Despite feeling miserable and demotivated now due to a nasty cough and cold, I feel like it’s been a productive week in the studio. I had my last tutorial on 11th October, and when asked what I would like to get out of this first term of third year, I said I wanted to break out of my comfort zone.
To give a little bit of context to my tutorials, which I will probably be writing about a fair amount, here’s a link to my tutor Virginia Verran’s interview with AN from about a year ago:www.a-n.co.uk/p/925162/
Judging from my experience of Virginia as a tutor from second year as well as this one, I have to say that she’s been a great help and source of inspiration to me. It’s strange though, being in awe of an artist and their work, and then walking across the beach in your wetsuit and having them shout hello to you!
Anyway, getting back to that first tutorial of the year- for me, “breaking out of my comfort zone” at the moment means allowing myself to paint in a looser, more intuitive way. I know that usually people have more of an issue bringing out their “formal” side, and I’m always being told by fellow students that they envy my patience and ability to work in such a systematic way. However, for me, working like this comes naturally, and it is the “abstract expressionist” side of me that is holding back! I don’t want to get to the degree show without having made work that has challenged me and in some ways scared me to make. Even if I somehow managed to get a First without changing the way I work, I would be disappointed in myself for not pushing my abilities as a painter.
I said this in more concise terms to Virginia, and we joked that next time we had a tutorial my space would be filled with big, energetic paintings. I’m pleased to say that this is on its way to coming true! I’m working on four small paintings and three larger ones, and though they’re still in progress, I feel like I am making an effort to challenge myself. Readers of this blog might look at the pictures and think they are as controlled as ever, but I can feel the difference in the way I’m approaching them… and I have to start somewhere!
Also, thank you to Richard Taylor for that last link about the exhibition in Lisbon- I’m sure it will come in very useful for my dissertation.
