Fifteen and counting!

Fifteen weeks...thats all I have left of my BA studies...after 6 years in Full time education doing various courses (which I've absolutely loved...on the whole!) I face the prospect of returning to 'the real world' in July. I've loved being a student, and wish I could become a 'professional' one!! Still, all good things must come to end.

Another 'little' annoyance that adds another straw to the camel's back...

so, the Mountcutter didn't turn up yesterday, resulting in no portfolio images mounted until next weekend at the latest, in case it turns up during the week. I have sat next to my phone from 8.00am Saturday morning until now (9pm Sunday evening), awaiting the phone call agreed by my 'practising artist', so that I may ask interview questions for my professional practise unit...and no phone call recieved (slightly annoyed that we have a task for our degree that ultimately control has been taken from me...I am reliant on someone elses input to complete the task and no-one is 'playing ball').
The only positive outcome of the weekend is that I think I got the beginnings of a spectacular idea for an the final year exhibition! whoo hooo (just gotta try and stop the tutors from putting lots of negative putdowns on it!)

Mounting excitements leads to....

growing disappointment! the nice postman delivered my parcel but it was bereft of my Mountcutter!! I have 10 days to get all my selected images mounted for my portfolio and no idea when my mountcutter will now turn up! (so much for the professional finish for my 'professional practise' unit - which is slowing turning into a hideous nightmare)
Slightly miffed that the online art supplier did not mention that this one item of my order was not in stock when I placed the order...even more miffed that they have been unable to tell me when I might receive it on my invoice. Amazon have been just as bad recently...lots of little annoyancies are really beginning to dampen my already deflated mood!

Mounting excitement...

Spent an age this morning comparing prices of mount cutters...I know how to live! As a lowly student, I can't afford the all singing all dancing versions that also do the washing up, so I've settled on a small handheld £20 version. Hopefully the nice postman will deliver it on Saturday so that I can start mounting my selected pieces for my portfolio... the fun just keeps rolling in at this house! :-)

figuratively speaking...

I've spent what feels like the bulk of the weekend trying to sort out my portfolio. I've dragged out the old one from a few years ago, and some more recent bits - spread them all out around the floor and selected what I feel are the better pieces... and it would appear that I feel all my figurative work...protraits and self portraits, paintings and sketches...are where my preference and better work lies. Some may think its not my best work...but I do. Now the question is...do I go with my gut feeling, take ownership of my work and present these personal 'best bits', or do I put in what has been well recieved by my tutors (which is not necessarily the same thing?!...)

Latest piece....

Untitled

20x30cms

Inkjet prints

2010

Artist Statement

The majority of my work is autobiographical and stems from a creative practise that often takes a critical view of both social and cultural issues regarding the female condition in contemporary Western society.
Recently my work has been challenging the complex identities of female parenthood and childlessness by juxtaposing the mass and iconic image of the mother to the rarely seen childless or childfree womon, which in turn establishes debate and challenges the idea of mass production, reproduction and consumerism. The blurring of these issues and boundaries are realised in the combining of traditional art practises with contemporary materials.

On paper...I'm brilliant!

I've spent the morning tweeking my C.V and producing a cover letter as part of my 'Professional Practise' Unit. I'm 'applying' for the position of Gallery Assistant...and not only have managed to convince myself that I want this voluntary post, I've also managed to convice myself that they'd be mad not to at least give me an interview!!!! hahaha - the fact that this is a genuine position and is in Cambridge brings me back to reality!

Arshile Gorky (Tate Modern) & Van Gogh (Royal Academy) exhibition visits

Arshile Gorky retrospective: well worth the entry fee (I got a concession as I'm a student - the till lady REALLY scrutinized my student ID card too!) but the ticket man at the entrance was a bit of a jobsworth though which was disappointing, all I wanted was the little mini tour guide that you usually get at these things but was told that I couldn't have one as I had only bought a concessionry ticket!..if I wanted one, I would have to pay and extra £1.50 - whats the point of a concessionry ticket then?!...somehow though I did end up with one, not sure if it was the look of disbelief/death I gave or the 'jobsworth' comment I made that might have been within earshot!! so, complimentry tour guide in hand, I walked around this amazing exhibition making my curation notes like a good little student! Found the drawings/studies for his paintings more interesting than the paintings themselves (but I've always 'struggled' with abstract/abstract expressionism...its a frustation thing...I look and think 'I could do that', but I know that I can't because I've tried! but I can still appreciate its formal qualities) but his portrait paintings, especially of him and his mum, where just amazing. Love 'em, love 'em, LOVE 'EM!! excellently curated exhibition, calming, light and spacious to appreciate the work both up close n personal and at a distance.
oh, if only the same could be said for the Van Gogh exhibition at the RA!! You know things are gonna be a bit 'busy' when the queue to buy tickets stretches WAYYYYY outside! Luckily we had pre booked college ones and were able to go straight in. However, it is sooo dark, so closely curated and SOOO flipping packed that out of the 8 (I think there are 8) rooms, I saw approximately 2 pieces close up and in detail in each room...which is not so good considering the sheer volume of work in each room. I did at least get to see some of the letters he wrote to Theo with the most amazing sketches on, which is what I wanted to see, and some works that I'd not seen before, but to be honest, I prefered seeing his work in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Generally it was far far Far too busy and crowded which would have irrated me far more than it did had I had to pay for the ticket.
Still, the exhibition catalogue is good and it was a lovely day out!

when it doesn't do what it says on the tin!

Popped into college this morning to check out the 'test-tube' Pinocchio, only to discover that the glass glue that should have set in a few minutes, was still 'struggling' to keep some of the test tubes in place 6 days later!!!. The pieces that did set looks brilliant, no sight or trace of glass glue anywhere. I have now used good old clear bostick to see how that looks when I go in tomorrow...it immediately 'felt' better but I suspect I'm going to be able to see nasty glue marks everywhere. Will find out tomorrow!...I the love 'experimental' processes that come out in my art work - sometimes more that the work itself.

How to reduce a normally sane, balanced and positive individual into a snotty, quivering wreck in just 2 words...

HARVARD REFRENCING :'-(