ARTISTS TALKING

# 58 [14 November 2007]

Radio silence doen't mean that my project has ended, rather that it has moved on to a period of concentrated work. I am aiming to complete some pieces before December although my working space at St George's has been partly taken over by people selling Christmas cards. They probably wonder what on earth I am doing and I am finding it hard to work with people constantly 'there'. However, it will all work out and one of the benefits of their presence is that the heating is on!

# 57 [30 October 2007]

The fantastic weather today has made it impossible not to feel uplifted. I have been concentrating over the last few days on papermaking and although I really enjoy the physical processes of making work it felt like a real treat to just walk and look at things. Its hard to resist the simple beauty of light on the trees and I took lots of photos. Even if it doesn't seem at the time to be connected to a specific peice of work, days like today always feed back into the work somewhere.
My walk was actually for another purpose than just being there. I was on my way to catch a train to Woking where the Lightbox was running an artist advice day with Paul Stanley (their new arc advisor). I wanted to chat about some ideas for next year and also to make some connections with people there. The Lightbox is a lovely building and potentially a great resource for artists in this part of the South East. Paul was really helpful and got me to focus on my priorities for the next few years. All I have to do now is stay focussed and carry these things out!

I've just read Alex Pearl's comment about us bloggers all being in our own little worlds, which made me smile (in recognition not derision, I hasten to add). There is something about writing about your project as it develops which makes you examine things and mull over things which wouldn't necessarily be given that kind of attention normally. Its all in that uneasy area betwen diary and publication. however I feel quite a strong interest in and connection to the other projects unfolding. So perhaps it isnt all quite as unconnected as it might seem.

# 56 [17 October 2007]

I have been too busy to update the blog until now. Its a strange irony that being 'an artist' involves so much stuff that you would think was the opposite of art. Yes, admin day (or rather admin week) rolls round again! I have been applying for things, evaluating things and publicising things for what seems an eternity (in fact only a few days). looking back at my last entry I was just off to work on a fellow artist's project for a few days. That was a very enjoyable experience, being creative, making things and not worrying about anything else. 'The Big Draw' at St George's Church was also a good experience although I did have to sort out publicity and contend with the effects of the postal strike on my mail-out. I involved a couple of other artists, Claire Rye (who will be following me as artist in residence at the church) and her friend Tom who were both brilliant and helped inspire all sorts of creativity from the people who joined us for the day. I had decided that I wasn't going to impose my view of 'drawing' on people, instead they could draw however they wanted as long as they responded to the building and the setting. We suggested some starting points and off they went! Interestingly enough a lot of people homed-in on the writing in the building and on the grave stones. In a churchyard of course, the same words appear frequently but it doesn't stop them being evocative.

# 55 [2 October 2007]

Reading the other blogs reminds me that I haven't written for a long while. There is so much to do at the moment that there seems little time to actually write about it. This week I am sending out the last press releases to the local papers about the 'Big Draw' event at St George's Church on 13 October, ordering materials for a new landscape piece and actually assisting another artist on her community art project. Back when she asked me to help, October seemed very empty, there seemed plenty of time to just have a stint of being employed for three days!
Outside in the landscape the weather is changing and I am very much looking forward to working with the new light and new colours. Back to mud I suppose! www.papertrails.org.uk

# 54 [24 September 2007]

Today being Monday is 'admin day'. I am sorting out some of the things for 'The Big Draw' and emailing all the people I need to email and writing all the stuff I need to write. Hence the blog entry! However whenever it is an admin day I always really want to make something. At the moment the rolls of paper next to my table seem really interesting. I have been mulling over the idea of working with cylinder shapes and I keep finding my eyes drifting over to them!
Last week was a mix of different things, some studio work, some meetings and some organizational stuff. Thursday was overall a good day. My meeting with Bettina was great. As part of my grant application to The Arts Council back in October last year, I had asked for funding towards mentoring for the organizational side of the project. Artsagenda (www.artsagenda.co.uk) (and Bettina, specifically,) had been suggested to me, probably because they usually deal with art in relation to a particular place or setting. I would really recommend them. Bettina has been a very positive and calming influence which is handy when you are dealing with a project like this one which can be influencd by so many things entirely outside of your control. On Thursday as usual she helped me to focus and prioritize things and the chaos of conflicting and competing things to do settled into a calm and acquiescent list. However out in the real world British Rail was doing its usual thing and I was half an hour late to my meeting and the return journey took at least two hours longer than it should have.

On Friday I was 'in residence' and as usual had a few visitors some of whom were people who had been in before and wanted to check on progress. The church was being organized for an evening piano recital on Saturday. Chairs and tables were bing moved round and there was an air of bustle. It was enjoyable to see the preparations and to attend an event there that had nothing to do with me. I could have my glass of wine and chat to people and listen to beautiful music with no lurking thoughts about what I should have done.

# 53 [19 September 2007]

I am gearing up to "The Big Draw" on 13 October here at St George's. I hope the day works as well as as it could. Its almost impossible to anticipate which events will be eagerly seized upon by people and which will find no takers. I think people just get too busy. Anyway before that I am having a talk with my mentor, Bettina, tomorrow in Brighton with the aim of looking at where this year could lead. Also I'll be reporting back on the various events that have happened since June when we met last.
In terms of work, I am becoming very interested in the route of a stream that runs through Arbrook Woods and want to do something in relation to it. I find it very difficult balancing planning ahead and working now. When I try to do both I find myself doing neither very well. Which is where Bettina comes in!

# 52 [9 September 2007]

Friday, Saturday and today I have been at St George's Church. It has been a combination of 'Heritage Weekend', Surrey Cyclists Saturday and my usual open studio on Fridays. So lots of visitors and lots of contributions towards the Elmbridge 'Book' that I have been working on. It is very interesting talking to the studio visitors. You can never predict who is going to make a real connection with the work and who isn't. I have also been thinking and making plans about what I will be working on after this project is over. There are still five months to go if one includes this month but because much of the originally planned work with local people has already happened it feels as if time is flying by.

# 51 [22 August 2007]

I'm spending the next few days catching up with things and assessing progress. Postponing the storywalk while being disapointing because I am not able to realize a larger scale installation right now is also a huge relief as it gives one the time to take stock. I am very much looking forward to moving forward on the 'books' I am making with community help at the St George's Church studio. Work during the summer has been rather disrupted by trips and planning for events although I am very pleased with the trails made with Elmbridge children through the woods at West End, Esher.

# 50 [15 August 2007]

Today was a much more encouraging one. I am working with children on an Elmbridge Borough Council holiday scheme as part of the Papertrails project. With the weather we have been having I imagined that we would be stuck indoors at the base improvising, however we were out all day and had fun making trails through the woods.

# 49 [10 August 2007]

Well I thought that things might go awry with the Storytrail and they have. Is it a case of too many elements involved or just that people are on holiday? Anyway there are not enough people signed up to attend so the day is being postponed. I think its better to do this now rather than panic on the day, especially as so many other people are involved. Thanks to everyone at Elmbridge Borough Council who have put in time on this. We are going for dignified retreat rather than being put to rout.