ARTISTS TALKING

# 156 [3 February 2010]

I am staying in a travelodge in Wakefield this week - good for getting on with some work after school days at least. I booked a load of rooms for YSP dates back in November when they had their £9 sale. Bargain.

I sat down when I got in tonight and tried to work out what money was coming in when. I realised I only knew dates for YSP and that all my other income is as and when my employers choose... Regardles of a 'please pay within 30 days' on the invoice, I still haven't been paid for some jobs 10 weeks later. I realise this is the same for self employed people in lots of professions, but if anyone has any advice on getting more prompt payment, I'd appreciate it! Cashflow can really bugger my life up at times.

In more cheerful news.. I got an offer of lecturing work from Blackpool College after the Lanc zine/book fair last weekend. Also, Women's Studio Workshop got in touch saying that my book, Unfolding Architecture, was going to be in a show in the Grolier Club in New York in December 2010 (amazing venue!). They also asked if I would write an essay for the catalogue as their emerging/young artist voice - for an honorarium. I'm very flattered and excited. There is also the possibility of going halves on flights for me to be on a panel of artists at a seminar in Jan/Feb 2011... Hopefully I can do that too - I would love to go back to New York. Any excuse!

After giving a talk at the Biennial about Linz last month, I have been approached to build a cardboard set for a play/comedy series one of the staff is organising at the Bluecoat. Trouble is, he's asked me to name my price - but has also stressed how small the budget is. But is his small the same as my small? Probably not. I'll start at recommended rates and go from there I guess... I have been keen to do some set deisgn for a while...

http://www.wsworkshop.org/_art_book/ab_archive.php

http://www.grolierclub.org/

# 155 [1 February 2010]

I've just been reading this while doing some research on artist-led groups. It's another article from Alias (I posted one from Gordon Dalton a while back I think):

http://www.stevenpaige.com/Artistrisklatest_Steven...

Steven Paige discusses some really  interesting points about the pitfalls and advantages of artist-led activity and asks whether "the term artist-led is lazy shorthand for a type of idealised radical position, with some ethical butter applied?"

# 154 [1 February 2010]

Should artists be giving artworks away for free? Add your tuppence worth to this discussion on the forum.

http://www.a-n.co.uk/forums/read/27,756,759

Also, my news article on free labour in the arts in this month's a-n:

http://www.a-n.co.uk/publications/article/600067/7...

# 153 [1 February 2010]

I have a day at home today! Well, the morning at least..

I was in Yorkshire last week; a really nice three days at one school, but then Thursday was just exhausting. I was at a little school where they had decided the best way to use their day with me would be to put me with 39 6/7 year olds. Seriously, talk about setting me up to fail! It was okay - we all made things, but it was just a constant struggle to settle them and get any kind of concentration. Not great. Couple that with a confusing meeting at the park and I was ready to get back to Cheshire.

Friday and Saturday was the first Lancashire Artists' Book & Zine Fair at UCLAN in Preston. As usual I broke even on cost, but didn't make anything. Still, these events really are more about meeting people, getting some books out in the world and looking at other people's work. I had some really lovely comments and caught up with various people I don't see enough, so it was good.

The new house is still fairly corridor-between-boxesesque (I only have Sundays to unpack at the moment), but my studio is starting to take shape. I have to go into Liverpool later today, but this morning I am going to start on a bit of stone carving. I need a nice pair of pink legs for a piece I want to make so will make a start on some soapstone before tackling the more expensive pink talc. I haven't carved since my first year at eca, so it may take a few goes. I may end up casting them with pink resin or plaster in the end, but I have to try or I'll always be wondering! Just got to find the chisels now...

# 152 [27 January 2010]

Bloody hell. I need some more days this month; it's getting ridiculous.

# 151 [25 January 2010]

Absolutely knackered, life still in boxes blog:

Firstly, thanks so much for all the recent kind comments - these have cheered me up immensly and make me want to continue blogging.

Secondly, I didn't put the link to the the conference if anyone else fancies watching it. Still haven't watched anymore yet.

http://www.thersa.org/events/state-of-the-arts-con...

I am in week two of four straight weeks in schools in Yorkshire and am pretty shattered after not being able to sleep last night. I have to get up at 5am on Mondays to drive over (I stay with a friend's parents in the week) and today I only just made it up the motorway with my eyes open.

Moving house the weekend before last was so much worse than I anticipated. I would really like to be at the new place unpacking, but I can only do bits at the weekends. I will be spending my evenings writing and also laying out the books for the end of the YSP project so at least I am doing some useful things. This week also involves some book finishing off as it is the Lancashire artists' book and zine fair on Friday and Saturday.

Lastly, Susan Jones posted this on twitter earlier from the Guardian. Talk about badly researched, over generalising, romantic artist stereotyping. Pah, in my opinion, this article just sets artists back in public perception to starving in an attic or being eternal students.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/jan/24/arti...

I am also keen to know which visual artists out there earn £521 per week? That's the average apparently. I like the way they also mention sales from the affordable art fair and say some of that may go to galleries - try around 50% usually. Do more research next time please.

# 150 [21 January 2010]

Awesome news this afternoon: I got a phone call offering me a place on A Foundation's A Curriculum studio residency, starting in March for 2 months. It magically falls in the two months I have off YSP and as my exhibition in Milan has been moved back to September (Curator has a baby on the way) it is perfect. I am very very very very very pleased as I am dying to work hard in the studio during that time away from YSP, but also feel a need for some research/pressure/discussion/engaged peers/big kicks along with it. It also comes with a £500/month bursary so it takes off a huge amount of bill-related stress.

Tonight (in my travelodge room near Doncaster somewere..) I have been watching video footage from the State of the Arts Conference.

1. Observations on Jeremy Hunt's speech:

Liz and Matthew seem to be keen tories.
He was incredibly nervous (who wouldn't be!?).
Points for their plans to cut admin costs.
In my horribly cynical way of reading things - he seems to be saying he will cut funding for the arts upon Tories getting into power, and attempt to maintain levels through other sources, He mainly cites US philanthropy and endowments as a model; this seems like passing the buck? I don't know if I have this all right, but it's worrying anyway.
His chat about the UK having loads of money (comparative to the US) may be true, but surely that money is split between a tiny percentage of the population. Are we to depend on their generosity?

He made a confusing critisicm of targets in funding agencies, whilst stressing the need for more engagement as a result of funded projects. I would like to see less ticking boxes/more independent choice making, but would have been nice to hear how he plans to go about it.

Is it just me being too bloody northern, or does his comment about holding the event outside London next time - to step back and get perspective - imply that they are mainly stepping back from and therefore talking about London?

Bacially at this point I am suspicious.

Everyone who asks questions is a director of something. Generally the twitching audience is very enjoyable to watch, especially the staring woman at 25.40 ish.

Lastly, what are Liz and Matthew whispering about?

# 149 [16 January 2010]

Happy Birthday blog.

Blog is one! It's been a very exciting and progressive year, which I have to credit in part to 'Getting Paid'. This is mainly because it forced a change in the way I approach my career/practice. I think the blog has been particularly responsible for making me analyse what it is I do with my time and what skills I have, which in turn has made me see new ways I can apply those skills. I started writing down things such as achievements and aims – something that I often think about but never do and this made me realise how hard I was working. These are things that we all know about ourselves, but often just have floating about our brains in a grey woolly confusion. The blog has also raised my profile and led to a few opportunities (directly and probably indirectly too) including: talking at an AIR event in Manchester, Talking at Chapter in Cardiff, writing news items for a-n, not to mention the fact that my increased presence on the blogs has meant ongoing conversations with lots of fellow bloggers and artists.

So good developments in 2009 include:

Finding out in January that I had got the Feiweles Bursary at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and starting that in September.
More work doing talks/lecturing rather than minimum wage work
Being commissioned by Artland in April
Being nominated by Liverpool Biennial for the Linz residency (and being chosen by Linz of course!)
Getting three stockists for my artists’ books
Being offered more opportunities and work than I applied for (just!)
Being commissioned by the Grundy in Blackpool to do their January exhibtion.
Transforming from a ¾ time artist with a part time job, to a full-time artist with a lot more options for making a living.

To look forward to in 2010.

Finishing YSP with a book and closing event
Teaching a drawing course in Cape Cod in the summer
Showreel project in Milan
Going back to Linz to launch the new book I am making
Solo Show prep for YSP in 2011

And………????

Aims and objectives for Emily this year

Less guilt.
More regular (and more efficient!) accounting and admin.
Curating one exhibition/event (and no more).
More writing and research
An ambitious new body of work well underway
More books and drawing
Less compromising.
Kittens & good times in the new house.
A long (i.e. more than a week) holiday with my husband.

Right, I'm off for some cake. Or to Liverpool to move house. Or both.

# 148 [15 January 2010]

In other news: I am sick of the TV picture. Here are some images from the Collaborate and Make exhibition I have on at the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool,. It opened last week and was made with school groups from the area.

http://www.grundyartgallery.com/programme/

# 147 [15 January 2010]

After leaving the State of the Arts conference tweets alone yesterday, I came back and had a read through them all in the evening. It was interesting stuff, but although full of good soundbites and kindly distilled by the tweeting sudience, I got the impression I was missing a fair bit. In summary though, it seemed that: the wifi was rubbish; people felt artists were under-represented in the audience; people were (too?) easily impressed by Jeremy Hunt; although not perfect, it was a good coming together and discussion; artists are valuable to the economy and mood of the nation; it was an exhausting day. Anyway, I shall look forward to it going online...

Found out I have a group of 12 sixth-formers for a whole week next week as part of the YSP thing. I am very excited as the age groups have mainly been under 10 so far. The project will be based around turning their research papers into artists' books. Joy. 

Moving house tomorrow, which makes me want to cry a bit, but thinking of when I am back here at the new place with fire on and wine/takeaway on the go. It will be very good to have it done and be rid of the other place.

Waiting to hear about a lot of things, applications, projects and possible trips abroad. It's frustrating as it is putting me off applying for other things (if I get certain chances, they will clash and applying will be a waste of time). It's always like that though, and usually you end up with the thing you were least keen on and you have plenty of free, unpaid time.

I am also waiting for a delivery of soapstone. Although I haven't carved anything since 1997, the latest work seems to warrant it, so I have yellow and grey tones ordered and will do my best! Next on my list - re-learning to weld.