ARTISTS TALKING

# 11 [14 April 2008]

I hate Mondays. That is all.

www.garybolam.co.uk'

# 10 [14 April 2008]

Wow, I’ve been out every night over 5 days now. I'm pooped. Heh. Its funny I'm saying I'm tired yet I am still awake at 2am. Figure that one out.

So. 3 openings, (two in Glasgow then one in Edinburgh) one night out in Edinburgh, one gig (back in Glasgow) and one comedy show later and I'm still buzzing with ideas. I'm actually having a bit of an opening tomorrow. It will be ‘Form + Content Take Two. Haha how distracted can I get in the run up to 'The Show'?

So I need to make some work for tomorrow. I have some in mind but nothing too fixed. (I only knew about the exhibition yesterday at 7pm well actually it was today Sunday but its now past midnight so I’ll go with yesterday) I’ll get in the space and see what I can rustle up. I wanted to get some images made. I might make a frame too. But then I’d need a load of time. Blah. Maybe not. ohhh… I have my public art project live tomorrow too. Check it out down on Argyle Street from night time…10pm assuming I get it all sorted, which of course I will. Hehe :)

If anyone wants to come along then feel free. I needs some sleep. It’s a busy day to come.

www.garybolam.co.uk

# 9 [10 April 2008]

It's official I'm living in this studio.

I'm tired and need to go home. I will go home... but I've still not left this studio yet.

The problem is that everyone is making amazing work and having openings. Of course I feel the need to compete and check out the competition and all that jazz not to mention going to support them also. I suppose the supporting is more than likely the main reason I'm going to these. but yeah I was at one yesterday and another about half an hour ago. It's draining... but  saying that the work is top class. Everyone seems on top of their ball.

Oh. We have had a massive meeting this morning about deadlines and what's expected at the exam..

Exam?!

Who even mentioned that word before today? I was like eh...

So we now have those panicked time counters going off in our heads at full speed... a few weeks and counting... i should remember that this is only the first week back after the 'holiday' not that it was one but yeah...

 Anyways Blah... I need sleep.

www.garybolam.co.uk'

# 8 [8 April 2008]

I'm so awake. I’ve got this excitement inside and its only 7.12am . Recently I didn’t know this time even existed. It is amazing.  The sun has just begun to hit the walls of my room. Glowing an orangey yellow. Sigur Rós playing in the background. I’ve had a creative morning. I’ve decided on my public art project. I use to stay on Argyle street right next to central station. That flat was amazing. I’m going to make something for there. I kept a bit of an online diary at www.garybolam.co.uk/vice there was a fare few prostitutes there and I ended up seeing the same faces and getting to know their habits. They would generally shout to one another around 4 in the morning. I use to be awake in bed and hear their shouts. I’d see a few ‘…intimate’ moments shared between them and their clients at the most random of times. Cooking dinner for example.

Anyway I plan on making a text work for that area. I’m going to go get a shower now and head for the studio. Woohoo for random moments of inspiration!

www.garybolam.co.uk''

# 7 [7 April 2008]

HAHA I forgot to say in the last post that instead of focusing on the all important Public Art Project today, I actually managed to distract myself and make a wee funny book called an 'Idiots Guide To Hand-rearing Lesser Known Long-tooth Beavers.' its all a bit funny.

Aww I'll miss being an art student... 

www.garybolam.co.uk'

# 6 [7 April 2008]

So, I've finally got my images selected for the cover opportunity which wasn't as easy as I first thought. I was looking through my iPhoto and I realised that I have over 4,000 images taken since only last year... wow.

Anyways.. I've just not long finished work and I can't be bothered going in tomorrow. I still have a public art project to complete and its just a bit of a nuisance. I'll get something amazing done I'm sure but I just dont want to be thinking of it just now. haha.

 You know what... some if not all cinema customers are thick. Like seriously. Who goes into a cinema and asks if they sell popcorn? In fact, you have to walk past popcorn to ask get to the tills in order to ask.. and another one... who seriously couldn't work out what the difference between sweet and salted popcorn is.. I got asked both of these within the last week. I wish I was kidding.

Anyways... 8 weeks today I'll have everything finished... hopefully. haha I'm sure I'll have some last minute things to do. I'll actually guarantee that I will have things to do.  Anyway I'm off to bed to listen to an amazing podcast...

night night.

www.garybolam.co.uk'

# 5 [2 April 2008]

My question to you is

At what point do you tell your parents that you've made a video of yourself sewing your fingers together for the 'sake of your art' and that you plan on gluing your eyes with eyelash glue you got cheap from ebay. haha

humm... I guess the bigger question is

Do we subconsciously change our work at degree show time knowing that we have our parents as audience?

Either way, it's a tiny bit funny what we all get up to in the studios when left to our own devices.

www.garybolam.co.uk

# 4 [2 April 2008]

HAHA.. How silly. I've only just realised that I didn't publish my blog even though I had published the post. woops.. anyway you should be able to read them now...

 Quick update. 

 Its 3.16am and I was working in the cinema till 10pm boo... but there was some classic stupid customers asking silly questions like... "What's the difference between sweet and salted popcorn?" Yeah. I kid you not.  

So now I am of course not asleep and doing research.. haha I lie. I'm surfing the internet aimlessly. 

I have to be in the studio at some crazy time tomorrow morning to hand back a projector. I usually select the option to hand it back later in the day but I clearly wasn't thinking at the time. I used it well though and feel like I'm getting somewhere in the studio. Bet you feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing that don't you! haha

www.garybolam.co.uk

# 3 [1 April 2008]

So I'm back on track now. Haha he says so simply. It’s really funny what I'm working on now. I'm projecting fires onto windows and sewing my hand together.

Yeah I know what your thinking… “He’s what… And that’s him on track?” Yeah its all good just now. I may even make the glued thread and eye video. Aww lets take a moment for eBay and their cheap eyelash glue… it’ll be amazing I'm sure. 

www.garybolam.co.uk'

# 2 [1 April 2008]

Yeah so I learnt something the other week. Had a rubbish crit with Tanya moments before an exhibition opening in which I changed the work completely. I then found five people to metaphorically crumple into and of course the free bar. Well just so you don’t have any grand visions of this exhibition it was a well-loved (crap) studio table with cheap beer and wine with some scattered crumbs from the food that wasn’t there more than five minutes.

Anyway… I missed the official crit of my work (geez I know what your thinking 4th year misses official crit gotta be headline news!) and had to go back, head lowered, to Tanya and explain all.

Just to put you in the picture I had to move flat just before the show. Which I might add I left way to late, but now know that if needed, I could move in 3days without having a flat to view before hand. It’s my most impressive last minute thing to date.

Knock! Knock! I’m back at Tanya’s door… well I walked up to it at least 3times prior to actually knocking. So she opens it and there are 3 other people there. Suited men not the art school type. “Hey any chance I could talk to you at some point.” I’m thanking the heavens at this point as she says “yeah sure but not now.” That’s not even what she said but it was all that I took from it. I was slightly bricking it (but you didn’t hear that from me right!) So some time passes and I eventually get to talk to Tanya. We go to her office. The door shuts. Shit.

‘Its not that bad’ I'm repeating this in my mind over and over. Haha. It’s actually making me laugh slightly. It was really bizarre. So we talked and talked in all I think it was an hour and forty minutes. We talked about my recent split from a long-term partner of 4 years (yeah roll on hardcore break up during dissertation woo!) and the moving of flats. My health… (I’ll elaborate later…) we also talked about how I would end up in a coffin if I didn’t change the way I approach things… yeah god knows how we talked about that haha. Oh and she gave me a tangerine. Who could ask for a better tutor! Oh yeah shit I didn’t even mention that we also talked about my work loads. Well seeing where my thought process was at that time.

I actually got so much from that conversation its totally helped focus things believe it or not. I recommend freaking out at a crit it’s a good thing. Really…er… moves the work forward in a round about way.

www.garybolam.co.uk'