ARTISTS TALKING

# 1 [31 January 2010]

I've been asked to put a solo show on at the Mersey Bio building in Liverpool in March. I went to a p.v. there last Friday to take a look at the space and although it's a challenging space for 3D work I think it could work really well. I'm going to put together some prints as well as there's so much wall space that would be a waste to leave bare.

I've just got back from Southend on Sea, so need an evening to recover, but tommorrow I'll put my mind to it. I need to see if I can fire proof my work as I could hang 3D work up then. It would be fantastic to be able to show lots of my work within the same space.

I need to come up with a title for the show and some images for publicity. It's all go...

# 2 [1 February 2010]

I spoke to Alison earlier about my work. She said I might be able to get hold of a spray to make my work fire resistant. Ive been looking on the internet and there's a crystal formula that can be made into a spray and can be applied using an ordinary plant sprayer. Apparently you only have to apply a fine mist to protect it. I don't know if I'd have to spray the inside of the work as well though, that would be tricky with a lot of my pieces.

# 3 [3 February 2010]

I've been working hard to get some print work done for this show. There's 19 hanging spaces that would be wasted if I just put my 3D work up.

I've made up some plates for printing and I've started working on some collaged pieces. Don't know what will work and what won't yet, I'll have to wait and see. I think the collaged pieces are looking promising but the prints might not work.

# 4 [7 February 2010]

I've been working on some collaged work made from print work and old experimental work.

http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/569717

I've spent a fortune this week on framing, bubble wrap, glue and fire resistant spray. But it'll be worth it, we'll just have to live on beans on toast for the rest of the month!

# 5 [15 February 2010]

I was making a delicate plate for blind printing when it occured to me that the print wouldn't be nicer than the image I'd already created. It has an inward depth that I'd loose for the opposite affect. I might make a plate that's built up instead of cut away to print.

# 6 [19 February 2010]

I've just signed the agreement for the exhibition, so there's no turning back now. It's a brilliant opportunity to have a solo show, but it's very nerve racking, I'm rubbish at talking to people and I'm worried that people won't like my work. The title of the show is going to be 'Life in Paper. The pv is going to be 18th March and the exhibtion is going to run until 12th May.

# 7 [25 February 2010]

I've changed the images that where white layered card to cream. They look much better now against the mounts.

I've been working on some prints but I don't know if I'll get them finished in time.

# 8 [27 February 2010]

I'm meeting up with Alison on Tuesday to go through some health and saftey issues and to show her some samples of my work. Hopefully I'll have a better idea of how much work I can show and what will go togther. I'm a little concerned that if I put up the cumulus cells from my degree show they won't fit in with anything else as they are so different from my other work as nearly everything else has been printed in some way. I think if a large amount of the clouds could be shown they could stand alone and would be fine but I don't think there's a space large enough for this. I'm not sure there's anywhere they can really hang even if I only put a few up. It's not the end of the world if they can't be used though, infact it might be better if they're not. I'm not even sure I'll know when I go over to see Alsion, it might actually be when I'm putting the work up that I need to make those kind of decisions.

# 9 [9 March 2010]

I spent a day with Alison last week working out how to best show my work. There were some issues about fire regulations because my work is made of paper, but I think it'll all be alright. More work than I thought would be shown has been selected, so that's good. I've just got to finish spraying the work with the fire screen and I need to frame a few pieces. I'm going to be showing almost everything I've got, the cumulus cells are going to hang under the stairs and hopefully I'll be able to hang my pods up somewhere as well. A lot of my 3D and book work is going to be shown in glass cabinets and so far I've got 12 framed pieces to hang as well. I'm hoping to frame my security blanket but it might cost to much.

# 10 [10 March 2010]

I've been writing descriptions of my work for the show. It's more difficult than I thought it would be. I was used to talking about my work when I was on the degree course, but I've got out of the habit. Anyway I'm getting there.