The week before the Lakes

Saturday

To Trafford centre to buy shoes for Lucies outfit for her party

Mary came over for lunch and then we went to the Waterside to see the Rogue 21 exhibition - it is very impressive.

Came home to sit in the garden, drink tea and eat the lovely supper cooked by Alan.

                                             

Sunday

Yesterday made me realise that I could make so much more of the garden and that the unused pots were in the wrong place.  I began work on the garden, clearing the space by wall and moving all the pots to where the bench used to be.

Monday 

I managed to finish the  garden which feels more spacious and pleasant to sit in, partly because  we are less aware of our neighbours and the seating are is more enclosed.

                   

I have been experimenting with backs of the prints that I made last week.  I want to print on both sides of the paper so that I can make books. I don't want the images to be the same and also the collagraphs were very time consuming to print. I have tried placing the plate under the paper and rolling the inked up roller over the paper, which produces a much starker and more contrasting image.

 

Everyday there seems to be yet another terrorist attack in either Germany or France with many deaths and injuries

Tuesday

Pilates very tough

Met up with family at Lunya for lunch which was quite nice, but as ever with my family some are a bit raucous. I mostly talked to Richard as there was little point in competing. 

Finished about 3 and went to the City Art Gallery - beautiful fashion photography and Nzebo's portraits- lovely to see these in the flesh. But I was too tired to concentrate and my feet were agony.

I was worried that I hadn't booked for the Castlefield CG Associates talk and it looked like it was booked out, but it was OK in the end. An interesting talk from Kwong about websites and statements.

Wednesday 

I felt very low - this morning- by this stage in the holidays I had planned to have applied for jobs and MA's. But try as I might I cannot decide what to do and fear it will be too late.

To Kate's for lunch – I’m not sure how it happened but we decided to have an exhibition in her house the weekend 20th- 22nd August. Quite exciting Kate, Fiona and I for definite and one more if we can find the right person.

At the talk on Tuesday I met up with Di Terry and gave her my card, I decided to ask her to look at my website and give me feedback.  It was really useful as I knew it needed updating and constructive. I was surprised that things seemed to have moved around - I'm not sure how that has happened so I need to rectify it.

I feel my positivity returning and potential in life again.

My chest is very tight tonight after sitting in Kate's studio, so not only allergic to gloss paint but oil paint and printing ink in enclosed areas.
Thursday

In email conversation with Kate re-exhibition, trying to decide titles and possible 4th artist.To Hotbed to print the reverse side of the collagraphs- I used the oil based for the range for the of colour but it made me quite light headed and gave me a sore throat and tight chest, in future I must use water based ink.

                                         

Drove up to studio but couldn't get in as front door locked - I must find out the code.

Friday

A frustrating visit to the doctors I waited for ages then was rushed through and he refused to look at my foot  and told me to make another appointment.

We took lots of Lucie’s childhood books to Oxfam - there are always some I can't part with, (too many memories).  Back home to work on the invite /flyer for the exhibition, Alan had already started but I felt it was too complicated.

                     

Several permutations- I think this is the one we are going to go with....

Just need to reduce the file size and it Kate and Fiona. 

Tomorrow we are off to the lakes for a wet week in the countryside!

Decisions to make ....

A strange in between sort of week, feeling like I have to make decisions but stuck by inaction as I'm uncertain what to do.

Sunday

To Liverpool for the Biennale, saw a disappointing John Moores and Bluecoats.

Monday

I am enjoying this blog and would like to record aspects from the past. I have been to many artists talks and had thought about doing a separate blog for these, but they are relevant to the work  and to my thinking.

Amanda told me that I'd need  to do an MA before I do a PhD, so I need to look at what seems relevant she suggested  an MA in Art Direction but that sounds quite graphic orientated. 

Before I realised that there were loans available I had been toying with either a museums and galleries at Leicester or art teaching and galleries at Baltic. There seems to be a contemporary art at Liverpool  so I need to make some decisions an apply

Tuesday

Pilates very strenuous and hard core but felt good  - it was baking hot, I  wanted to go out somewhere - seaside ideally but as it was Alan's first day off time drifted and I ended up gardening, cutting grass, pruning and moving plants.

Wednesday

Again very hot, felt v frustrated and pent up, so decided to go  to the studio. Having returned to the gs stamps gifts I had create a page to use for copying and decided to make some more acetate stencils.                               

                     

I first discovered these stencils during the cormorant gelli printing and have used them more recently for the knitted helmet/faces books. It makes it easier for lino and collagraphs.

Thursday

To Bud garden centre, 3 lovely plants and peat free compost, Unicorn and B&Q for varnish also found 3 trays of plants for six quid - bargain!

Friday

To Hotbed to print collagraphs in the sweltering heat - I'm planning make book pages and have printed the collagraphs in repeated in strips - will need to think about the reverse side - possibly a graphite rubbing 

                                     

In the evening to Waterside for the opening of Rogue 21 with lovely speeches from Dave Gledhill,  Phil Griffin and a crazy knitting machine performance by Sam Meech.

                                      

The whole Labour Party thing has really kicked off. From being a corbynista I've become a Corbyn sceptic. I joined the S&U Facebook site which is generally very pro JC and to my shock  so are most of my friends. There are stories of how women MPs are treated by JC and that it is very cliquey. I don't like McDonnnell as he seems very brutish. Whilst JC might win the leadership contest- are we likely to win over the voters? This maybe over dramatic but i fear we will we become a right wing state  ruled by the tories and Ukip.