I’m a bit all over the place to be honest, but things are calming down enough for me to write a post.
The work for my show at The Weeks Gallery has now landed in the US, so I can stop panicking so much about that … although it hasn’t arrived at its final destination yet, so I’m not totally calm. When it does, only then can I think about shipping myself over there in March. It has been stressful working out what to take and how to get it there. But I can’t wait to see it all up! It opens first week in February until 17th March if you happen to be in Jamestown NY, pop in and say hi! I’m not sure exactly when I will be there yet, but certainly towards the end of the run.
This morning at the crack of dawn we (The Sitting Room) had a radio show recording session for Black Country Radio Xtra… it will be out on February 2nd at 5pm and for a week after you can listen again. It’s a show about songwriting, influences etc, and features six live performances. That early in the morning is not great for me at the best of times (9:00) but singing at that time was a challenge. I warmed up by singing in the shower and on the way in the car, but it wasn’t as smooth as I would have liked… I think it will sound ok, but it felt “scratchy”.
The final mixes for the new EP landed in the inbox this morning and I think they sound great, so all I need to do is get the master to the guy who does the reproductions… we will have a few real CDs as well as launching for the first time on BandCamp etc.
In amongst all this public facing productivity I am still working in the studio on the twig wrapping and work for my solo installation at RBSA in May. I have also been asked by the RBSA director Sanna Moore to help select the new artists for the Graduate Artists Programme. This feels like a real honour to be asked. I was chosen because I have a practice that is multi-disciplinary and broad based. I’m really looking forward to what and who turns up! If you are based in the Midlands and you have graduated in the last ten years you are eligible
That will happen once I have returned from the US… then I have about a month to finalise arrangements for my solo show. (At some point I will need to get down to Devon in April to work on the song/sounds with producer Michael Clarke.)
I’ve also been invited to join in with the next phase of Radio Public, focussing on the black country town of Brierley Hill. This way of working isn’t my usual thing, but it is local, sociable, interesting… I enjoyed the last one in Dudley, and always enjoy working with Bill and Helen, so I feel no stress about that bit!
Over the summer I’m going to be doing some community-based, twig-related projects in the local park with Rick Sanders, and we hope to get some funding for that.
This feels the busiest I have been since I became totally self-employed to be honest. I am enjoying the prospect of getting stuff done, and getting my work out where it can be seen.
And then I am also looking forward to August, when I can hopefully get some time to sit back and reflect, and relax a bit! I might go on holiday!
