ARTISTS TALKING

# 1 [12 February 2009]

Today i am attempting to re-vise sections of my dissertation before the final hand in on 20/02/09. My subject and studio practice are very closely linked so i have really enjoyed the research, its the putting to together i have dispised.

My dissertation is an exploration into organic art works and decay.  whilst researching for this i have fallen in love with the late great Dieter Roth, what a brilliant man! well worth a look.

what is concerning me at this moment is the word count. when i was first told it was 6,000 words i thought it was going to be impossible but if i could have another 6,000 words i would be jumping up and down (if i could) right now.

# 2 [5 March 2009]

Now that the stress of my dissertation is over ( i handed in two weeks ago) i am really excited to get back into the studio and completely concentrate on my practical work.

I have been trying to work on an idea of my final show but just as i think i have it, i come to an almighty stop. With out giving too much away, i wanted to suspend a fruit installation from a tension wire. I hadn't quite realised how much it would weigh until i got the calculator out and its going to be more than 7 stone with more than 300 pieces of fruit. I was then told by our technition that the brackets holding the wire would be ripped off the wall with the weight. So the next idea was to maybe use a length, of what i thought would be, strong scaffolding. Apparently even that would bow in the middle.

In my life i am constantly faced with obsticles, but in finding a way around, it often results in something new and more exciting. So the installation is on hold for now as i head in a more interesting direction.

The image is of an experimental piece that im hoping will lead me in a slightly different direction. im not 100% sure about it, it definetly needs work.

# 3 [24 June 2009]

ITS OVER!!

the past few weeks have been manic, painting walls, cleaning floors, trying to find technitions and finally Friday 19th June came and went. The private view was packed. I am really pleased with how it went. I show my work at a very low level compared to everyone else because im a wheelchair user, i get so indignant when i go to galleries and cant see any of the work. So my installation was less than a metre from the floor and it was great, everyone was getting on their knees to have a good look.

We wipe out half the population in the way that we often curate shows, its just not accessible to me, to children and anyone under 5 foot!!

Now what to do next?

I had an interview at cambridge art school on Monday for their new MFA 2 year course... and had a phone call the very next day offering me a place!

I am also despiratly trying to find a studio that is accessible to me. I have no room at home. It seems rediculous that all the shops are lying empty but the rent is rediculous. I had one offer of a studio but it turned out to be an old walk in fridge - not a bad size to start with but with fridge style walls and ceilings and no windows - not the most suitable place!

the hunt continues...

# 4 [13 July 2010]

Long time, no 'blogging!'

Finishing my BA hons degree in last year i have now just about been out of art school for a year - and what a year.

Terrified i would end up working in Tesco i accepted a place on an MFA in Cambridge, believing it would delay my fate as a check out girl. However that didnt go quite to plan, the facilities at the university very pretty poor for a paraplegic artist like myself and after a stressful two months of hanging on by my front teeth i admitted defeat! I finally after, 20 years, i left the safety of a school environment... and it was probably the best thing i ever did.

I managed to secure a Curatorial Internship at a public, part arts council funded contemporary art gallery working for the Fine Art Curator. Its been a fantastic experience and im already over half way through my year long internship. Working with national and international artists, writing reviews, applying for big grants, assisting in all aspects of gallery work has really opened my eyes.

Ive also been running weekly art workshops at two different adult day centers for adults with learning, physical and sensory disabilities. Its been a challenge to say the least. As an artist with a physical disability it has been difficult to assist the adults practically but ive worked round being in a wheelchair (as i have had to anyway in my life) and the workshops are getting busier and busier each week.

Ive also started working as a visiting artist, yesterday i gave an hour long talk about my practice to 19 A-Level students with a Q&A session at the end. Very nerve wracking, but it went really well, ending up in several different offers for the next school year. Got three other schools booked in for September

And... ive been working on new work, currently i have work at the Suffolk Showcase, at Smiths Row Gallery/Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, East of England. I was very pleased to hear that i won the runner-up practice development award 2010, so hoping good things come out of this too.

Taking on an Open University Art History degree on top of all this as well as juggling the hospital, wheelchair and doctors appointments has all been a challenge but i feel more inspired and driven than ever.

Had a few knock backs along the way, got through some of the many rounds of the Saatchi Best of British BBC programme only to be knocked out during the "chat with the BBC" round, and a few residencies havent come my way but i carry on... and on