ARTISTS TALKING

# 1 [4 July 2010]

The fellowship blog I've been writing over the past year became the place that I talked about anything else I was doing. So I thought as the fellowship is over except for the exhibition I'd be better setting up a blog about my every day life as an artist. I'm not saying it's going to be an exciting read though, my life isn't very interesting!

# 2 [6 July 2010]

No artwork today, just tax returns. my head is already spinning and I'm no where near done yet. I wish I could be more organised.

# 3 [8 July 2010]

I like my work to be monotonous, I feel I've really achieved something when it's really been a slog. One of the girls from my degree course once told me I was anal in the way I produce my work, this is probably the most precise description of me I have ever heard.  

The new pieces I've been working on for the fellowship show are getting to me though. I keep avoiding working on them because it takes so long to complete a section and not only is it boring but because I'm rolling paper it makes my hands ache.

# 4 [12 July 2010]

I applied for a place on the residency programme for the Royal Standard in Liverpool last week, and I've just heard I didn't get one of them. I'm absolutely gutted, I was sure I wouldn't get chosen but I was still hoping. I wasn't just hoping for it because of the art opportunity though but also because I don't get paid in August so it would have sorted that problem out as well. Never mind, onto something new.

# 5 [17 July 2010]

I only have one day left in work before breaking up for the summer. It's strange, I feel as I did during my degree at this time of year, with six weeks off for my imagination to stall. Although I don't work on my own art in work it defentely helps to keep the ideas flowing being in an art environment.

I've still got lots on the go at the moment though, I'm still busy getting ready for the fellowship show in October, with three different artworks to complete. I've had a break from that for a few days, I dug out the instructions my print tutor Michelle Rowley wrote on hardback bookmaking and have been busy making books since Thursday. I could remember how to stitch the pages together and attach new thread but I couldn't remember the measurement rules at all. Anyway I've cut enough pages for about twenty books but I've only completed three. The first to be finished was promised to my daughter and the the other completed ones were made for the art teachers I work for as an end of year thank you. So none made for sale yet but they'll be ready soon.

I'm off to help my friend move her work into her new studio today and then I'm going for a long swim at the gym.

# 6 [18 July 2010]

I went over to Liverpool yesterday to help my friend move her work into her new studio. What a great space she has got, loads of room, but she needs better lighting. I need to be earning more so I can afford one too! I'm always having to move my work off the couch so the family can sit down in the living room! My dining room table is covered in work, as is the space under the table and my bedroom is full of boxes. The problem is I can't part with my work. I still have some of my degree show work, I'm sure I can recycle it into new work somehow. Who am I kidding it'll still be there when the kids leave home, hey, I'll be able to spread out even further then.

# 7 [20 July 2010]

I've wasted so much of the day today by going to the gym but finally I can catch up with other stuff now. Just had a long chat with a great friend from my degree course, she's really good at motivating me, so I'm going to spend the rest of the day getting stuck into my art projects rather than the housework.

I've been working on various things over the last couple of days, some applications for the independants biennial, a design for a bag for life and the rolled paper project, which is driving me mad, but I can finally see some progress with it now.  I think that's what I'm going to get stuck into this afternoon. I was going to make them into wall pieces but they are started to take on unexpected shapes so I might start joining them together when I've got enough and see what happens.

# 8 [29 July 2010]

I've been away for the weekend, what a disaster with two visits to A+E, which led to the break being cut short and very little being done since. So last night was the first chance I had to start working again. I've mainly been concerntrating on the work for the fellowship show, but I've also been experimenting with plastic bags. I've wanted to do something with them for ages and keep trying things out but they always look obviously like plastic bags. Anyway I think I may have cracked it. I wanted to create something that resembled dying coral, this I haven't achieved but I have created something very delicate, yet adaptable in shape and possibly movement. But I don't know how yet. I'm really excited about it and as usual want to put everything else to one side. I need to prioritise though, so back to working with rolled paper for now.

# 9 [2 August 2010]

I've just been reading my most recent posts, I find this helpful when I'm not being focused, which happens regularly, especially this time of year when I've broken up from school.

I didn't go back to working on the rolled paper project at all as I've written in my last post. I've been working on the plastic bag project ever since. I'm going to submit it as a proposal if I can get a substantial amount done so that it'll photograph well.

Besides that I haven't done much, I went for an hour swim today and whilst I was swimming I planned out the proposal, a statement and a few new ideas for projects, but by the time I'd walked home I couldn't remember any of them. It's always when I'm swimming or sleeping that I have my best ideas. I have a notepad by my bed so I can jot things down when I wake up, maybe a should start taking one to the gym too!

# 10 [5 August 2010]

I've been really busy the last few days working in my Mums shop because there's been loads of funeral work to do. Today has been the first day I've been able to concentrate on art projects so I gave myself almost the whole day (besides cooking tea etc).

I finished writing a proposal this evening and today I started working on the illegal logging pieces again as I haven't done anything with them since they where in The Gallery Liverpool and I haven't got anywhere near the number I want.