ARTISTS TALKING

# 64 [30 July 2009]

I have been back from Inishlacken for some weeks and am still reflecting on the experience. The work I made on there was not as successful as I had hoped it would be - but then what is success? Is it a sense of personal satisfaction? Or approval by one's peers? Or acknowledgment by the public?

I am not sure. In fact the definition of success potentially changes according to one's state of mind and circumstance. However it is defined in this instance, it was not a good feeling. The photographs (taken most ably by Rosie and Mirja, one of the artists on the residency this year) consisted of a series of scenarios and prompts for a possible performance. Of course it was one that could never take place as it could only be set on the unique place that is Inishlacken. As I mentioned in the last post, I was concerned with the horizon and edges. Maybe this was the problem - my concern should have been with the island and it's edges rather than constructed ones that served the purpose of sketches for a future work that would take place many miles away from this part of the world.

Anyhow in the sprit of honesty, sharing and reflection  I am attaching a couple of the photos with this entry. Thanks to Rosie for taking the shots.

# 63 [22 June 2009]

Day two on Inishlacken and the weather ensured a later start as we all woke to mist and fog and a dampness in the air. Once on the island however, everybody started work in earnest - the painters painted and the drawers drew. I went straight to the beach where I did the sheep fleece performance two years ago and thought a lot before gathering found materials and ideas for a possible performance tomorrow.

Last week I took part in a project run by Switch - 11 artists working to realise a paid for performance in the place of two days. One thing this encouraged was the making of quick work, responding to initial ideas and not questionning too much. This is an alien way of working for me but is useful here on Inishlacken when I have only two days to make work. There is , as always a real rapport between everyone, And in addition to artists I have met before are new friends - Mirja from Germany and Susan from Belfast, Alannah from Dublin, plus Noelle and Sinead who did the drawing workshop yesterday.

My ideas for a piece tomorrow centre on Lobster pots, the horizon and above and below. This is partly because I have a performance on a beach in Suffolk when I return and I had already decided to focus this on notions around the horizon, the edge and what it is to understand the point where things meet.

As ever the spirituality on the island drives my thoughts

More tomorrow

# 62 [21 June 2009]

Since the last post the piece at The Junction has been staged. I think it went ok - difficult to say especially since I was not in the theatre but controlling the performance from offstage. Safe to say that the piece is a beginning and will be worked on to develop it more before a re-showing. The best thing about the event was the camerarderie amongst the artists at The Junction - so much mutual support.

I am writing this from Rosie's front room in Roundstone. For it is that time of year and I have been really lucky to be invited back to spend time on Inishlacken. The residency this year has fifteen artists, as before writers, painters, conceptual artists and photographers. The weather has been kind with much good work being made today. the first day. Tomorrow  we will return mid morning and i intend to make a series of drawings on postcards bought in the village shop. I am keen to explore the link between home and here, the journey around the island mirrored with my journey from England to Ireland.

More news from here tomorrow

# 61 [16 April 2009]

The Junction piece is gathering momentum and I am quite excited about it. There are a number of things that have been in the back of my mind for a while that are all coming together within it - always a good sign I feel - and today I have been collecting up some possible props and materials to use on the stage. Spent this morning working on the PR text. I find this incredibly difficult but rewarding too. Trying to distill the piece into a couple of sentences is a challenge but sure does make you hone your thoughts and rationale. 

Working away on a couple more proposals too and am hoping to show in an empty shop in Colchester as part of a project that is going on there called slackspace.  Its still at the fingers crossed stage. In fact most of what I am planning is at the fingers crossed stage, but then that is more often than not the artists lot.

# 60 [2 April 2009]

Since the last post I have completed the proposal for the Junction and have been on an inspiring weekend retreat with ten live artists from the region, Anthony Roberts of Colchester Arts Centre and Curious  - a company based in London who are Helen Paris and Leslie Hill. 

 It was an amazing two and a half days - inspiring and refreshing in equal measure and so good to have time to catch up with others who are working across the same areas in their practices. Saw some old friends and also met new people.  

We ended the weekend with a synchronised swim performance to mark Anthony's birthday. A new experience for everyone - and no one drowned!  

# 59 [15 March 2009]

Since my last post the ghostly apparitions are beginning to take shape. In all their different shadowy guises they have come to adopt their own character and life. Meantime my thoughts about how they might manifest in the Redhouse proposal continue to develop.

Have been asked by Anthony Roberts (from Colchester Arts Centre) to work up a proposal for an event at The Junction in Cambridge. I am mulling over a fairly resolved piece that takes place in a corporate environment and a new idea that would be ideally suited to a theatre. The latter would use the facilities at The Junction and it is not often I get the chance to work on the stage in the literal sense. Have to have things finalised by Friday so a racing mind of ideas is competing with my teaching and a consultancy job I am doing at the moment. Juggling everything is tricky - the need to keep the wolf from the door whilst retaining enough mental space to allow ideas the space and the incubation time they need is always a delicate balance. Its also about my own integrity and  only allowing myself to show work that is complete and resolved. I often wish I could be back studying on an MA like my students since the framework is there for you affording the space time and more importantly the critical feedback that is so hard to find outside art schools. 

# 58 [21 February 2009]

In the event, I think the Triptych symposium went rather well. This was in part helped by Anna Green's calm questioning and a strange comfort that I was able to draw from the drawings on the wall. We stood either side of the three wall mounted pieces to deliver our dialogue, referring to each as we progressed through a series of points and quotes.

Over time I have realised that the only way to progress is to challenge oneself, however uncomfortable it may seem at the time. I listened to the radio the other day and heard a voice proclaiming that without tackling challenges head on there is potential for a growing sense of self doubt. Left unchecked, this can become totally limiting.Hopefully the symposim will keep my doubt at bay for a while at least.

 American ramifications continue as I am starting to prepare a proposal requested by the Redhouse Gallery. There are several stories around the sighting of a redhouse ghost and I have been asked to suggest some ideas for a semi permanent work based around  this subject. The Redhouse building is three stories high and has some interesting nooks and crannies so there's plenty of  opportunity for some artistic apparitions. I'll keep you posted on developments

# 57 [13 February 2009]

It has slowly been filtering into my mind that I should be more disciplined in my approach to life and in particular my art practice. Making decisions driven by research interests and artistic integrity seem so difficult to make sometimes when the nagging voice reminds me that I need to do a shop at Sainsbury's or the builders need paying. 

For the past few years, in effect I have combined several  practices - a community one, a visual arts and performance practice and a teaching role. Of course portfolio careers are the norm for a large majority of artists but there are times when a purity of direction is longed for. Even when it is in ones own hands to direct things in that way it seems interminably hard to actually DO IT.  

 Enough of my ranting... heard Rosie on the radio today - Galway FM taking about the Redhouse show - it was good and it seems the exhibition continues to draw in a good number of visitors.  

I am concerned right now about getting ready for a show in Norwich that opens on Monday 16th Feb. It is called Triptych and is a project initiated and maintained by several HE's - Norwich University College of the Arts, Dublin University, Loughborough and more. The show is based around drawing and will include a seminar on the Thursday (19th) with several of the artists in the show speaking about their work and research. I will be speaking with the theorist Anna Green and we will discuss and converse around my drawings and her reading of them within a framework of theorists such as Freud, de Certau and others.

I am mildly apprehensive and wish I were better read.

# 56 [3 February 2009]

I am not sure why but it seems difficult to write today. The US has been compartmentalized already into the memory section of my brain so the events of the past few days have got jumbled up.

The lecture at SUNY Cortland went well - lecturers and students attended plus the public . There were some good questions and some of the students had looked at my website in advance of the lecture which brought some thoughtful comments forward. 

Just before leaving Syracuse I was given a copy of the radio interview on disk and learnt that the gallery would like to purchase the four Inishlacken videos for their collection. Very useful to have some extra dollars to use in New York.

Caught a flight from Syracuse to New York so yet more security checks . Finally arrived at the hotel/hostel where I had booked a bed in the 'Fabuloso' room - shared with five other people and with fresh bed linen and a towel. This was an upgrade from the Auberge option - 10 people and no towel! I was quite taken by the hotel website and the fact that they have an artist residency programme but not really prepared fully for the implications of a hostel room...

# 55 [22 January 2009]

Just completed the interview for the new, soon-to-be-launched, Redhouse Radio station. It was taxing at times - a couple of tricky questions - but on the whole less nerve wracking than I had imagined. Natalia Mount, Redhouse curator, posed the questions and a live audience also contributed some interesting observations and queries. Once I have a copy of the recording, I will put it onto my website. Spent some time walking around downtown Syracuse and went to see close up the amazing art deco building that now houses the electricity company. I have posted an image here - note the sculpture at the top of 'Mr Electric'!