Amelia has handed over the keys for HMS after an ambitious and exhausting programme. The project will carry on after her involvement at the mill because she has asked participants to write a few words for a publication. This includes me. I think Amelia is definitely going places. She is very professional, thoughtful, creative and organised. When I looked at her proposal I thought, 'Wow!'… but she pulled it off. It will be good to see it documented.
I have been away for a week and I'm still playing catch-up. One show came down and another went up last week so there was a PV and a talk to go to last night. Fortunately the artists are organising marketing and the events themselves which is great. The talk went really well. We had a mix of artists as well as the general public – Louise was great – she managed to strike a good balance by making the work accessible without being patronising.
Things have settled down a bit as far as politics are concerned. Communication is good thing… I realise sometimes I can get on with things without necessarily letting everyone know what's going on. We are sorting out a notice board and Kat has organised some volunteers within the studio who will be involved with the 'nut's and bolts' of Standing Room. I was shadowed by Sarah today when I gave the induction to the latest curator, Anna Roebuck. I'm a bit scatty and informal, so Ihope I didn't leave anything out :)
I am just as busy with studio business as I was a year ago and barely have time to write a blog. A meeting to sort out studio politics on Sunday seems to have resloved a few issues in relation to Standing Room residencies. It's a bit tricky walking the line between sleepy and dynamic, but we have to compromise a bit without compromsing artistic ambition. It all probably sounds a bit cryptic, but a community of 17 artists is always going to throw up differences.
We have confirmation of funding for a Derby graduate for 2008-09. I was supposed to talk to students this week, but it all fell through last minute. I'm booked up til weds and away til the 29th so I expect it will be last minute. Unfortunately confirmation of funding comes close to final shows and it is difficult to coordinate meetings with ADOs, lecturers and students.
The hectic programme which Amelia has planned has gone brilliantly. Last Friday's pv of Hobnob coincided with Polly Parker's private view in the Exhibition space. It was a great because the artists had new audiences.
Amelia has organised 'Natter over the garden fence' ( a series of talks) which has crept up rather quickly. I'm impressed by her energy and drive to sort out such an ambitious programmme at short notice. Amelia generously offered lunch which she was going to prepare herself. However, HMS artists are bringing a plate which will ease the pressure :)
We are learning all the time and I created an online booking form for the event. A little late in the day, but it is a format we can use again.
I am off to a celebration tonight at CAN, one of Nottingham's more established studios. They have been going 20 yrs. It makes me feel v humble.
Anyway, with more come-backs than Beckham I’ve decided to re-start my blog. I thought if I drew a line under the “setting up” then I could get on with the other side of my arts practice, that is making art. Ha ha.
Just when you think everything is up- and-running there is a reminder that there is still plenty to tweak. A noisy film crew and artists with opinions meant I had a battering by email. We have an abundance of painters and ‘object’ makers at HMS so I’m always excited to see curators/artists in Standing Room who bring new media into the workspaces. This view is not shared by all and we have arranged a meeting to discuss the issues. This is the first dissension… but I think we need to air things.
Amelia Beavis-Harrison is the latest curator in Standing Room. She has come up with an amazing 6 week programme under the banner of ‘Crumb’. She has arranged for 3 pairs of artists to make work for 3 different exhibitions. Representatives from 4 different organisations will also be making presentations as part of the project from Lincoln (Beacon Arts), Birmingham (AAS), Derby(Quad) and Leicester (Artober).
http://www.harringtonmillstudios.co.uk/standing_rm/amelia/invite_natter.htm
One of the problems is the late marketing of the events. Really, such a programme deserves some serious promotion, perghaps weeks in advance. i am doing my best but I can barely keep up with the now, never mind the future.
Then we have our own resident artist Polly Parker who has a show in the exhibition space next week. She was the 2007 recipient of the Erewash busary. The first elements of the installation went up yesterday and it looks beautiful.
.co.uk/exhibiton_space/polly/invite.htm
The point of this blog was to talk about setting up studios, but as we have been in Harrington Mills for a year now, I think it is time to close this blog.
I have just returned from an amazing networking visit to Lille and it seems a perfect note to end on :)
