Diary of an Art Historian

Back in the UK, slowly recovering from jetlag/brain-freeze, have set up a makeshift ‘office’ in my parents back bedroom, where I’m staying until I finish my dissertation and figure out what to do next.

I miss my US-based partner like crazy, and am trying to distract myself with work and with long walks around the sheep farm near my parents’ house. I missed lambing season, and missed the harvest, which is disappointing. But the Autumnal breeze, and the flapping leaves, are gorgeous nonetheless.

I recently subscribed to a-n for the first time in a few years. I *just* qualified for the artist rate, which I’m really thrilled about – having a Fine Art degree, several exhibitions to my name and several (albeit small) paid painting and drawing commissions.

This feels like a real step forward for me in terms of reasserting my creative identity, calling myself an artist, or at least a person who makes things and writes stories (Louise Bourgeois did both of those things!)

I’m looking forward to making the most of those resources, and drawing more support and friendship from the a-n community – as well as giving something back!

I also just registered for a creative writing course with the OU. This shouldn’t be too much a time/energy drain as it doesn’t begin until after my dissertation deadline, and it’s the most beginnerish one they offer. It will be interesting for me to try and make sense of art and my experiences away from art in the past few years through fiction and observational word play.

Looking forward to it all.

I’ve just finished putting together a newsletter – which will be coming out monthly from now on. It will cover my travels, reading, research and activities to be an artist… If you’d like to read it click here.

I’ll try and get back to daily writing on here as I really appreciate the community and I like the opportunity to consider what I’m doing, how satisfied I am, and what changes I might make.

Anyway, much love to you all, and on with the damn dissertation!

I’m finding at the moment that dealing with disappointment is a big part of each day.

From things like cancelled interviews and publications, to struggling with insomnia and adjusting some medication I’m on in order to not feel fuzzy headed all the time, I’m having to adjust my expectations about how much I can achieve each day and what other people are supposed to do for me.

I think this is at least the second time I’ve written something like this in 2010. It’s such a hard lesson to learn, isn’t it? As artists, academics and creative people, we want always to be challenging ourselves and doing new things, expanding our horizons and abilities. Then something comes up and we’re suddenly just trying to keep head above water for a while.

Is balance and routine the answer here? Or is burnout and overwork just part of the creative life? I want to say no to that, and live in a way that keeps me healthy.