For the first time in a very long time, I have felt very apprehensive about the coming year. Usually, on the 1st of January, I have started to fill in my wall chart by now, knowing what I will be doing for at least the first few months. This year there is nothing. No confirmed plans at all and that is very worrying.
Is it really wrong of me to feel that my biggest achievements of 2012 were not the exhibitions I had or the contacts I made (which were in fact quite good!)……..but the fact that I managed to stick to full time employment, paying off one credit card and clearing my overdraft ?
It’s almost as if I expect the future to be bleak and that I am preparing for it.
So I took a short break from my work…… and used the time to take stock of how things had gone over this last year – thinking about how I wanted to move on.
What ensued was the inevitable list. I surprised myself with what the list contained though, as it wasn’t a case of what I will do, but more a case of what I WON’T.
Last year, I made the decision not to enter any open exhibitions in which there was a charge. I stuck to that one and don’t feel that I lost out in any way.
In 2013………
· I did donate my work to one auction this year – it was in aid of a Liverpool artists studio that had been effected by recent cuts. My work sold and I did receive 45% of the sale, but despite now being ‘invited’ to donate to many other art auctions, that’s a ‘No’ from now on.
· I will not invigilate. I used up too much of my precious leave on this and ended up exhausted. If an exhibition needs someone to sit there, I will walk away from it
· The biggy – I will not work for free.
I sent two proposals off in the last month and one of them was a paid opportunity, in which the applicant had to set out their fee. I applied for a similar thing to this last year, and stupidly thinking I would have more of a chance if I gave myself an absolute minimum fee, I sent it off. I didn’t even make the short list.
This time, I used the a-n artist’s fee chart. To be honest, I felt a little fearful of my own demands and I hesitated before pressing ‘send’. It’s done now though and if I don’t get through, at least I will keep my dignity.
Yesterday, I did the long drive to Leeds to pick up the work from our last SCIBase exhibition – ‘Inhospitable 1.1’ at 64 Wellington St. ( one of East Street Arts (ESA) project spaces )
Packing up the work and loading it into the car, we had a good chat about how the year long project had gone. It was a huge achievement , but whether we’ll do it again………. ? Possibly maybe. But getting home last night, I left all the work in the car and thought……..I need one big long break! It’s really difficult balancing work, art and life : (
In the last two weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to have been offered several opportunities. The first, I wrote about in my last blog… the £150 mural. They had so many applicants, I’m still waiting to hear about the outcome of that.
Secondly, I received an email from someone who had seen my books on Saatchi online and wanted me to have my work in ‘Praise of Beautiful Books:’ A Selection of Books by British Artists’ Book Makers and Fine Presses.
Fantastic I thought! Until I looked at the website and it appears that I have to pay them. £65 for a single page and £120 for a double. Ho hum
Then there was the special price for joining AXIS – £21
….and another opportunity to apply for an exhibition at the Castlefield Gallery…but first I would have to be an associate member to be in for a chance . Only £60.
I went bankrupt without even leaving the comfort of my chair this week.
So my brief mention of the mural yesterday has prompted an a-n tweet of this : www.a-n.co.uk/p/381668/
Oh how I wish I was anywhere near a recent graduates ideal pay – never mind somebody with several years experience! I am so doing something wrong.
That… and my ‘delight’ at seeing my work in the today’s Yorkshire Post, followed by another artists jokey remark ( I think) that I should put it on my next DACS claim.
Sigh….
Actually…that image has appeared a lot now and I’m not credited anywhere.Worrying!
I think I just must take everything for granted. I expect to receive a low wage, to do things for nothing ( or next to) …and be very grateful that images of my work are being used willy nilly.
I shall now head for the nearest bottle of wine : /
DACS: http://www.dacs.org.uk/
Yorkshire Post: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/celebrating-a-vision-that-has-transformed-city-s-art-scene-1-5155536
