in approaching a blog entry, there are clear guidelines about how not to start it, somehow irreverence is in the house so i’ll start by stating that i want to write something and as always struggle to construct the opening line.
i’ve maintained my flaberghastness at the amount of words involved in visual arts. there does come a time where i have to stop and ask am i in the right place?
in arriving here today i see an entry by rob turner on the home page and i smile as that’s a name i know from interacting with him, some of the very few interactions.
so post easter and pre summer, i am thinking that i’ve somehow gotten myself into a place that doesn;t suit me. i might like it here as there lots of clever people and so by association it makes me clever too, however i can’t be that clever if i remain there and can’t talk to anyone because of something to do with me. i can scream and scream and scream til i’m sick, but that’ll not progress my professional development. no, i have to once again look at that for myself and accept that i tried here and didn’t fully understand it.
i take some time to reflect and see what bye road is available.
of late i’ve stretched myself a little too thinly across all the projects that i find myself interested in. i’m now aware of this and have taken steps to ensure that i rest this week and enjoy myself again.
the stretching caused tension in me that was difficult to entertain as it set up awkward questions in me about me. with help and support of those around me i’ve been able to get through it. now i gently pick up the pieces.
one piece picked up was the aa2a blog. i added words and another image. my day finished off with a lift with the news that the image has been picked for their ‘pic of the week’ it’s the little things for me that make the difference, oh such a cliche i know and i laugh at myself for it.
did you see the recent guardian survey results for words to be avoided in arts related press releases ? i wonder what is becoming of the oh so important formal language of art. is there to be a kick back from it and more straight forward words to be used? it resonates with me as recently the words we chose to describe the call out for the belper art trail were described as ‘chatty’ and ‘not formal enough to attract artists of a national standing’ the implications of this criticism had implications for my own practice and got me down for several days. makes me even more aware of the work i make has to exceptional if i cannot use the formal language required to loft it to national status. i have of course been here before and i guess it will continue to be with me, until such time that formalities are dropped and there is smoking allowed while wearing one’s jacket.
