ARTISTS TALKING

# 146 [14 January 2010]

I didn't think that the RSA's State of the Arts Conference would be streamed online as there was no mention of it on their website.. but the tweets (follow #sa10 on Twitter) are just a bit confusing so far. I am hoping that the audio is at least put online afterwards so i can try and make a bit more sense of it all.

I think I'd better get on with doing something more useful instead. Tea and toast springs to mind.

# 145 [12 January 2010]

Another good day, firstly, I am a winner! A blog winner to be precise, which is very nice and I am looking forward to my prize - a copy of Rachel Howfield's book. Thanks very much a-n.

This morning there was some packing of things at the flat and then I went to Liverpool Biennial to give a talk to the staff there about Linz. Surprisingly (considering I was talking to a load of people), I enjoyed it. Very friendly and interested lot and it was good to go over the whole thing and think about all the things that happened this summer, also to reflect on the things I made and what it has done for my work in general. Afterwards, I met a friend for a cuppa and we talked about a piece of text she's going to write about Inhabitant for me. I feel very lucky as she has a way with words and I will get something far superior to anything I could manage.

Tonight I am staying in the Liverpool flat for the last time as I am off to Blackpool in the morning. I'm a bit sad about leaving, but sleeping on a single futon on the floor is not really inspiring me to stay. Can't wait to get moved properly on Saturday and have fewer journeys. Then I can just drive to Liverpool to go to the studio, imagine that.

Right, bed time - I'm taking Han's Abbing with me.

# 144 [11 January 2010]

Also very pleased this afternoon as today was like a second chance Monday. YSP was snowed off so I had this gift of an extra day to do some catching up.

Accounts up-to-date, invoices sent, talk images ready for Biennial tomorrow, applications half finished, bills cancelled and changed address for the flat, my sister's dogs walked and all in my slippers (except the last bit!)

Also a nice tea in the oven, perhaps this is why it feels like the weekend and I am stopping myself opening a bottle of wine? Maybe just one glass, I am cooking after all....

# 143 [11 January 2010]

Very pleased this morning; a friend told me that my blog had made her try and renegotiate two work contracts as her hours had gone up but money hadn't. I don't know how likely a pay rise is, but asking is important - after all, how will they know it's not okay if she just keeps quiet?

I realised too that my blog is nearly a year old and that I should probably get round to doing a quick summary of all the good things that it has brought.

I finally got my copy of Hans Abbing's 'Why are Artists Poor?' in the post. I have a feeling I should have read it years ago, but am quite hooked just a few pages in and feel some fresh conviction coming on...

# 142 [9 January 2010]

This year has started quite intensely, with a project at the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool, which apart from a day there on Wednesday, is done.

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

I spent last week being snowed in at home for a day, then iced-in in Blackpool. Car abandoned in my makeshift home/hotel car park there as no one could get back up the slope and out - pushed out by three of the staff yesterday. Regardless of the fact that I missed a day because of the weather, the gallery still paid me the full fee, which I was depending on for imminent car repairs and so am very grateful for their good will.

Over Christmas my husband and I also started moving house. We had an overlap of a month with both places so have been doing it in pathetic little car trips. Never move like this! Just get a big van and stuff it all in. If you have some money, pay other people to pack. We still have two weekends worth of moving and furniture dis/reassembling so I feel quite sad (and exhausted) when I think about that!

Back to Yorkshire on Monday (if the schools are open) - don't want to drive so far again, not after last week. Doesn't seem worth the risk. They've had more snow there so fingers crossed it's off...

Also must get some things ready for Lancashire zine fair on the 29th/30th Jan. I promised myself I would have a year off book fairs after this one, so let's see if I can stick to it.

So, mainly feeling very overwhelmed, but just got to get on with it and get some things out of the way... then I can have a treat, first one is doing the book layouts for the YSP project. Love love love doing those, but they can take ages, especially as I have no content yet.

I have also been doing a lot of reading around pay and things over the hols, after the BECTU ruling in Nov and going to a seminar about working for free in Manchester in Dec. I was thrilled when I met a friend who works at the Biennial last night and she said the document I emailed her about internships has been sent round the office. It seems that they are rethinking their intern/volunteer policy accordingly!! Hoorah. I really hope they do. Actually, I am at the Biennial on Tuesday talking about my time in Linz to the staff. It's nice that they are interested, but I still have talk-fear.

# 141 [18 December 2009]

I saw this earlier this evening, posted by Susan Jones on twitter:

http://www.skillset.org/uploads/pdf/asset_14315.pd...

A guide to Internships. Lots of really good rules about pay/minimum wage - worker issues and time limits.

So I applied this to the two internships advertised in ArtJobs today.

Grizedale: very good, no, excellent opportunity for 6 week internship with pretty decent pay and a totally immersive experience. Plus they are up for splitting the residency into two or three week blocks.

http://www.grizedale.org/about/internships

Florence Trust: Not quite as good, probably still an amazing experience at a very interesting place, but it's not paid at all, and doesn't mention any costs covered either. On the plus side - a really broad range of stuff to work on and it's only for one day a week working as an assistant to the Director/Studio manager i.e. a lot of contact with interesting people.

http://tinyurl.com/ybczsnl

The Grizedale one could be for anyone too, whereas you'd pretty much need to live in London to do the Florence Trust Internship...

Ok, exercise for the day over, will do a bit more comparing of how different internships measure up and report my findings.. now to sweep the studio floor and go home!

# 140 [18 December 2009]

Really nice time at the Royal Standard (my studio) Christmas Party last night.. mostly I loved decorating the gallery as a log cabin and making cardboard mountains and of course, the dancing at the end of the night. But it's nice to just spend time chatting to people you see around the building and also meeting new ones.

Received a catalogue in the post from my friend Jane Edden this morning, from her recent solo show at Flowers East (which I sadly missed due to stupid train prices). As usual her exacting standards have made me want to work harder and be neater, but I am just very pleased to add this beautiful book to my collection. Kark-heinz Klopf from Linz also gave me a book about his work last night too so I am doing well.

Have also just sorted out dates to teach a drawing class at a summer school next year. I was asked to devise a week-long course so have gone for experimental drawing after thinking what I really love to do. Best thing is, the arts centre I'm teaching at is Truro Centre for the Arts on Cape Cod!! It's amazing to be paid to go there for a week of work right on the beach, in August. Can't wait and as their apartment has space, Dan should be able to come too... The arts centre also have a shack residency thing (basically a posh shed in the middle of nowhere on sand dunes) for two week sessions, so I might apply for that and see if I can stretch the whole thing out. Unsurprisingly; it's very competitive, but worth a try!

Now, almost hangover free, it's back to the studio (I have spent the week in the project space starting some new work) for some casting... taking the painkillers with me though!

http://www.the-royal-standard.co.uk/events/

http://www.flowerseast.com/FE/Artists_Originals.as...

http://www.castlehill.org/

# 139 [14 December 2009]

The final of Saatchi art school - so after just two commissions, the artists are to put on a group show at the Saatchi Gallery. We are not told how long they had to do it, or what the budget was, although it seems like about 3 weeks from come clues given.

I can't help thinking this is designed to set them up to fail a bit. Work would have to be fairly bombastic to stand much chance of registering in those spaces.. also much stress upon inviting the 'right' people, although it seems that they have Saatchi's mailing list, so perhaps he's just saving on admin wages.

Suki's work was a bit subtle for last week's task and this happened again here, although I can't helping thinking this is not her best work and she might be a better artist under different conditions?

Eugenie - she's only a first year student and 19, so their comments that she is confused and not experienced enough seem expected. But with one epic fail and one lovely fence she pulls it off as she seems to presume she will.

Saad - apparently has struggled for inspiration in both tasks, but wait... didn't he just have a good think before plunging in? Then he wiggles around in a sheet - as good a way to generate ideas as any.The editing doesn't help the way you see the works either as they are given the slant of the judges: you can't help but be underwhelmed by this work.

Sam's electrical thingmajigs are interesting but don't hold my attention for long. I don't like work that is led by technology instead of ideas and he seemed to be falling into that trap. The first piece with magnets inspired by Brunel was elegant, not so here.

The fact that Eugenie won is probably the best indicator that it was Saatchi's art school and not 'the best artist art school', see also lots of very well spoken people at the opening. Can't help feeling like she won, but without getting to be taken seriously. I was so very glad that Matt got to be in the London leg of the show, also that Eugenie gave him her studio for the first year. He wanted it and seemed to deserve it more (I realise hard work does not necessarily make a good artist, but he is good too). I felt all of his emotions as they came out of the TV and filled my lounge, they was so palpable. I recognised myself in him at that final judging moment.

But then again, I would never have made that call to the council to get the fence removed, far too low in confidence and expectation.

Anyway, if you fancy having a go at a mini art school, without the TV and with a bit more space to breathe - Apply for A Curriculum at A Foundation in Liverpool next spring. Online applications on Saatchi's website here:

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/acurriculum/

# 138 [14 December 2009]

Just pondering who to nominate for the Liverpool Art Prize next year:

http://www.liverpoolartprize.com/

Lots of good artists working in Liverpool at the moment and some people whose work I love... but you can only nominate three people. It's a funny little prize, which I think was the Liverpool-own version of the turner prize for 2008 (Capital of Culture year of course), although I'm not 100% on that. £2,000 or £1,000 in prize money will no doubt make quite a difference to someone. The exhibition is also a nice chance to see a good chunk of someone's work rather than the odd piece in group shows.

Karl-Heinz Klopf from Linz came round for a cuppa the other day.During the first visit to my flat he was video-interviewing me, so it was nice to not be thinking about the camera shoved in my face! :) I was asking him about his career and when he felt like a mid-career or fully fledged or made a living or however you might describe that stge of a career and he said he still didn't. Quite unexpected from an artist with a very impressive track record and a lot of good work behind him. He said most of his income went back into making work... maybe it never changes!

# 137 [10 December 2009]

Tax return is filed! I made a pathetic £5,372 in 08/09, so it's no wonder that I started this blog in January in an attempt to address the very serious issue of making more money.

I think I have at least four times that coming in this year, but I reckon at least half of that has been for materials, printing and travel and other expenses: it adds up so quickly. So that doubles my income at least - and takes me just above the poverty line, not bad for a blog.

The receipts since April this year have been piling up and I am collecting EVERY bloody THING: I had my finances investigated the first year I was self employed after my MA and that is not pretty. If I am picked to do that again, I will have to be much better prepared... especially given the increase in work and the fact that I will be putting expenses down for the first time.

Next year, the tax return gets done in April, it all gets too fluffy when you leave it so long!