So… i’m up to date and despite hardly doing any work for the last few weeks, I am artist of the day on the Altrincham Arts Festival facebook and twitter sites : https://www.facebook.com/AltrinchamArtsFestival
The rest of the time though….
3 October. Work day. Reception desk. All I can say is that it was my last day working the Chagall exhibition and it was totally stressful and chaotic, thanks to the lack of organisation by visiting tutors. I do despair sometimes at the attitude of some of them. I don’t know if it’s because they have been teaching for years and they are bored with it all or what – but not reading gallery rules, researching the exhibition or worse still – not talking to their students beforehand ( or during their visit!) beggars belief. Let’s hope they are better in their own environments.
It’s weird having 4 days off now. Friday was my normal day off but I’d booked leave Sat + Sun for a bit of a break. Then I was invited to artist’s consultation in Manchester on Monday, so I had to take another day off. Panicking that I was taking too much leave in one go, I tried to cancel Sunday’s day off as I didn’t really need it. I suppose really I should consider the ‘casual’ staff who may not get work again for awhile ( Short term contract and casual staff are brought for the Big exhibitions, not between) So I’ll just take the day off, use it wisely and let someone else earn some money.
Couldn’t do much in evening as I watching a leather settee on EBay and was desperate to win it. Obviously I didn’t’ need to watch it for so long, but such is the obsession the site creates.
‘Won’ the settee for £44 !!
4 Oct. Day off. Quite a bit of correspondence about crowdfunding. Advice…etc, in response to my last post – very grateful for that, so thanks to all that got in touch. Rest of day scrubbing floor as dog had peed on it and clearing room ready for ‘new’ settee to arrive tomorrow. My old one smelt awful due to dog sick and I was fed up scrubbing it down and spraying it endlessly with frabeze, which just makes it smell worse.
5 Oct. Picked up eBay settee – it fitted into my brother’s car, but only just, with the open door tightly secured with rope. Fortunately, it was only a 10 min journey. Yeah! Comfortable and (at the moment) dog smell free!! The old settee (which was bigger) hid a multitude of items I was storing ‘just in case’. Bits of wood…large folded down boxes etc etc. Threw them out, which in turn led to a massive sort out trying to find spaces for my ever increasing work. Wish I had a studio away from my house, but I really think I would only need it for storage. Can’t justify spending circa £100 a month just for that. Solved a bit of the problem by recycling old work and sending it out again, but that’s only a small percent. Really need to think of a solution here before I get buried alive by all my boxes.
Blank Postcard sent from Cornerstone gallery, for me to design, for their Charity auction. Can’t think what to do now so regret offering.
6 Oct. Glad I didn’t cancel my leave. Today was glorious and I’d slept like a log for the first time in ages. One of my work colleague said how difficult is to switch off after a work day and begin drawing. It is hard to constantly switch – from working, teaching, being a parent etc to doing our work. I don’t know what the solution is. It often takes me a few days to adjust – which is probably why I finally got a good nights sleep last night. I spend the time doing other things until I can work again, like catching up with admin, sorting, cleaning or whatever. To be doing something is better than doing nothing.
Did quite a bit of my own work today though and started packing things away ready to be transported. Next week is back to work in all senses…delivering and installing. I’ve had my break.
