As mentioned in the last blog post I had my final meeting with curator Judy Adam funded by the re:view bursary. Plenty had happened since our last meeting and I had been continually updating the sticky note on my computer desktop with issues I wanted to discuss. These included among other things commissioning writing, pricing work, and maximising forthcoming projects. As we are both based the same area our paths now and then overlap as do the various people we have had dealings with past, all of which is very helpful.
As everyone knows, much of what we do is upheld by a web of networking relationships and the meetings that re:view has funded, albeit that they have been small in number, have opened up new connections and added an extra layer of contacts which continue to grow. I now have a large file of the copious notes I took in the various meetings.
The experience though has been much more organic and hard to quantify than purely a list of factual advice. The interesting thing I think is that the re:view bursary has been a succession of beginnings rather than a finite time span that has come to an end. I will continue to work with one mentor who is happy to continue the relationship, funding or no funding. I have still meetings ahead and new relationships to build up with connections passed on through the re:view process. I’m continuing as AA2A resident artist at Solent University, something encouraged through one of the meetings funded by re:view etc etc.
All in all I think the re:view bursary is a perfect vehicle for moving your practice forward, but it is just a vehicle. As always it requires the artist to drive everything forward and keep your foot on the accelerator. As everyone knows there are days when this is downright exhausting, especially if you’re having to juggle projects that keep a roof over your head at the same time. But that I guess is the life we’ve chosen.
So with the end of re:view this blog comes to an end but, with a major project underway and a gentle nudge from someone that it really needs to be documented, I will be starting another in a few days time – just look out for the ref flag.
