Comments Taken to Heart (and Scissors)

Much like my last posting, this one is about shining a light on my own thoughts, as instigated by others.  Like the last, I should have trust and belief I've done right... but found I was doubting myself.  This event took place before the last, so I guess I'm feeling hyper aware to such.

This was my piece for The Material Girls exhibition "Goodnight Children Everywhere" recently shown at Rainham Hall.

Whilst I was there doing my stewarding a member of the public asked after it.  So there I am, wearing my identity badge, standing next to my work which is also labelled with my name (in two places I might add) - and they happily tell me to my face what's wrong with it, and not in an art critique kind of way!

So this is where the light shines on my emotions.

Fair enough, no one likes everything, so you are perfectly entitled to think such.

But next I am filled with conflict.... is it really appropriate to say such to the artist?  Not to my taste, not my thing, all 'acceptable'.

However the comment, albeit throwaway almost trivial, and yet in one breath hurtful and also bemusing. Not really sure how I was supposed to feel about such.

I brushed the face to face comment aside, but days later it started to gnaw at me.  Why?  Could it be hurtful because it had an element of truth about it?  If I were totally happy with the piece, then the remark would have firmly planted in the bemused side.

I had never made a book like this before, it took a lot of working out the practicalities of the how, and I would make it differently another time.

Anyway post exhibition, I decided to take scissors to it - well a scalpel, as actually its too well made to succumb to scissors.

It needs some tweaking to sort out, few snips are not the end, and I've got to make best of it in situ, its neither practical nor something I want to do, to dismantle and reassemble.

So.... the irony is  "I Spy" (title of the piece) can no longer be spied as it was at this exhibition.  If its ever on show again, perhaps you'd like to play:  I Spy with My Little Eye - changes made!

Suddenly, 3 At Once.

In the words of waiting for the proverbial bus... everything comes along at once.

On the bad/shrug shoulders news, three times last week I've been on the end of doing something to have it ignored.
There's been a 'I don't know anything about this' - OK so you didn't bother with the two emails I sent out, one a month ago and one only three days ago?
Add in another person saying "oh I don't read any of the emails you send"

I suspect one of these ignoree is playing a game....she's on my List, mwah ha ha!

Yes I could fill a book with them

Its not a Naughty or Nice List - you don't want your name in this book!

I answered these remarks - I have done as I've been asked, I've prepped, I've advised, you have all you need, its down to you whether you bother to read or not, I can't make you.

The only down side with these things, is in the past when people don't respond, claim lack of all knowledge and suddenly its panic, can you just...(don't we love those words) and its last minute must be done changes which fall back to me.  Still that will get them a Star next to their name on the list, they will move up in rankings!

I find myself somewhat amused though, quite Why do you bother to actually tell someone you haven't bothered with the communication, shows themselves up to be a wotsit and leaves me having it confirmed!!

door to opportunities

On the good news bus, another Workshop opportunity came up.  I haven't done workshops for ages, may be a couple of years, and now in the space of about 12 weeks I will have done three, or poss four, given the latest is two individuals or stay the whole day.  Mhmm what is a cluster of Workshops known as? Oh I know  PLAYTIME!

It will put me in my happy place as it will involve 

September Whoosh

September was mega busy, it always is, but this year seemed exceptionally so, at one time 20 appointments booked in.  It gets more complicated for a one car household, having to work out logistics.
So let's take a look at it, in pictures.  Hopefully if you click on they will enlarge for better viewing, click on any highlighted links too.

First week of September attended a Workshop

Art Van Go

Now I think I've done 2 of these in the past, may be 3, but years ago.

Its play and experiment with paint products.

The following week it was time to set up

Rochford Art Trail

The next week with the Trail still on

time to set up and open

The Material Girls

'Goodnight Children Everywhere'

at Rainham Hall

In amongst lots of stewarding, here and there and trying to keep track of

where I'm doing what, and him indoors with his own art display too

So on Sunday 1st October everything was down.

OK so its now October, but the finish to the mad rushing about

on the Monday night, 2nd Oct

Seth Apter Workshop

50 Ways to Leave Your Layer

This was about base layers and how to layer up
so both of these samples may have a way to go,
but it was about process.
I loved this workshop came home buzzing with excitement.

I've had lots of thoughts comparing the two workshops at either end of this busy time., both with backgrounds, different approaches. There were differences in content, product, delivery, lots of similarities and differences.  I may commit my thoughts on these to another blog post.  So watch out.

Now that October is here, The Material Girls have one more Exhibition for the year at Loughton, which is all in hand.  Otherwise breathing space, which is good, time for the ideas to pop and be acted on, instead of a lot of reaction which is how its been of late.