea.

I’ve booked a trip down to Wolverhampton tomorrow to catch up with friends AND to see the Ron Meuck exhibition at Wolverhampton Art gallery.

Thank you ‘Red Spotted Hanky’ for the £10 voucher towards my train fair and Thank you ‘Metro Newspaper’ for the voucher in the week for the ‘In Style magazine’ ( with a free mascara!) I feel like the coupon queen this week :-)