Swansea Metropolitan University

The interview itself went well enough, i had a good feeling and had really enjoyed myself. I arrived to the interview about 40 mins earlier than my time slot, so i sat and had a couple of teas and chatted to some of the people working at Safle. Found out that the interviews were being held exactly the same as they would have been for an artist presenting a commision or idea to Safle. Which i was really pleased to hear! This really was going to be a valuable learning experience for me.

I felt my presentation was somewhat poor, i had rushed it, and hadnt been able to get any practice runs in. Mainly because i was working with my art right up to the morning of the interview.

Either way, i received the phone call Friday night. Saying that they had chosen one of the other candidates for the award this time, but that they had a really enjoyable interview with me. I never know whether to accept statements like that completely, they didnt have to say that they enjoyed the time spent with me – but they are also giving out rejection to young artists (probably for their first time, well it was mine anyway).

I wont lie. I sulked for the whole weekend. It was rubbish, i knew the chance that i had just missed out on. But, a few days on i soon realised the positives to me being shortlisted and the entire experience. They know my name now, and they now my face. And that is definitely something!

During the phone call Safle had also said that they would give me a call in a weeks time with some feedback. Looking back on it now i may have been a little too enthusiastic for the feedback, but i honestly would extremely appreciate it. I mean, i want to know what they think – and i want to improve myself! That phone call should come at the start of the week hopefully.

The rest of the week i gave myself off, i was really at the end of a wire. Needed just to sleep for a few days and eat some decent food. Which staying at my parents allowed me to do. Plus, Devon is such a relaxing place.

Got myself a "new" car, mach 3 golf, which is to help me get to the surrounding areas of Swansea for my artwork to develop. Need that first hand experience! Plus, it allowed me to have another drive around North Devon. I have only really started making the connection now, but physically – in the landscape and towns – the North Devon coast line and the South Wales coast line are nearly exact replicas. Would be interesting to bring this into my coal carving – maybe get hold of some Devon quarried materials too….!

….still more snow.

Snow, is great if you have time to enjoy it…otherwise it is a problem that grinds everything to a hault. Not that i am blaming the snow, it is just heavily annoying.

(Snow covered beach photos to follow ;-) )

Today is my interview for the Safle graduate award. Normally i would be fully prepared and would have practiced a sort of mini-speech. However this time is going to be very different for me. I have been working right up to 8pm last night in the studio and then most of last night building my presentation. I wanted to show as much as i have been doing as i could. I feel that is was worth working in the studio so hard last night because (drum roll please….) My glass slumps came out of the kiln in one piece!!!!

Anyway, i need to slap my face a few times and have a cold shower. I need to be alert!!!!

Please snow, stop.

Think positive thoughts for me everyone. :-)

I would just like to say….

SNOW!!! WOOOOOP WOOP!!!!! SNOOOOOOOOOW….!!!!!! YEEEAH!

If you hadn't already guessed, i love snow! So ive been siting outside considering whether to go into uni OR to go for a walk along the snow covered beach and make sun-bathing snowmen.

It is a hard choice. Especially when there is a high chance none of the lecturers or technicians will be able to get to uni. A lot of them travel to Swansea either from or through the valleys.

The valleys in Wales tend to have whatever whether Swansea is having, only 5 times worse. So, its pot-luck whether id be running free around all the empty studios. (Kinda hoping i will be, i like the place when its empty, its strange, but you feel a sense of ownership over all that you can see!)

Anyway, happy snow day!!!! :-D

So the last couple of days have been good because ive been in from 9am through to 6pm, Alison the ceramic and casting technician has been giving me a lot of help and ive managed to figure out how to use my video camera for time lapsing.

It has also has a bitter-sharp dark side. My lecturer Craig was meant to meet me for a brief tutorial before lunch, i get a message after lunch saying he will see me at 2:30pm… i wait in my space from 2:30pm until 4:40pm and think FUCK IT. We get a constant battering from the lectures about time keeping and attendance in studios – yet they arent setting the best example. To be honest, i cannot wait until university is finally done. I won't have to jump through any more of these ridiculous hoops for people who simply do not care.

Lecturers, BAH! After my big crit being cancelled without me being told, to me being left off of every list put up, to completely missing tutorials, the promise of a mock interview….which basically looks like clowns will climb out of my arse before one gets set up…. i am more than a little fed up.

Oh well, it's my own fault i guess. Refuse help from others constantly – then when i actually need it enough to ask for help….. i get nowt. God Bless Sods Law! (and thank the heavens for sarcasm…)

Hopefully tomorrow it wont be pissing down with rain long enough for me to film the sky.