Open For Business 2011

This was my first time at an event like this, I've done art fairs, open weekends and art trails, exhibitions and projects, but never an event that was more of a trade show for new businesses. For me it was a chance to show how I have developed my practice over the last year, I have worked hard and taken advantage of as much information on offer, attended workshops, done emotional intelligence tests, got a business plan, and can now stand in front of anybody and talk about the selling points of my artwork. It has been a very valuable year for me in developing the confidence to believe in my own abilities.

At lunchtime, we had our own glamorous Mrs Overall serving us sandwiches, needless to say, in a room which had several stands of artists, she was mobbed. We know how to fulfill the stereotype of the starving genius's...

I had a wander round after lunch and chatted to a few other businesses, but felt I needed to be at my own stand more, during my walk, I managed to totally miss the Mayor of Derby so he didn't get to speak to me.

By 2.30, Andrew had arrived to take over from me, so I quickly changed my hat from artist business woman to school run yummy mummy, and picked up the freshly educated children. In response to my chirpy questions of 'So what have you done today' I was treated to the usual grumbles of 'nothing, can we have some food?'

So back to the Enterprise Centre, where I instructed the twins to look hungry and go and stare at people with cakes on their stands. It worked and they came back with cupcakes, lollies and sweets. I'm so proud of them. I just need to work on their blagging at the off license skills.

We were home by half 6 and following tea, homework and bedtime stories, packed lunch making, more homework (this time learning french for the exchange student coming on Thursday with my 12 year old), I eventually collapsed into a bottle of red medicinal wine.

I thoroughly enjoyed Monday, I got to catch up with fellow artists I hadn't seen for a couple of years, make new friends, join a life drawing class, eat lots of yummy food and best of all, my ego has had a massive boost from all the compliments. I love Jayne Sanders for saying my work was John Piper-ish nowadays.

Busy doing nothing...

I could put a song on about this... but I posted it to facebook instead. I started my sketchbook for the sketchbook project this week, only done one drawing so far, but it is started. I've also done some painting, not happy with one of them, so I've done my usual thing, put it away for about a year then I'll get it out and think its not so bad and redo it. I've also transferred my website domain to a new provider which I've been meaning to do for at least six months, so I'm very pleased with that. I can now have a much more intuitive site to use, I've found google sites hard to navigate and clunky to use, so I am heading over to wordpress. I've also finished another mixed media painting. I'm enjoying applying myself to old buildings, I wanted to go up to Wingfield Manor and do some preliminary sketches, but they are only open for guided tours nowadays. I'm wondering whether to contact them and see if I can gain some access.

I now have to go and put all lovely art materials away, they may be too tempting for the hoards of children coming home for a birthday tea tonight!

New Sketchbook!

Just received my sketchbook for the sketchbook project, I'm looking forward to getting on with it, I chose the subject 'fold and stitch', so will be doing some new experiments in it. I may take it with me to the Tin Ladies Non Birthday Meeting today... it would be good to do some scribbling and eating non birthday cake at the same time.

I've been drawing and using dyes a lot lately. I really enjoy doing this and can loose myself in that flow when drawing, that I can't achieve in other ways, the above image is one that I did last week. I've joined a website that is an artists community and had to pay to subscribe, this is forcing me to produce work as I am inherently quite tight with money, so I want to get my full use out of the site. It's also brought out my competitive side, which I usually keep dormant, I find myself wanting to be at the number 1 spot!

The second image is my interpretation of a photograph I took of some rocks. I enjoyed playing with Oil & Acrylics last weekend and this was the result. I'm enjoying working with mixed media for now.

I've just done the online application for The Sketchbook Project. I'm quite excited about it, I've opted for the subject 'stitches and folds' and will be experimenting to see what happens. I'm already trying to figure out how I can get a sketchbook into my embelliishing machine... I will have to fill this sketchbook by January 2012, and post it off to the US, where it will tour around the world with other artists sketchbooks. I heard about it last year, but didn't take part, so this year have taken the plunge. I am setting myself achieveable challenges that will get me out of the house over the winter months as this is when I tend to withdraw and hibernate, which isn't good for me. I really looking forward to getting my sketchbook.

The above image is my first experiment with mixing the two mediums of textile and mosaic. Over the next couple of months I'll be developing these pieces into abstract images and seeing what comes out. Its a way of combining different techniques that I really enjoy using and hopefully make something that is aesthetically pleasing with some context.

Busy September

Its been a busy start to September. I could write a list, but its too long. Needless to say, the first things that get put at the bottom of the pile is the artwork and creativity. Which makes me feel like an adminstrator and not an artist. But I have just cleared some headspace to be making again. I also have a commission so that will force me to start making again. To make sure I keep doing something creative in between all the paperworky stuff, I have joined a website that I can post images to, I have had to pay for this so it forces me to do it because I don't have a lot of disposable income, so I want to get my moneys worth. I've submitted two funding applications for Corridor Arts which feels quite exciting, more on how that progresses. I had an attempt at John Piper style of working after the exhibition in Eastbourne, of course the outcome was nothing like his, but I quite liked my outcome.

Part of supporting my creative inspiration, is to get out into the countryside, which is abundant with foraging opportunities and after making the sloe gin, blackberry brandy, damson vodka, I've still got enough fruit to make some jam. Ah domestic bliss.

Summer Travels

Its been a wonderful summer holidays. As I have 3 school age children, obviously I have to stop working for 6 weeks over the summer when they are off school.

Actually, I don't know how to stop working, its integral to my lifestyle.

I've had a child free break when we travelled down to East Sussex to visit some friends, and discovered the wonderful Towner Gallery. There's a John Piper exhibition and I managed to contain my excitement and look grown up, staring at paintings thoughtfully, while secretly my heart was thundering inside my chest and the urge to stroke and lick the paintings grew stronger with every image. I managed to contain myself though. Also on show was a piece by Claire Morgan, who is evokes a thought provoking visceral reaction whenever I see her work. I don't have the words to do either of the artists mentioned justice, so heres a link to the Towner Gallery. Its well worth a visit.

http://www.townereastbourne.org.uk/

Then last week, a return to my family home on Anglesey, where we got soaked in sea fully clothed one day, soaked by the rain up a mountain the next and by the third day, I gave in and took my clothes off for a bracing but liberating dip in the sea. It had become obvious that the water wanted me to join it, so I thought it best to give in and keep my clothes dry.

We also visited the old mansion house that is hidden away in the woods near my parents house, its in a dangerous and dilapidated state, but that doesn't stop us trekking through the mud and trees just for some photos and to see what gifts the patriarchal stone wants to bestow on his prodigal visitors. This old haunt always gives me treasures, bits of victorian glass, plasterwork, slate. And this time, a piece of very old speckled mirror. Who knows how long it was buried in the gardens that nature has reclaimed before being pushed to the surface for the serendipitous moment when my family and I meandered past.

Safe Art

We all sat in the Black Swann, revelling in our hard work in setting up the Art Trail, ideas were flowing, philosophical debates between the others were binging around the table. I sat and tried to absorb the intelligence that flowed around me, and not let the negative thoughts that so often determine my emotions creep in and whisper 'you're not really an artist'.

Then Jay turned to me and asked the immortal words 'how's the residency going?'

I paused, then launched into a diatribe of how I'd been feeling...

And while the words decided to network around the room and stop off at the bar for a bag of crisps, they slowly wormed their way back into my mouth, my tongue flapped around a bit more, lapping at my drink to wash away the salty crisps.

'I hate my work because its too safe!' The words jumped out of my mouth and danced mockingly on the table.

And then, with one swell foop of creative inspiration, Jay swept the contemptuous letters off the table with a vaudevillian hook.

'Hacksaw, cut em up and see what happens, do something free, thats what I'd do...'

And with one simple sentance, the audience were blown away and the show transferred to the West End.