A Sudden Flurry of Admin. Work

Drawing, How Many Wondrous Days, seems apt for this post today!

Having been informed I had been selected to appear as a featured artist on a web site some months ago, I excitedly emailed off all the information they asked of me.  I was a bit disappointed not to hear anything for what is, I think, a couple of months but it is not in my nature to hassle people unduly, so I didn't email and enquire if all was well.  I just philosophically assumed that perhaps, after seeing the work, they thought it was not for them!  (Artists' low self confidence kicking in, you note).

Imagine my delight yesterday morning, when I received an email from them apologising for the delay and asking for some more info., with links to the proof pages as they appear so far for me to look at!  The pages are looking good; only a couple of minor mistakes and I am very much looking forward to having them go live.  Once they do, I will post details so you can see for yourselves.

Meanwhile I have also spent considerable hours filling out an application to be considered for an entry in Chrysalis Arts' Directory.  http://www.chrysalisarts.org.uk/  

Chrysalis Arts' Rick Faulkner came over last Wednesday evening to the Dutch House http://www.dutchhouseyorkshire.com  to give Ryedale ArtWorks http://www.ryedaleartworks.com  a presentation about the work they do.  I have to admit that I had previously been very confused about all the different aspects of their work but now feel I understand the organisation much better.  I am pondering on some ideas that they might be able to help me with. . .

The next application I am going to make (and I have been prevaricating on this one for over eighteen months or longer), is to AXIS.  This is to me, a very important step; serious artists are here; the site gives artists access to wider recognition and I consider it time for me to join their ranks.  I know I don't have as much experience as many of those represented on this site but I know my work is good enough now, particularly since I was accepted for SKETCH 13.  It is remarkable how a little success boosts my confidence and sense of myself as an artist.

Gouache study, no longer extant, because it got painted over, but which I still refer to with thoughts for a large painting. . . .

Thanks!

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to visit my blog; I have just had my 9000th view!  I really appreciate the fact that you are interested in what I am up to.

Speaking of which - since I last posted, my studio is now back to being a tidy (and clean) environment in which to work.  I have spent three solid days vacuuming, wiping, sorting and generally organising everything into the new storage units.

The studio has gone from this:

To this:

So, once a family weekend is out the way, I shall be sharing my time between home, where I still have some window frames and doors to paint, and the studio, developing ideas for some prints and artists books.  Should keep me out of mischief for a while!

There are still one or two things I want to do in order to improve the insulation and make the space less draughty in the winter, but the most important thing is; I can get on with my work.

I have a contact who might actually be able to work with me to produce a web site as well; the last one turned out to not be particularly reliable so I am glad I found that out before I had handed over any of my hard earned cash.

There are some old paintings I found packed in a large box, which had been in storage since I moved to North Yorkshire, and I shall spend some time cleaning them up a bit and think about getting some of the better ones framed up.  They are more landscape based than my current work, so they might sell; I need to buy some paint.

If you are a regular visitor to this blog, why not become a follower?  You would be very much appreciated.

The next blog will contain lots of pictures; I am a fan of more pictures than writing, much more interesting!

Storage!

My purposely trashed studio, with everything from the open shelves or beneath my trestles now on the floor!

I've been wittering on about getting the studio organised so that I can find things instead of endlessly walking up and down looking for them, wasting precious time, for a while now.

The guys came out to the studio the other evening to assess what extra materials I need in order to get the job done.  I am really excited, because the job won't take them too long to complete (it would have taken me and my not so willing assistant ages), and it is not going to cost me too much - I'll have quite a sum of my precious earnings from the Ryedale Open left!  Work starts out at the studio on Sunday morning, they don't think it will take them long; I hope not, because I am going out to Stef and Ian Mitchell's (Duckett and Jeffreys), in the afternoon to the Andrew Tyzack talk about mezzotint and to see their print show.

I will soon be the proud owner of 4 units, each about 1m wide, on casters so that they can be moved about easily, each with shelving for storage and worktop.  Is it wrong to be excited about storage units?   I have been going to bed planning in my head where to put things, the best use of the space etc.  Sad.  But not, because it will make such a difference to how I can use the space!  And I will be able to put my huge pin board up on the wall above where the units will be, which will hide the stone wall, making it even lighter!

After discussing my requirements with one of the sales team at Castors Online,( http://www.castors-online.co.uk) , I ordered medium strength ones with the front two of each unit having locks to keep them from shifting while I work.  The order was with me within 24 hours of placing it and I can heartily recommend this company.

I am really looking forward to getting everything put away and starting my new print work and artists books.  Feeling strangely gleeful and excited at the prospect.  

Clearing the wall space, in preparation to receive the new storage units.


http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/previewPost/3653951

A Trip to a Scarborough Artists' Studio

It was hot and sunny last Thursday as Sue Slack, Andrea Bailey, both artists and members of Ryedale ArtWorks and I set out for Scarborough.  The purpose of our trip was to visit Andrew Cheetham, a painter, whose studio is on West Pier, in a fisherman's shed. This shed just happens to have a ladder as its only access and I have to admit that I was worried that Andrea might have trouble getting up it as she is an elderly lady.  

Andrea made it up the steps with no problem!

I need not have worried - Andrea mounted those metal steps with much agility and care! She is indeed a most wondrous woman and artist.  Not only that, she had baked some lovely buns at about midnight, to go with the tea and coffee that Andrew so kindly provided.  I love that woman - she is so full of the joy of life and such a talented painter!

It was good to finally meet Andrew properly; I have been aware of his work for some time, I have seen it at various venues, usually at open exhibitions and it has always drawn me to it.  There is something about the way Andrew uses paint that shows someone who relishes the very stuff of it, and who cares about tonality and colour.  We chatted about the difficulty of finding decent gallery spaces to show work because all the existing ones up here in North Yorkshire are geared to showing a broad range of artists and makers, geared to tourism, and who can blame them, especially in this difficult economic climate? Andrew has the added problem of needing to earn a living, which means he undertakes commissions and this is preventing him from developing his practice as he'd like.  We talked about applying for funding and bursaries, a little desultarily if I'm honest but we managed to have a laugh too.  http://andrewcheetham.com/  I found it interesting that Andrew prefers, like me, to paint on a solid surface; we both hate the "bounce" of a stretched canvas and the fact that if you are not careful, you pick up the edges of the stretcher frame with the paint.

Andrew's studio, with a painting at the underpainting stage and a canvas ready to be started.

We left Andrew in peace to start a small canvas, which is a commission and made our way to the Stephen Joseph Theatre, where Sue Slack is showing some work.  I helped her put the new labels on and then we went for some well earned lunch before we set off for home.  It was only the second trip I have had out with fellow artists since I moved up here and I realised just how much I have missed it.

http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/3638361  I am delighted that my new blog on the Artists Talking section of an's web site has had 3 comments posted already, and they are all very encouraging so my instinct that a blog on a site for artists would elicit more of a response was correct.  Why did it take me so long to gather the courage to go for it?

All images copyright the artist, all rights reserved.

Studio Unusable - time for research and a new blog

My studio is currently unusable because I have trashed it, but in a positive way - all the shelves have been emptied, contents now residing on the floor and I am awaiting the construction of my storage units.  I have contacted "Kingy" the chippy, who has been working on our house and asked him to come out and give me advice and a rough idea of how much it will cost me to improve them.  

The units are currently a series of open shelving that used to reside in the sixth form college I worked in for ten years.  (They were going to dump then when the new purpose built studios were built, so I requisitioned them, to the detriment of my car's suspension!) Each shelf is large enought to take an A1 portfolio. Being in the department, which was dry they had no need of a backs or cupboard fronts, which is what I now need to protect the contents from the damp and dirt in my old converted farmbuilding studio.  I am still getting grain falling from the ceiling rafter gaps as well as the usual cobwebs and insects and it is very damp during winter months.  I am also planning to have the height reduced to allow for putting the sections on casters.  The units, if in roughly 1m widths and on casters will provide me with flexible work space that can then be trundled up a ramp onto a van if I ever move to another space.  That's the plan anyway; I have most of the timber we'll need so I just hope it won't cost me too much!

Meanwhile, I have been catching up with some Ryedale ArtWorks business, welcoming potential new members and planning future events with the upcoming funding from Ryedale District Council in mind.  


New Blog!
I have also begun a new blog on the Artists Talking section of the much improved an website:  http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/3638361
I confess to not fully engaging with the an site up to now, despite being a paid up member, it was not that easy to use and I always ended by giving up when trying to access information. (I am very impatient with web sites!)  However, it has been much improved and I am feeling more confident that I can access what I need, which is a good thing because the site is indispensible for any aspiring, serious artist. 
http://www.a-n.co.uk/

In my first post I have provided a brief context for my situation as an artist starting out on a serious programme of art making and exhibiting so very late in the day.  From there on, I shall document my progress as I develop new work and try to find new exhibiting opportunities.  I figured that having my blog within an artists community, I am more likely to encounter like minded creatives and develop my network of contacts.  The opportunities pages are also something I really need to keep a closer eye on from now on.  

This renewed sense of purpose has in part come from being selected for the prestigious SKETCH 13 exhibition.  http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com/sketch-2013.html  It seems to me that it is the first tentative step on the next rung up to being considered a serious artist.  I know that I will still suffer the enormous frustrations and periods of self doubt that seems par for the course for artists, but by documenting my experiences, and progress, I at least will be able to reflect back and learn from the whole bloody process!

Note: the new an publication Signpost is a really very useful source of information, I have read it from front to back and recommend it heartily, especially to newly graduated artists.  

The flip version: http://www.a-n.co.uk/an_docs/signpost_2013.flip/                        

Or the pdf version:  http://www.a-n.co.uk/publications/document/3577078f 



I am using the time out of the studio to read, read, read: other artists' blogs, interesting articles about painting, anything that is relevant to my current situation that might be useful.  

I am very much hoping to get back into the studio and begin new work within the next couple of weeks. Watch this space.

The incredible tightness of being. . . an artist

What I call "the other life", i.e.: family commitments, paid work, is an enormous work deflector.  

It causes such a break in my train of thoughts and their physical manifestations - drawings, paintings, that, when the intensely busy period is over and I am finally able to turn my attention to the studio and the endless search for further exhibiting opportunities, I find that if I am not careful, I freeze, unable to do anything!

Is this a common problem?  Anyone?

Even the little triumphs that happen along the way, the recent selection for Sketch 13, in my case, does nothing to avert the awful nagging, looming cloud of self doubt that seems ever present, waiting to engulf me the minute my thoughts become in any way unsure.

So, today, instead of worrying about this, the need for more work space, the fact that I have not seen my parents for ages, (I could go on but I won't), I shall make a positive move.  I shall fill my car with some of the stuff that needs to go out to my studio and go out there and spend some time organising the space, ready to start developing some of the prints that I have had in mind for a while.

At least then I will have done something positive with what is in danger of becoming a falling off the cliff of self doubt day!  Actions always make me feel better, and once started on the reorganising of the mess that has become my studio space post solo exhibition and moving of storage units out there, I'll be in a more positive frame of mind to actually start the new work!

And with that statement, I shall go. . . . .   I'll muse on how it went later.  I would be very interested to hear how other artists feel about this too, so if you read this, please post a comment!

All rights reserved

HUZZAH! My book has been accepted for SKETCH 2013

I am delighted that my Chinese sketch book, entitled "Control, Chaos, Counting, Dreaming", has been accepted for SKETCH 2013.

It is the first time I have entered this prestigious open submission and I am excited that the exhibition will tour.  

It opens at Rabley Drawing Centre, Marlborough, Wiltshire http://www.rableydrawingcentre.com/  on Monday 16th September and continues until Saturday 12th October.  

From there it goes to Black Swan Arts Centre, Frome, Somerset in January to February 2014 and finishes at Plymouth College of Art from 17th March to 11th April 2014.

To see devlopment shots of this book click on this link to my facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.503294246416852.1073741831.351715314908080&type=3