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

Looking out of the train window and watching the changing scenery pass by, I realised why I continue to do what I do.

It had been a good, though very tiring, day.

Leaving the house at 9.30 with my bag of paper planes, I headed for the station. I bought a £3.80 women’s magazine, which I only ever buy when I’m travelling. It’s a treat. I look for ones with free samples and this one had hand cream, which we were led to believe was usually £10. I doubted it, but it added to the feel of the day and it made me feel a little smug.

Although I now knew that my work was to be installed in a church, I only found out on my arrival that it was going on the altar . I was kind of shocked. I’d left my catholic upbringing behind a long time ago but I still felt very uncomfortable about it. More so, as I sat on one of the pews, eating my sandwiches and thinking how I should lay out the installation. Sacrilege.

I didn’t have much time. Once we had chatted, exchanged pleasantries, eaten my food and was given a much needed hot cup of tea in what felt like sub zero temperatures, I had barely two hours. The church was only open till 3pm.

I’d never set up an installation in that short of time, so I worked almost nonstop. Keeping to a very simple layout and concentrating on just filling the space. I was surprised to find 3pm coming round so quickly, but as no one had come to move me on, I spent 15mins or so ‘cleaning up’ the design and taking a few hurried shots.

Several people came into the church while I was there, mostly to view the architecture – glancing my way but not asking any questions. The few that did come over to chat were full of enthusiasm about my work and were keen to ask more.

I left feeling a huge sense of achievement.

Flicking through my ‘posh’ magazine on the 2 hour journey home and looking at the view from the train window, I realised how lucky I was.

Having been hit with the lurgy over the weekend, I called in sick from work and sat watching TV for most of yesterday. This has now added to my panic about installing my work in Leeds tomorrow. A cold I can cope with, but this ‘motion sickness’ is another thing.

I’ve put my bag in the middle of the floor where I can’t help but see it, and as I remember things I might need ( basic things like MY WORK!) I’ve thrown it in and hoped for the best.

While able to look at the screen for short periods, I found this new blog about the ‘Open’ in Leeds: http://dwf.uk.com/open-leeds/ Well put.

Till tomorrow then……….

I had a last minute change of mind over the work I was going to submit to the ‘Open’ at the local gallery. Although I was happy with the work I started last week, it looked pretty small, even when framed. They tend to cram the work into these opens ..and I knew mine would just look lost and a little sad against all of the other stuff. ( If it’s accepted that is!)

So I dragged out a work from 18 months ago, and took that along this morning. If I hadn’t gone first thing today, I probably would have changed my mind. Its done now though and I have £5 less in my funds.

This is breaking all of the rules I set out almost two years ago….. I was never going to enter an Open exhibition that you had to pay for…. I was going to avoid ‘local’ exhibitions…and I wasn’t going to show a work more than once.

So why did I bother?

I don’t know …. maybe its because I hadn’t entered for a few years and I have no plans to show locally in the near future, so I was kind of making my presence known.

It will be interesting to find out if my rule breaking plays out in any way, or whether it would be best to go back to my original way of thinking!

More interestingly though and still breaking rules in a way ….I’ve recently been told which venue I will be exhibiting in for DWF: http://dwf.uk.com/tag/dwf-08-03-13-22-03-12/ ( this was an open I’d submitted to ages ago, but there was no charge)

I will be showing in St John the Evangelists church in Leeds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John_the_Evangelist%27s_Church,_Leeds

Unlike a ‘normal’ exhibition, I’m not at all sure how will my work can be displayed, so it will be a case of working it out when I get there. DWF opens next weekend, but apart from today, I only have Tuesday off before then – so that’s the day I will be there!

Here’s to the next few days when I will be working out all sorts of permutations of the installation in my head, worrying myself silly over it all and yet again thinking ‘ Why am I doing this?’

I filled in the air paying artists survey last night : www.a-n.co.uk/p/3022313/ and one question in particular got me thinking – Have I ever turned down the chance to exhibit? Hmmm… Well yes, I have several times actually. Is that so wrong?

I’ve turned down exhibitions for reasons listed below:

I didn’t like the venue

I didn’t want to be labelled as a local artist

I didn’t want to invigilate

I didn’t think my work was right for the type of audience normally associated with a venue

It would have cost too much, with no return

I felt it was exhibiting just for exhibiting sake

I could probably go on more when I think about it. Have I been right – or was I digging my own grave with these decisions?

Back to work today…. but I was in really early and already making full use of the laser printers by 8.30 am. I was printing off some of my shoe designs and drawings to see if I could merge them somehow. When I got home, I soaked the printed versions in cleaning fluids ( my cheapo, and not very good version of blanket wash) to see if I could transfer the print onto handmade paper. I got some really good effects, which I’m quite pleased with and it has given me something to work on in the next few evenings.

I’ve got 3 pairs of paper shoes on the go now, but will need a full day off to do justice to my ideas for them. Roll on the next day off then…..