It has been an interesting few days; some bits very good and other bits that make me feel I should review the direction that things are moving in. What has been good? I have enjoyed the opportunity afforded by clearing out my workspace for Surrey Open Studios, to see work in another context and to see it make connections. I have begun to think about making new work again instead of being so stretched by the 'stuff to do' that I can't look ahead. I am pleased with the work that the children in my workshop group have made; it's coming together now really well and they have made it their own rather than being too much like my work. I ran a workshop for the public as part of the Open Studios and met a really nice group of people who were fun to be with and enjoyed the day too. I have liked meeting people and discussing my work. I realize that I have missed this aspect of 'being the artist'. What has been bad is the growing thought that I am getting very bogged down in the kind of working practice that gets me to enable others to do things rather than making meaningful things myself. I worry about the two extremes that I lurch between. On one hand making consumable artifacts and on the other being involved in work where the value of the artist has to be measured in 'utility'.
