Final preparations

 

This week I've been really aware that I need to keep producing practical work as my placement may run into the time when other people are focusing on work for the exhibition and I really don't want to be playing catchup.  I feel like if I do as much as I can to develop my themes and materials now, I'll thank myself later.

It's half term this week, so a bit of a different routine at home, but I'm making time where I can to work. 

I am chuffed to bits with my new business cards. They feel very spesh!  Honestly, I felt a little bit pretentious ordering these.  They're a bit out of my comfort zone because I've never been a professional artist and this feels like I'm getting a bit ahead of myself - but - I wanted to make the right impression and be able to leave people that may be interested in my placement, with something that wasn't a scrappy biro scribbled section of paper. 

So... this is the pre-order image on the website I ordered from.  The real thing is great.  I've put my insta handle and student email on the back and the images all match with my blog, twitter n all..

I met with my academic mentor this week and I asked her if she had any insight into the PMAG Art collection and if there were any recommendations.  After a really interesting conversation about female artists in the pottery industry, I decided I'd really like to access art where I can respond by painting portraits of the female artists - like putting a face to a work.  

I emailed the curator to this effect.  She replied by recommending their blog site to look at works that they held in their collection. On doing a bit of a deep dive into their collection online, I felt really daft that my request was as open as it was. Firstly because the collection is massive!  and secondly, because of all the female artists represented in galleries, there's often a lot less in terms of records and images of the artists than their male counterparts so effectively, it was like asking the PMAG to find something that matched my criteria ...I felt really naive but the curator was really supportive and after a few exchanges of emails, I'd made some suggestions and she'd shared some links to background information with me.

I'm trying to explore recording using my tripod ahead of starting - it's got off to a rocky start where I forgot to press record or just couldn't quite position it very well.  I'd rather come across problems and deal with general naffness now so that next week, I know what I'm doing..which reminds me.. I need more space on my phone !!

I've cleared some things from my studio today so that I can take them with me on Monday. I'm nearly ready.  Nearly. OK, so I'm a bit apprehensive. Actually, I realised that I should probably think about what I'm even wearing.. I can't rock up in painting scruffs can I?