I’ve compared my current state of mind to that of air traffic control. The items in my head are the planes. Some can circle the airport for a week or two, plenty of fuel, all the passengers asleep, no cause for concern, but they are there, on the edge, emitting the occasional beep. The rest are in a holding pattern, waiting their turn, but being attended to, all in good time.
Some, however, require an emergency landing.
I’m off to Sweden with fellow blogger Wendy Williams on Thursday, along with other SCI artists. I’m not going to go into the ways it came about… Wendy has done that in her blog:
https://www.a-n.co.uk/blogs/my-work-reasons-behind-it-and-what-happens-to-it
But anyway… I sent ALL my bras to Debra in Jamestown for the exhibition with Jodi Hopper she is curating. This was a mistake, in hindsight, because it has meant I have put myself under unnecessary pressure to work faster to make sure I have at least one bra to take to Stockholm. Oh well… Too late now! I have one bra finished, but not yet wired for display. I abandoned it because I had another idea I wanted to start. The second idea is more suitable for ArtMobile, but the chances of me finishing it and getting it wired are slim. The sensible path would be to wire up bra no1, then finish bra no2 if I have time left, or even take it with me unfinished!
I’m really looking forward to going, but with some trepidation. I have said I will perform one of my songs, unaccompanied, for the event. This is akin to cliff jumping without a parachute. I’ve never performed like this before. I’m half hoping none of the audience speak English at all, so that I can make it all up if I go wrong. We have also been asked to talk on film about our work.
I’m trying not to think about it too much, but the dodgy knee could be a hindrance to touristy proceedings. It’s doing really well, thanks to intense physio, but I need to rest for a couple of days before I go. Hmmmm…. Looks like Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent leg up, sewing then!
The day after I get back, Franny Swann is coming to stay. She’s bringing my greatcoat back, and I shall be giving her a whistle stop tour of Art Birmingham.
I’m really looking forward to this, I don’t often get the chance to show off the city that I love. I might have to invite her back to do the bits we don’t have time for!
Then I have about a week of undecided days… I have things to do, but can pick at them in a leisurely fashion… The emergency planes will have been landed safely, I will have started picking my way through those in the holding pattern, and I’ll be able to breathe a while.
Then it all starts all over again…. But that will do for now!
