Swansea Metropolitan University

A week away in Brecon for a fine art field trip has unfortunately ended today, and back to reality I must return.

The exhibition is coming together at a fast pace as we build and paint amongst creating! Securing reviewers has been a pleasure, the artists of Swansea and Wales are so welcoming. Hopefully our opening will be a celebration of the work we are currently embarking on and not the closing of a chapter. Art and music amongst the beautiful West Wales Sunshine, what better way to move towards the next challenge; the challenge of ‘beyond university’? I plan to hit the ground running, I don’t know about anyone else.

http://smu-fine-art-2011.weebly.com

So the last few weeks I have seen far too much gumtape and have lost the feeling in my fingers! The sacrifices we make hey? But I am beginning to re-discover elements of my work and it is starting to pull together.

Tomorrow I am off to learn how to do collographs to make my monoprints have more depth and texture but all through this in the back of my mind I question whether drawing and printmaking is relevant in the contemporary art society? Equally I don’t take any notice of myself and produce work that frustrates me but I need to make, it is imperative and within me to communicate my intrigues and to assess how and why I see. Why am I so interested in the cracks and layers and creases in rocks, why I am I so fascinated by the colours I see when it rains and so excited when I get a different type of paper?

All I know is that making is what I need to do and questioning is what I can’t stop.

Okay so the preparations for the show are underway; tearing down of walls means no studio spaces for the last few weeks! I have been avidly drawing all hours that the uni is open, if only there were more hours in the day and 24 hours access! I would probably live in my studio though.

I am having a brilliant time arguing with myself and attempting to produce work but it feels as though there is many more months not weeks until the show. I have been advertising our show to all that I can think of and invite all to come and join us on our opening night:

Friday 20th May 7-9pm in Swansea.