Beth Shapeero is currently showing at HMS and the pv was yesterday. Beth left Backlit studios to do a Masters in Glasgow last September so we were all excited to see how her work had developed. We weren’t disappointed. Whilst it definitely has Beth’s signature on it, the new work is moving in an exciting direction. She has expanded her materials from household gloss to materials such as wax, rock, plaster and masking tape. Threads of previous work can be seen in the oily stains from the wax on paper – reminiscent of Beth’s work with blobs of paint. I also like Beth’s video – a flickering of triangular shapes, moving round the screen in painterly compositions. Sooky is curating the Korean show and I think most artists have prepared their pieces. My 2 large drawings have been rolled into a tube and one of the images is being used for the flyer. I am flying on a budget with China airlines. The return trip is via Singapore as my brother lives there. My geography is lousy but the flight home iwill take 26 hours from Singapore because there is a stop off in Shanghai. I don’t travel well so I’m looking into travel sickness pills etc. apart from that I’m v excited.
Just returned from a long weekend at my sister’s shiny new home in south Devon. I’ve been planning to go since September, but with open studios, The Case and bronchitis it has been difficult to find a weekend which suited everyone. One of the highlights involved test driving my brother-in-laws’s motorised inflatable dinghy. It provided many belly laughs, though I’m not sure the local fishermen were quite so amused when we lifted their lines to avoid a crash. It’s a totally different world to mine and great interlude at a busy time. We always anticipate a letter from the solicitors on our return. And there was. Nothing too worrying, but I will be pleased when it’s just junk mail or the odd utility bill in the post. We are warming up for Martin Lewis’ preview on sunday. David has filmed Martin at work and interviewed him too. See http://gallery.me.com/profdavid_manley#100052 Fantastic!
It is five years since I was researching studios. I was given some sound advise from studio managers in Leeds, Nottingham and Southwell Artspace. I was told to ensure the structure and paperwork was in place from the start.. This is definitely something I would stress to anyone setting up studios today. HMS used the Southwell Artpsace license as a template (provided by the Arts Council). Solicitors from the other side have just asked for copies of all artist’s licenses and not just an example of one. The tickets are booked for Korea. I am hoping to exhibit 2 big ink drawings in the show ‘The Darkness of Light”. Sooky is curating so ultimately she will determine if it fits in with the other pieces.
Martin Lewis is making experimental wall drawings in response to the Exhibition Space. Beautiful sensitive white lines on grey rectangles which sing quietly in the space changing with the light and shadows. I’m hoping we have a good turnout for the preview next month which was originally planned for the 18th. However, a few people contacted us as it is Mothering Sunday so we have changed it to the 25th. Meanwhile the preview isn’t the only date which has been put back. The case has been moved to July – Sept and we have been contacted yet again for holiday dates. We are ready but noone else seems to be.
I have been in a bit of a bubble. I’ve been ill on and off since Christmas with bronchitis and I’m on my 3rd dose of antibiotics. The case is also consuming a lot of headspace. There is some good news as the other side have discontinued several items of the counterclaim including the issue of user. They are no longer taking action against us using the space as studios. We are still left with 3 items including the counterclaim relating to licenses. Also, there is agreement on some elements of our claim against the Factory Company.Documents and invoices have been disclosed by both parties. An estimate of costs for the other side to take it to court is £80,000. That is just thier costs. We are allowed to charge £9 per hour, but I’m not sure it includes those times when you wake up in the night thinking about it. On a lighter note my work will be appearing in M/I/S/C in March 2012. See http://jackieberridge.co.uk/other/Berridge%20&%20Nilausen.pdf
