Back at work
So, todays my first day back in the studio after having taken 2 whole weeks off which involved a family holiday to Ghana (where my husband’s family is from). It was hot but relaxing, and so nice to spend lots of time with my 3 ‘boys’.
It was great coming in and getting back into the work. I’d been good and tidied and cleaned the studio before I left. But after having spent the first 2 hours working on a small wax maquette (listening to Melvin Brag’s in our time archive) I felt a bit cold so decided to mop the floor. This hasn’t been done since I moved in, as I don’t have a mop but I managed to borrow one from the Kings Place cleaning staff. I had to scrape off wax and wire brush dried up clay. Then I kept coming accross lots of paper cemented to the floor, couldn’t understand why – then I realised it must be remnants of Abigail Falis’ Papier Mache work! My suspicions were confirmed when I saw a Daily Mail with March 2009 on it!
An hour and a half later I was definitely warm, but hadn’t quite envisioned spending that long…
On another note, I’m feeling guilty at leaving my now 8 month old. I remember when I decided to go for the opportunity that I’d be finishing when he was 8 months old, which is when they start getting more aware. He is definitely very clingy now – maybe to do with all the passing round and being held by relatives (and strangers) he got on holiday. But he stretches out his arms to me saying ‘ma ma ma ma’. Today is his first day with my mother-in-law for a while, and I’m sure he’ll be happy, but I do feel guilty.
Its great that my residency has been extended to April, and I’m really planning on working hard over the next 4 months. I’m feelling back to my old fit self and had underestimated how hard it is to work hard when you are heavily pregnant or with a small baby at home. I have 4 projects I’m working on that are very exciting, and I have 2 assistants who’ll be coming in helping on thursdays and fridays. Plus I’m planning on working sunday-tuesday on my own on new work. (Wednesday taken off to look after little ones).
But, as they say, the guilt of the working mum knows no bounds… (when you’re working hard and when you’re mothering hard)
