Wirral Metropolitan College

It’s been a fair while since I posted on Degrees Unedited, when I left Wirral Met I also moved my blogging into Artists Talking.

I know that I read the student blogs still quite regularly, like seeing how everyone is progressing but I remember that as a Degree Student I was often too busy to look on the Artists Talking blog page and seemed to only (well, mainly) read the Degrees Unedited blogs thus staying cocooned in my little degree world.

There are many many other interesting blogs to read and I know you’re all busy but sometimes it’s great just to see what can be achieved after you leave Uni.

So I thought I;d come back, pay you all a visit and let you know how I’m getting on.

I have 2 blogs running side by side at the moment, one based around my general MA work at UCLAN but I also use that to talk about exhibitions I’ve been in. The second is based around my main MA project at New Ferry Butterfly Park as artist in residence.

I look back and can’t believe it’s been 18 months since I graduated, I’ve managed to fit in a lot of work in that short space of time and honestly, I’ve been loving it.

I remember being delighted to exhibit some work at the CoExist Gallery in Southend, the curator had contacted me via my Degrees Unedited blog and the show was a fantastic success.

I’m in a position to help others exhibit some of their work too at the moment, the chance to be part of an Art Trail I’m organising and I know it’s great as a student to have that opportunity. SO I thought I’d post the link here in case anyone would be interested.

So here’s the links to my other blogs and to get details of the Trail.

www.a-n.co.uk/p/614513

www.a-n.co.uk/p/552594

Little update, I have been lucky enough to be offered a place on an M.A. in UCLAN Preston on the Fine Art:Site and Archive Intervention course and I find myself slightly nervous, wondering if I am mad doing another 2 years study and very excited all at the same time.

I will start a new blog in Artists Talking very soon, have to say I have found that blogging on Degrees Unedited has been an amazing experience, the comments received from other bloggers were greatly appreciated. I would even go as far as to say it’s been quite therapeutic and look forward to continuing to blog and converse with other artists on the site.

To those students out there considering blogging for their final year, go for it, blog with gusto – you won’t regret it :)

Results in and I got a First which is fantastic news, so pleased it’s untrue. It was my highest mark yet too so that’s an achievement in itself.

I didn’t get the fellowship, fiercely disappointed by that, would have loved it. Would like to feel jealous of those who did get it but they are all so lovely and all equally deserving of it and will make fantastic fellows so I can’t even have the jealousy, I was genuinely happy for them…mad eh?

Working full time at Liverpool Biennial for the next few weeks just to make up time lost, it’s crazy busy there in the run up to Urbanism in September, the buzz is high and so in the daytime I haven’t felt the low of finishing college, of a night when the kids are in bed I feel low. Really missing everyone and a bit concerned about the future.

Filled in an MA application, it’s late but you never know and if not there is always next year, except I really want to carry on now while I am still on a high and while I am still enjoying being a student.

Need to make plans, been reading all the call for submissions and will have to apply for some…arghh…the real world.

Scary and exciting times ahead.

Had to meet the external assessor today, I was so stressed last night but he was lovely, talked about plans for the future more than my artwork but he did congratulate me on my work which was great.

This week has been really strange, I thought it would feel all over but instead I spent hours over the weekend trying to do more to my journal, hadn’t been well enough until then and just thought it was worth trying to do rather than just rely on a doctors note saying I was the div who had concussion for 2 weeks!!

Then we had to meet the assessors yesterday and they chose 14 of us to go back in today and talk for half hour, its usually only 6 so we were all really shocked at 14. No-one knows why they were chosen, could be good could be bad, could be just random but it was all fine in the end.

Back to work this week too and thats odd after so long off but kind of good to be back to normality.

On reflection, the Private View went really well, I was far more nervous than I thought I was going to be and couldn’t stand by my work for too long but the time I was listening I heard a lot of really positive comments.

The general feeling was that it was great show, we had an amazing gallery space and the curation of the show worked so well. Everyone (well…nearly everyone) deserves a big well done. I am so proud to be a part of this show with such a great bunch of people, I know we will stay in touch.

Results Friday and then I have decided to apply for a Fellowship at the college, a year more there with studio space to define my own practice more before an MA may be exactly what I need. Also I think it would be a great opportunity to be in a mentor type role as ultimately I want to teach at this level. SO many are applying though that it’s a touch and go thing I think.

So, our show was last night and I think it went well, at least I hope so!

People seemed to enjoy the night and the art, heard some really positive comments about everyone’s work.

I am still on a bit of a high, so will blog when I have calmed down and reflected but here are some photo’s for now.