Okay. I think I can come clean now as to why I think I have been so stuck recently. As they say, "I've had a lot on my mind!"
Between 2009 - 2011 my partner Shawn and I spent just under two glorious years travelling in our American RV motorhome throughout the UK and a little of Europe, in particular Portugal. And, it's come to that time again to hitch up and take another journey.
Our contract here on the Isle of Mull in Scotland comes to an end the beginning of 2015 and after lots of soul searching and many discussions over many weeks we have decided we would like to be on the move again, taking to the road, hopefully this next spring.
We have loved our four years here on Mull and feel very privileged to have experienced the life of an islander and no doubt will miss many aspects of this beautiful and challenging place. But it is time for pastures new.
Whilst I haven't been making much, I have been working hard thinking about the future of my practice. Over the last few months I have taken part in some local business courses looking at marketing, social media, website design and basic bookkeeping. All valuable tools that make up an artist's portfolio.
In 2012 I had my first solo show at An Tobar Arts Centre here on Mull which I thoroughly enjoyed. Resulting from a residency the year before, this year long project culminated in a pierced paper installation 10 meters long which I completed in the gallery space at the end of the show. I would seriously love to do this type of project again.
Shawn and I will need to create an income from our mobile motorhome. But what to do? We both have lots of skills to offer. I definitely want to keep exhibiting but how can I earn an income from this? Realistically? Pursue a more commercial route, sell directly online or at fairs, via residencies...? Or alternate work that dovetails into my creativity? Lots to think about...
We definitely feel there is a change in our approach to small space living and this time we would like to lead a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle, stay in places for longer amounts of time and explore places at a slower pace. At the moment we are redesigning the motorhome to include a mechanically moveable studio 'desk' for me and create more open space. Update it really, making it lighter and brighter.
I will have to think about scale and size of artwork that I make, perhaps working in series, or creating pieces that can be joined up together? This is when a temporary studio space or residency opportunities could be very useful!
So what has been happening on the making front since I last wrote a blog? Not much. Ha ha ha! My paper and wire threads are waiting patiently their turn and I have a collection of different black papers just arrived today. I am still pursuing the idea of pierced black paper without the very messy pigment.
As was commented to me a while ago, which is the most important part of my artwork - the process of the making, the pierced holes themselves, or the black pigment? When I submit artworks for exhibitions, the jpg imagery doesn't always do justice to the work in real, so why are curators selecting my work? Interestingly, how do they react once they see the work in real?
This is a discussion about the aesthetics of my work as well as the practicalities of the making process.
We want to make the most of our remaining time here at Mull. We do not have a confirmed destination yet once we leave and we are open as to how this develops. I certainly feel a lot happier now that I can talk about this more freely. It's hard keeping a secret!