Well, just like last week, I can say a lot [happened] and very little at the same time! I thought about things a lot. I had a lot of ideas, and started to write them down, too. Sometimes I forget to write them down, and then I forget them and they’re gone forever. I think it’s a good sign that I’m remembering to and wanting to write them down. Most days on the way to work I’ve been reading about art styles and artists on Wikipedia: Primitivism, Neo-Expressionism, Folk Art, Naïve Art. Pacita Abad’s work appealed to me particularly – incorporating quilting, beading and other craft techniques into her high art canvases. It was really inspiring and also, I think, kept me feeling motivated and less sad about not having the time/energy to follow through on my ideas.
I did a few more small drawings in my notebook, but I noticed a difference with them this week. I was having some tough times, both physically and emotionally, and I decided to draw them. I’ve never done anything like this before. My drawings and paintings are always of certain subject matter that doesn’t have much to do with my emotions. I’ve always tried to keep them separate, as I guess I do in life. If I want my paintings to make people happy, there shouldn’t be anything negative in them. But once I’d done one in my Hobonichi, I just wanted to go straight to the pencil and paper any time I was feeling anything negative. It was such a complete turnaround from how I’ve always dealt with these things, I really surprised myself! I also cried this week. I never cry. I mean NEVER. (Well, perhaps once a year: very rarely.) But this week something happened before work one day, and I cried; in front of A. and everything. He didn’t react badly like I thought he would.
On Friday, I had lunch with my photographer friend. He works in the same field as I do, and I’ve come to see him as a mentor in my “day job” but he’s also good for some really interesting chats about art, too. He seemed to enjoy it a lot as well. I think we help to inspire each other. We talked about artists’ statements and how rubbish they are. I thought it would be fun to stick up a blank piece of paper and a pencil on the wall and invite people to write their own statements. Then of course you could turn them into art because everything is art.
I got A. to take me to an exhibition after work on Saturday. It was at the gallery where Fox’s show was earlier in the year, the one that she encouraged me to show work in as well. (I am so very much not at that point yet!) But something drew me to check their website to see what was currently showing. It looked intriguing so I asked A. to take me. Afterwards we had a chat about what we’d seen. I really love it when we’re like that. It was an exercise in asking for things, as well. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn’t.
Throughout the week I was researching exhibitions and galleries – not just as a visitor, but perhaps an exhibitor. I was even daydreaming about renting a studio space at the end of the year when I can have some holidays, and have some intensive creating time. I found a website which lists spaces for rent in Melbourne, suitable for all sorts of creatives. Interesting! I wouldn’t have even been daydreaming about this sort of thing a few months ago!
And tonight, I updated my ipod with some new music. It was the culmination of a major operation which involved my upgrading to my first smart phone, and moving all my music, podcasts, etc onto my new laptop when my old one died. My old laptop went to live on the farm 18 months ago -- I’d been prevaricating for that long! I’d received so much contradictory advice from so many people that I’d started to become convinced that all my gadgets would explode spitefully in a hideous, raging inferno if I tried even the simplest fix. I found the courage finally, and after only a few minor hiccups, it’s done!
P.S. I decided to make the titles of my Sharing Circle posts less boring. ;)
