ARTISTS TALKING

# 81 [11 June 2011]

It was the p.v of 'Global echo' and 'The Manulua Project' alongside Wirral mets degree show last night at the Williamson Art Gallery. It was a good turnout and there was a great response to the 'Global Echo' print exchange, with lots of people asking questions.

It was great to see what this years graduates had achieved in their degree show and with such a small year (13 students I think) how they'd used the space available. They didn't have the use of two rooms that where available to us because new roofs are being fitted in the galleries, but still they had a lot of room to fill which they succeeded to do with very varied work.

It was really nice to catch up with friends from the degree course, I really miss that, not just the chit chat though, just being with like minded people. It's difficult to keep up momentum in my artwork sometimes when I'm not in a creative environment all the time and although I am lucky to have a creative job I am mostly alone in work. I really want a studio space, but just haven't got the money right now. Sometimes I feel my work just isn't moving on and I'm sure this is because I can't keep myself motivated. It's not just because I'm not with other artists though, I think it's because I'm at home where there are other jobs to be done.

I don't know, maybe I wouldn't be able to keep the same pace as I did on my degree course anyway. I think during my degree because I was aware that I had a limited time to achieve my best I worked almost non stop. But now even with deadlines to hit I often struggle.

# 80 [6 June 2011]

Everything got finished off on Friday. The prints are all up and the the book project too, everything looks great. P.V this friday, can't wait!

# 79 [2 June 2011]

I could only go along to the Williamson for a few hours today, but we made good progress. The walls have had a second coat of paint, the shelves are up for the book project and the first few prints are up, so we're well on our way. Looks like it's going to be an impressive show, with lots of variety.

# 78 [1 June 2011]

I've spent the morning at the Williamson Art Gallery helping prepare for an exhibition. When I was doing my degree at Wirral Metropolitan College my print tutor Michelle Rowley got us involved in a project 'Triple Echo', the idea was that we would produce some printwork that would tour the different institutes involved (Uclan, LJMU and Wirral Met). It was such a success that the work got shown at the IMPACT Print Conference and since then the staff at UCLAN have been developing the idea of a global echo project.

So this morning I've been painting boards ready to show the work that has been sent by the other institutes and of course Wirral Mets work too. But that's not all that's being shown, BYU have sent over a book project 'The Manulua Project' to exhibit and all of this is being shown at the same time as Wirral Mets Degree Show, so there's loads to be seen.

I'm having my lunch now but I think it's more of the same this afternoon. Tomorrow is going to be the exciting time when the work goes up. We've set it all out on the floor and Michelle has already made some decisions but it's difficult to plan when all the boards aren't up yet.

# 77 [17 November 2010]

I took down my work from the fellowship show on Monday. Just got to find room for it all in the house now. Some good news though, I sold three more pieces, all of them from the 'Pores for thought' series. I didn't expect them to sell at all.

# 76 [7 October 2010]

Went back to the gallery on Tuesday to take some more photos of my work whilst there weren't many people around. The lady at the desk said that she had to tell some women off for picking up my books. The funny thing is, I'd blue tacked most of them down so they must have had an idea that you weren't supposed to pick them up. I don't mind them being touched infact I hope people do touch them but they can't be picked up because some of them fold back into a flat book if they're not stuck down. It kind of makes me want to stay there all the time to watch over them.

# 75 [2 October 2010]

Well last night was the p.v to the fellowship show. I was so nervous, but everything ran smoothly and I recieved loads of good feedback and even sold a piece. I'm chuffed.

# 74 [29 September 2010]

Finished setting up today. Hardly slept last night worrying about getting all the work up today, but I had nothing to worry about. It ran really smoothly. The only thing I'm not really happy about is where the write ups have been put. Because two of the pieces aren't near the walls I've had to place one really low down on the edge of the plinth and the other isn't very well presented either. Never mind, there could have been far worse things to contend with.

I was worried that I wouldn't get my work hung but Carl was there as soon as I got into the gallery and he just got on with it by himself allowing me the time to get some of my other work ready.

Some of the children from work came to the gallery today for a visit as well which was nice because I spoke to some of them about my work.

# 73 [27 September 2010]

first day of setting up has gone quite well. The 'Forest: lungs of the World' is done, but 'Illegal Logging' can't be put out yet because i need to paint a plinth and 'Pores for Thought' can't because Carl needs to hang it. The rest is being done on Wednesday along with the pri ting of the write ups. Which I need to go and get ready now and email to Mette.

# 72 [22 September 2010]

I think everythings ready to go now. Although I keep starting more pieces because I'm worried I haven't got enough. I should be making books as I'm in the Liverpool book fair the day after the p.v.

I hope our work complements each others. It's hard to imagine what the show is going to look like because I don't know what the others are putting in.