rolling my dung, in four acts

I am moving with Gusto…

I have just joined "The Royal Standard" studio and generally very dynamic group of artists, here in not be be underestimated Liverpool, and am very excited about my new extended sort-of-family-connections…

Oh, the sense of belonging is already making me feel all warm and inspired..

… oh I do have some drawings for you, sketches of new ideas and project strands, some may find together with previous work, some may stay more on their own feet.. As I say, sketches for new projects, proposals ….

I have an interview on tuesday afternoon, with the "Royal Standard", who have located new premises. (They are a dynamic artist/studio group who I think have a fair amount of potential. It would be great to join the team.)

After the interview I will drive straight out to the Lake District or to Wales and find a friendly farmer who will let me roll hay and mud into a ball on his field.. (while he will undoubtedly stroke his bald head and beard – assuming he has that given combination) and wonder about my madness..

Wish me good luck and a surprise volunteer, I will need one to hold my camera..

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OH, I don't know if you read the blog that I deleted, the one where I explained why I need to find a safe place to work outside Liverpool.. (being compromised by someone stalking me..)

That situation is flaring up again now, so if anyone has an idea where there may be an art place that may be able to host me on an informal basis, even for just a few days, then it would be great if you could get in touch with me.

Really even just 3 days immersed in an art environment can save me from a lot of very unwanted distraction here. Those 3 days could be worth a lot more than their actual time in hours and days.

My fortnight old sos yielded no responses at all.

So I now know that there are no philanthropists reading my blog.

Well, I suppose it is good who one's audience is not. You clearly have no financial means or if you do you don't find me worthy of sharing them…? That's ok. I will continue drawing and coloring flowers for a living. Fine, leave me in perpetual flower purgatory…

So back to art: I have just noticed that I haven't written a thing for a while, neither any of my random streamed thoughts nor an actual plan of attack. Since the unexpected cancellation of my installation "The Watchers" everything slowed down enormously, I had a lot of energy invested in that project and a fair amount of money.

I had hoped for it to be the project that would have me noticed and invited to this year's Liverpool Biennial, I am ok about not receiving a fee, but I just don't want to chase most exhibition opportunities like a stray puppy might chase it's potential new owner.

I see my folly. I best get my puppy gear on. That's ok, too.

Funding hasn't materialized yet, but I am sure I can put that down to not having applied to enough of it. ANd to recent stalling in the new projects being evident outside the sphere of my imagination.

Plan of attack?:

I have finally (finally in big huge enormous capital letters with a bag full of exclamation marks) .. so I was saying: I have finally figured out a core essential solution that I have had a feeling needed finding for months.. I found it, and like all truly good solutions it is so simple I just would like to slap myself on my forehead:

The core of the ball of clay/mud for "Dungbeetle and Sisyphus" will be hay, tied into shape with twine/string/rope (call it what you like).

Yes, it is blindingly obvious. there was no need whatsoever for me to fuss around how to construct a framework out of wood. There was no need for that effort and projected struggle (and expense) a ball of hay is all I need. Bingo.

Why oh why did that take so long to arrive at? And how obvious a solution.. Well, here we are. It means I will drive into the countryside and make a trial mud-ball on tuesday/wednesday

Oh, perhaps even tomorrow, if there just wasn't my admin-mountain to dig into first.. brrr… tax. Need I say any more?

So I best deal with tax : step one

and step two: mud ball making..