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I didn't get to the studio last week - other things took over, I do feel like I'm juggling a lot at the moment. Lots of admin/organising on many fronts. I notice a few stress spots appearing on my jawline, which doesn't surprise me much.
Then it was Gardenboy's birthday so had a nice afternoon walk on a gloriously sunny day. We heard our first chiffchaff of the year, and saw a pair of chaffinches fighting for territory or a mate and tumbling out the the branches in a sort of feathery wrestling whirlwind. They were so caught up in their squabble we watched had a very priviledged view even for these fairly common little birds. And the gulls are at it, making babies that is, with comic noises as always.
Today I worked, Usually Monday is a day off but tomorrow I want to attend the strategic planning meeting about this: http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/10360113.D_Day_for_Falmouth_Wharves_flats_and_hotel_plan/
Practicing my angry/concerned face because my studio space is in one of these buildings. Not to mention the other businesses there. If I start on why I am opposed to it I probably won't stop, so I'll let you know how it turns out.
In happier news, I did a little interview for Cinnabar art and that's here: http://cinnabarart.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/tea-and-cake-with-beth-hutchison-art.html
I've just done another one too so will post a link as and when. I've really enjoyed doing them.
Next week I'm off to see family for a whole 7 days so things will be quiet here. I'm trying to remind myself it's a holiday instead of thinking all the stuff that I will need to catch up on here when I get back.
Hopefully I'll get a moment to blog again before I go....until then, have a good week.
So today is my day off but after running some errands, and a pretty poor night's sleep I am back at home feeling increasingly nasally and headachy - I think I've caught Gardenboy's cold. Hoping it's just tiredness but......hmm. We shall see.
Today we're going to see a talk by Andrew Cooper so I've a bus to get at half three. I can't see myself getting to the studio this afternoon. I'd quite like to curl up with a book and take nap but instead I'll get on with updating you on what I was up to last week, since it was a busy one in the studio and I think I'm ready to share.
Since the clocks have changed I've been painting a lot more, and I've moved my easel down to the space - the combination of these two things seems to have kicked started me into action (although perhaps not today!).
Just before Easter I was playing with circles. It was the beginning of something that felt like it was going somewhere but slowly. Each piece wasn't right but was another step in figuring it out. So we started with some initial ideas. Soon written off - I am not keen on these and they weren't what I was looking for but they'd given me enough to keep returning and trying again.
First off was a play with inks but a one off. Nothing to do with circles. And I quite like it.
.
Then we had some circles - some ideas really, no real pieces, they didn't quite go where I was hoping they might. But that's alright. I was definitely enjoying working upright and letting things drip.
From here things got a little better. I started looking at circles and pattern around me - lichen, potholes, stains, the navel worts which are growing out of walls everywhere at the moment. So back to the drawing board, and the results started getting interesting and more exciting - ''growing legs'' as my course tutor might say.
Some weren't that successful but I've kept them, they still have some moments in there worth thinking about.
After this one I went back to those acrylic marks I made the other week and wondered whether I couldn't find compositions within those. So I tried that too. Things are getting weirder. And I am loving it.
Now, I'm not 100% sure what exactly is going on. I have thought about process, and content, and process as content. But my head aches too much to start thinking about it more now, and anyway, I probably need to do some reading to understand it all better. I am aware I am also just going off the feeling this work is giving me - I don't completely trust the 'if it feels right it probably is' thing, because often things feel great and then the next day I can see otherwise (like with those first circle ideas). But it's been a week now and I am still buzzing over some of these so I think things are ok. I'd really like some feedback if anyone's got some.
Anyway, I have something else to get on with this week but I don't think this is quite over. I'll keep you updated.
I also took some photos of my studio space. I think maybe when I refer to it people imagine I have some light, airy, warm, clean room, full of art and activity. It's actually a corner of an old fish processing factory (it doesn't smell of fish!) and it's quite cold but recently I've been able to borrow someone's heater - LUXURY! There are other people with spaces too but I don't see them much which I don't mind - I thought being around other folk would help but I do quite like it when it's empty and I can play music or the radio and not worry about people seeing what I'm doing. The room is cluttered with all sorts of interesting things. There's even a boat. I took some photos.
Firstly the wildlife:
My space. It can be a dark room so I'm really happy to have a window spot:
From the window:
Around the room:
I almost forgot to say I'm in this http://www.britainsgotartists.com/britain/gallery3.html and you can vote by email which is always nice. So please do.
I've been scratching around for a couple of weeks (I think that's a term I picked up from Twyla Tharpe's 'Creative Habit' - she uses it as a term for going to galleries, shows, collecting things, reading - finding inspiration I suppose. I think of it in relation to paint pushing, mark making - that intuitive, no ambition activity I do when I need to create but don't know what...) and it seems to have worked in that I have found a hook, something which is keeping me at the studio a little longer and a little more often than normal. And yet, I don't really want to blog about it.
It's not for fear of it being crap, since if you've read much of this blog you'll know that failed images don't really bother me any more, I believe I have (mostly) reconditioned my brain to regard failures as something quite positive. In fact, if it does turn out to be crap, you'll probably be the first to hear about it. I will be on here telling the world hey look, this didn't work either! That's quite alright.
This is more a feeling of keeping it close, keeping the relationship between me and something that feels like it is germinating quite private and intimate while I feel my way about it. In fact, on walking back from the studio, it did seem that it was just like planting seeds under cover and letting them grow a good root system before putting them out. It's been a cold spring and still is.
It's happened once before on the MA when I had a sudden change of direction, this same feeling. This one isn't a big change though. But it's got me hooked at least and I'm just letting it take the time it needs, and perhaps I need.
Does this feel all very mysterious? It's not meant to, I'm not trying to be.
I do feel the need to show you something, though, and I did come across Shinishi Maruyama's recent dance photography, which is utterly beautiful.
...is something I heard said once while I was drawing a dance class. I've probably said this before.
Anyway, that's what I did this afternoon. I had an urge make marks and push paint around, and in acrylic too which isn't usually my thing (at least not in the thick, neat way - I usually water it down) just for the sake of it. I've pinned them up in the studio, not because I'm especially pleased with them, but more to help make the space my own and have something to look at when I am in there which will (hopefully) gear me up a bit when I arrive.
I listened to some old swing and big band stuff, didn't think very hard, except to wonder why Ella Fitzgerald was so careless as to lose her yellow basket if it was that precious to her, and ponder what she might do to the girl who found it if she ever meets her.
The two larger ones were just to use up the paint in my pallet. Three hours passed very easily and quickly.
'Design invites' - ticked off my list.
So I have a problem with how the magpie in the tree is a bit too big and doesn't quite seemed to be sitting in it naturally at all, and the unintentional horizontal line across the image which stops the top and bottom bits meshing together properly...reminding me that this was 4 images arranged together on Photoshop...but I had much lower expectations than this, so for the sake of FINALLY HAVING IT DONE I think I'll leave it there.
Time to get productive again as with everything else going on the art isn't getting the same level of attention as it's been used to since September (and there was always room for improvement then too) so hoping to redress the balance a bit with a long weekend and some time in the studio, or perhaps out to Trebah again if we get good weather. Have a picture I must start too, in fact two, for far flung aunties.
I have rallied the alumni troops together for a 12-month-on exhibition in September at the Poly in Falmouth so at some point there will be that to start thinking about properly, and I think we'll be doing something at a little festival/event/family day out thing happening in May.
And that's all the news for now....the cat is singing for her supper. Loudly, too.
It's been over a month since my last blog! Good grief.
The need to send out wedding invites is pressing. I have a plan which is where these prep pics come into it, however, having a plan often spells doom for me so we shall see whether this is one of those times or not. I have a back up idea just in case....
More on this later I expect. For now I'm tired and cold and I think I am going to light the fire.
