ARTISTS TALKING

# 11 [12 June 2011]

Finished work hoorah!!!!!!

The Standard Package Trilogy is complete, it is now on show at Open Art Orebro Sweden until 11th September and if you want to have a look at the completed project it is online at http://www.livpennington.com

# 12 [15 June 2011]

invite & press release are ready!!

With much input & patience from artists involved, its really frustrating how long it takes to think and then write when you are out of the zone and out of practice. but i am now happy go as far as to say satisfied with the material - now to update the check in & out website. -tomorrows job, when i have a childminder hoorah and before i take my 4yr old to his first school disco. WTF, feeling old but obviously trying to youth it up with text speak. apologies for visual swearing.

went to the fringe artists drinks last night, have to say the buffet looked brilliant but had annoyingly eaten before going. Was fun to see who was involved, as still feel really new to the area. I knew 2 maybe 3 people. Then got a night in the pub -brilliant with lots of lovely artists and Lynda (showing in Check out in september) who drove down from London especially. We sat up until 1 talking and I was woken up at 6 by the boys who were lively.....

Feeling a little jaded but overall very happy. Eva Stenram came to see the house today and the room. Think she'll be showing 11 prints which i am really excited about seeing.

# 13 [17 June 2011]

Blog updated and ready to go.

have a look http://checkinandout.wordpress.com/

 The Show is going to be brilliant. I can see it in my minds eye.

i have also just mailed out everyone i could possibly think off and a few more - it makes my stomach flip everytime.

I hate the feeling after you press send, am sure i'll find some big error, massive typo etc.

and just waiting for a remove message again, though this time i forgot to include an apology for cross posting and respond with remove in the header. purpose or not?

I think there will be x-postings as Eva, Jo & I do have a shared educational past and i have showed with both of them seperately in the past.

# 14 [20 June 2011]

there seems to be a buzz about/in folkestone at the moment for the triennial which can only be a good thing.

Nick & I have hung my work. It must be the earliest i have been ready with my own work ever. He is lovely for helping and not baulking at the 24 drill holes we have put in the chimney breast and through the flocked wall paper to hang 12 of my images in a grid.

We are going to redecorate at some point, but realistically wont be able to afford it for a couple of years. I am wondering if theres a print that I own that when framed may cover all the holes. I have a feeling that it may be a Jo Longhurst whippet print that may come to the rescue. Cheaper to pay the £200 for framing. Just need to get paid from some of the work I have done, which i think maybe next week.

We have a plasterer in today to try and make the backroom a dining room. It was the old office and full from floor to ceiling with recycled units, 6 cctv monitors, the cabling for tvs for 10 bedrooms etc. it is now a concrete shell, with a fairly unlevel ceiling- we did our best. Nick and I put the ceiling up, well mostly Nick, with a bit of help from Anna N. This is the 2nd tradesman we have managed to afford to employ. The first was an electrician who removed 12 Junction boxes!!! from the same back room.

Diy takes up an amazing amount of time, energy & money.it also makes the boys feel a little neglected.

We are aiming to get foreign students in over the summer to help pay the building works and inevitable maintance a large house takes.I have previously cut the front hedge with a pair of big scissors, because we are new to having a garden we dont have all the tools.

I love the view every morning and feel lucky to be living by the sea. I am kind of looking forward to having teenagers in the house, a practice run for our boys. we think we can have 4 students a week. 2 bedrooms - 4 single beds. I think a week at a time is probably best as my cooking repertoire is not that extensive, and how creative can I be with packed lunches???

We have a good link on the Folkestone Fringe triennial Page & i like their design. 

http://www.folkestonefringe.com/

There is 80 and still counting fringe events happening over the summer -

I now have invites for different pv's for this thursday, friday and saturday night - definately don't think i can take the pace.

The latest head count for people staying saturday night including us is: 10 adults, 3 kids & 2 dogs!!!!! The house is meant to be shared & im looking forward to seeing how the hot water lasts

right enough rambling & off to nursery

# 15 [29 June 2011]

wow..............

am shattered, exhilerated and have show come down.

All the work looked great, i have uploaded documentation on to www.checkinandout.wordpress.com

the work really worked in each room. The install & take down went smoothly.

Nick & I had a friday night out with Jo & Brendan thanks to Mel (a mother from nursery & friend). We saw Folkestone and its glitterati most of it imported just for the weekend.The opening party was well stocked, very sad that we ate before we went. the food & alcohol flowed freely followed by fireworks.

We had about 70 visitors over the weekend, a few neighbours, friends, artists and a few strangers so a very nice mix all in all.

one of my favourite moments was looking round the dining room (a concrete shell, that only got lights & electric 2 days before) and seeing 9 people chatting, eating & drinking - brilliant.

Think its going to take me a week to catch up with the sleep.

Will add more later, but also wanted to say thanks for the folkestone fringe's plug and that if anyone is coming to folkestone over the summer it is worth signing up for their news letter.

http://www.folkestonefringe.com/

# 16 [13 July 2011]

generally f'd off.

just annoyed, full of cold, first time in a month for childcare for art and not money work and i am panicking about being skint.

i've had bt engineer out for phone line and probably have to pay £130 he fixed it in around an hour - brilliant rate of income -BT, thinking about going to cable and not having a land line, just mobile, skype and internet.

Next we're are shafted by the electrician who has managed to add on another £200 on to our bill from his original quote. - total a-hole. mass apologies for text swearing but need to get it out before boys home. I have never seen such a crap invoice, no breakdown of labour & parts etc. he was recommended as being good and fair. argh Nick is going to try and dispute - i can feel the frustration in his voice, I dont think he needs much more for him to disappear abroad for work.

and i have had to book car in for a service!!!

Anyone want to give me a job?

Our first foreign student has been here 3 nights and havent really seen her. Makes me realise that I lead a very quiet and routine existence. Two more arrive saturday.

maybe i should buy some bunk beds off of ebay when i get paid at the end of the month from my last bit of teaching. Or I am sorely tempted to move boys in with us and move two more students in to their room as its nearly the end of the summer and temporary - will see how nick feels.

He wouldnt be the one making 5 lunch boxes and dinners every day.

Right Rant OVER!!!!!! and hugs to everyone else feeling rubbish and lacking cash.

Have at least finished a proposal for a residency today and trying to get my head round another.

I'll be back when i'm more articulate.

xxxx

# 17 [16 July 2011]

I submitted another application for a residency today - so fingers x'd something comes up.

Am feeling less ranty and trying to be positive. Hence the photo. How can i be too miserable when that's my view.

# 18 [27 July 2011]

about to do something i havent done in a while - walk away from the computer and read a book.

I have studio/making anxiety and find myself surfing the net instead of knuckling down. I am avoiding the situation, the moment and feeling very out of synch with art, my art and the art world.

I have cried twice this morning both about the same thing, the shootings on Utoya, I read the texts sent between mother and daughter whilst the shooting was going on. How they could be so calm was amazing, makes me tearful just typing this post and i cried again when a radio 2 dj read out an excerpt when i was driving.

The power of text in real time is frightening, absorbing, addictive and detached but at the same time provides a space to project and to latch on personally.

The mother must have wanted super powers to fly in and swoop her up, and all the others.

The boys are out of the house and its very quiet and i am surprised by how furious and angry I am by my powerlessness.

xxx

# 19 [31 August 2011]

blimey - over a month!!!!

Thats what happens when the sunshine and the summer hits. Have survived the language students so far but all change tomorrow when we have our first boys ( 1x 16, 2 x17) to stay. Am wondering if they can be noisier than the girls and hoping they eat more.

I have set a target of a new image this week for the check out show which opens on the 24th September. I am aiming for a 30in x 40in framed print. Seeing it took 18 months to finish the last piece of work, it seems like im pushing it but i'm still thinking its possible. have all the stuff, have done a sketch - but typically now when younger son snoozing, oldest one entertaining himself by being my assistant - we have cloud cover & its going to P down. I dont have access to studio light so need to shoot outdoors. Have build a small portable set.

Ideas & images sit inside my head for so long processing at times, that sometimes its inevitiable they dont get made, get passed over by a newer idea. or on other occassions it can seem that I am really decisive and make a piece in record time.

Check out is in three weeks - so will start updating website soon.

Have childcare monday. Have applied for the AA2A scheme at UCA and hoping i get to be one of the four artists - as access to equipment on a regular basis would be brilliant and keep the momentum up.

# 20 [19 September 2011]

Show time again.

Check out is this weekend!!!

Have updated website & mailed out invite. Two of the works are installed already so hopefully things will go smoothly.

Made a new image, very happy conceptually - think the series will work. May tweak the lighting for the next shoot. Spectrum did a great job printing it - i got over excited and got a 4ft x 3ft print made. not really considering the onward implacations - cost of framing, transport, storage & travel box etc

But on the other hand, the image holds and seems to demand the obscene scale -

so i think another series of work that is unfortunately destined to exist portfolio size until some mystery benefactor/ museum/ gallery says 'we love it, need it, want it and we'll pay all costs'

Is this a mills & boons art vision - oh well

Looking forward to having everyone here for the weekend, with the added bonus there is beer festival on at the Leas Lift

http://theleasliftbeerfestival.co.uk/

So if you find yourself in Folkestone at the weekend please pop in to the show. all info at http://www.checkinandout.wordpress.com