Simulacra And Simulations

Between job interviews (I was glad to be invited for an interview, this is progress, but realistically, I was overqualified for the role, so of course, I didn’t get it), parent’s evenings, family visits, bike fixings and doctor’s appointments, I somehow have found time to illustrate the graphic novel.

I’ve uploaded a couple of recent illustrations for this to my blog: http://helendearnleyillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/cloudbusting.html

I’m in discussion with a local museum – the EMVAN funding deadline passed before anything could realistically be achieved, however, I’ve continued an email exchange with Ayscoughfee Hall museum, who have said there is some other funding for artists to make new work, and I’m rather keen to come up with a new body of work in connection to the collection of taxidermied birds I know they have there. At this stage, I need to arrange to come and speak to them when in Spalding.

I notice that there’s a talk with Jeremy Deller at Nottingham Contemporary on 15th April, which falls in the Easter holidays. I’m hoping to go to that.

Meanwhile, as today is a teacher’s strike, I made this: http://www.redbubble.com/people/blackbird76/works/11728606-teachers-strike-card

After six months of financial chaos, stress, and mostly chaos, things have started to return to normal, after my prodigal son returned home again, escorted by the police.

In short, his living situation was atrocious, never mind the fact that his absence was putting us at risk of homelessness and destitution.

For once, the benefits department have re-instated the correct level of income for the household, so I’m no longer facing increasing debt and paying the bedroom tax, and I can now return to planning ahead and doing the things I normally do at this time of the year – applying for funding and failing, applying for work and getting no reply, and mostly complaining.

Last week I went to an EMVAN event to discuss funding for new small-scale work working with museums, which seemed interesting and useful, and something I’d be interested in doing to renew my fine art practice, however, email inquiries to local museums elicits no response.

After having to decline the invitation to Jeremy Deller’s private view for All That Is Solid Melts Into Air at Nottingham castle, I finally went to see the exhibition.

http://helend-blackbird.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/emvan-and-jeremy-deller-exhibition.html

This week I went to a lecture at the UoL, and spoke to Paula Crabtree from Bergen Academy of Art & Design, which was very informative and interesting considering that I’ve been wanting to do an MA for a year or so, but have been restricted by no one accepting me for a job to support such further study, and the fees.

In Norway, education is considered a human right, and is free. Not only this, but lecturers and research students have their own studio spaces, which happens in some UK Universities, but not at Lincoln – it was something I always lamented as a student, that here are practicing artists not sharing their own practices or research in a tangible, visible way. One of the problems in the UK is too much bureaucracy, as evidenced by my inability to maintain my practice due to its constraints, and the fact that we don’t complain enough.

Which is why I’m increasing my complaints threshold. At some point I will be directing my complaints at the DWP and their distinct lack of career support for artists, but for now it is that I still feel excluded from many opportunities in my own city unless I take on another job that no one will give me, or unless I pay a £10 admin fee to enter OPEM – even though no one ever thinks of paying me an admin fee for entering anything, and even though paying this admin fee does not guaranteed that my work will ever be shown anywhere, ever. Not that I have any work to exhibit anyway – I haven’t been able to afford to live, never mind create new work over the past few months.

It’s highly recommended that I go and study an MA in Norway, and do it now – I can take my son to do his G.C.S.E.s as a Baccalaureate in English alongside – if he’d be up for that.