Threads

A few years ago… 4, maybe 5? I did the Artist Teacher Scheme through BCU. Discussing it this week someone said the scheme is great for the artist in the teacher, but not so good for the teacher in the artist, this certainly could be argued in my case. Especially considering my original intention in doing the course was to be a better art teacher. I think I’m a better artist, but my teaching is more laissez-faire and chaotic than it was. There is an argument from either side that my teaching is better/worse, because the majority of the day-to-day stuff is unplanned, and I spend my time providing the children with materials, equipment and space to have a go at the mad stuff. I think I might be helping them to become better at thinking about their ideas, but that means they are not always very productive. This makes providing evidence for assessment very difficult. Sometimes I might say “This pupil is this level, because I say so.” That can be a bit tricky…

A few years ago, this term’s work from year 6 ended up with them all having drawn pictures of the school, and designing a sculpture that never got made. This year, so far, I have seen sculptures of volcanos, engines and hearts; collages of friendship; a quilt; a comic book; a poem; a clay super-hero; Eddie Stobart trucks; acrylic paintings; watercolours; papier mache brain; an amazing piece of film made using an overhead projector, and old sheet and some twigs, recorded on the class digital camera; a series of clay figures depicting 3 stages of woman. I’m not teaching, but I spend my time wielding a stanley knife, mixing cellulose paste and finding the right sort of paper to make a giant origami phoenix.

Some children, in 6 weeks, produce 6 pieces of work, others don’t finish one.

Whether this is “good” teaching comes down to your head teacher. Luckily I have one who is brave and creative.

My final piece of writing for my MA is supposed to be about 2500 words linking my art to my teaching. I think the above discussion will be the thrust of it. I may use some of my blog to illustrate a change in attitudes, alongside photos of the children’s work.

I’m also wondering what questions I could ask the Y6 children about his altered work pattern – as up to this year, they have followed fairly conventional plans.

Materiality and Meaning

or

Materiality v Meaning

In my book – which isn’t a particularly large volume I must admit – art should have more meaning than just “this is what paint does when you splash it about”. Experimentation with your chosen medium is all well and good, but I feel it should be in the sketchbook realm. I am happy for those who splash paint about to argue the case, and I will be happy to have my mind changed. I’m not some old bag with “I know what I like” pinned to my head. To me, it’s what you then do with this knowledge that counts for more. The way you make those idiosyncrasies of the medium say something for you is where the nugget of truth is. The experimentation with fabric is where my vocabulary comes from. This is the language I speak. I know my lazy daisy from my French knot. I can do things with bits of old knicker elastic and a pillow case you can’t imagine! But I don’t tie the elastic round it and say “ooh look, elastic stretches, aren’t I a clever artist”

Someone mentioned the two words “Craft and Guile” to me the other day. (It was Bo again). I like these words. The use of skill. Thought. Process is important, always will be. Experimentation is also important. But for goodness sake do something with it when you’ve found out.

I find the question of when to write things on your blog quite tricky. Sometimes, people ask me to do something, and I’m very excited and want to put it out there. But I don’t. I hang back out of fear. Fear of jumping the gun, or anticipating something that doesn’t then happen, or “jinxing” the deal, or giving your idea to someone who then steals it. But then, if you wait until it’s all a done deal, there’s no excitement or build up, or even the discussion of ultimate disappointment.

At the moment I seem to have loads of balls in the air…

LOAF… done deal in that it’s booked, organised, but not quite there yet, posters done, but not catalogue. I can talk about that quite freely, because it’s mine to talk about… you’ll be hearing loads more about that in the weeks to come, and you may even get a little surprise present or two along the way. We are going to apply for a bit of funding, a modest sum. This process is driving me bonkers. I’m not good with numbers. Luckily I have help!

Work towards my final show… that’s mine too, so you’ll be fed up of reading about it by the end, then the inevitable post-MA slump. Just because it’s expected, doesn’t make it any the less slumpy.

The Going Public blog with Franny Swann and Julie Dodd bumbles and stumbles along, we haven’t quite hit our stride yet, but I think our quest for some sort of rhythm of communication is interesting, and the possibility of some work that might evolve from it is exciting (for us anyway).

I’m trying to do more with my shed this summer too. I’m getting involved with someone who opens their garden in the summer for the National Gardens Scheme. The idea being that the shed will work as a retreat for artists who would like an outdoor studio, or musicians and songwriters who would like to work in a similar way, then come together into some sort of performance-come-exhibition as it goes along. The shed providing a studio, a workshop, a classroom, a gallery and a stage. This is in the early planning stages, so as it goes along, as things become firmer I’ll talk about them too.

I have a very exciting thing to do at the beginning of June, that is making me nervous. I’ll tell you when I’ve done it, just in case! This is the one making the butterflies flutter by.

I have a seedling of an idea for stemming the post-MA blues. I’m playing this one VERY close to my chest because I’m convinced it’s such a good idea that someone either with more time or money will get there first and bugger it up for me!

While all this is going on, I’m still working out what will the content of my MA show be? I’m sewing, and singing, and making. I have very vague and hazy thoughts of sound being in one place and the textile things being in another, but linked somehow, so the memory of the music lingers. And I might make a little bit of film.

And now, you see, this post is too long. 543 words up to here (turning into David Riley?)

I usually go for about 300. I can’t maintain concentration for longer than that usually… whether I’m writing or reading!

Visited Ort in Balsall Heath yesterday. Cute and cool higgledy piggledy cafe/gallery/performance space fronting the most amazing building. Celia showed us round this vast cavern of prospective artist studios, workshops and office spaces, topped off by a beautiful light and airy exhibition space up in the roof. It’s being refurbished mostly by volunteers and it is already brilliant. I have a yen to hold a post-MA show there. A really big yen. I need to make some phone calls and have another visit or two. I would love a studio there. If it was a little bit closer to home, and I had spare money that is! Maybe….one day….

If you are around Birmingham and looking for studio space… get in there!

I don’t know how I’d get on in a studio based community. Never done it. But I feel at some stage I should, just for the experience. I work from, in, and around my home. The home is the root of it all I suppose, and the family and how they function around each other. I don’t know how moving my work away might change something crucial. It runs around my head and my veins. I have a fear that the arty-bollocks would overtake me and I’d never be able to escape its clutches!

http://ortcafe.co.uk/

It has to be said… I’m over-excited again. A very damp postman knocked on the door and delivered this this morning:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Cool-Shed-Inspirational-Hideaways/dp/1862059330/ref=pd_rhf_cr_p_t_1

And there it is… on the introduction page, and on pages 44 and 45, lovely photos of my lovely shed, with lovely Dan sitting in it with his lovely guitar and my lovely fabric all around him. Jane’s words about my work are lovely too. I am suffused with loveliness today! Rain? What rain?

Big smiles.

Also…. Later in the day had an unexpected tutorial with visiting artist Jim Mooney, who said unexpected complimentary things about my work. He unexpectedly got everything I was trying to do and say. He asked questions I unexpectedly knew the answers to. I am now feeling unexpectedly positive about my future. Don’t know how long that’ll last, but I’ll take it where I can and enjoy it for as long as it does last.

More big smiles.