Problems of non-traditional art space..

EEEK!

The hang had to be stopped for today... as the walls I had intended to hang the art on in the shop were too solid to use!

My glamourous assistant (my dad) and I spent the much of the day trying to figure out which walls we could hang on and which walls we couldn't... and then plan the exhibition around that. I am mostly happy with what we came up with.. but need to have a bit of rethink. So I will back again tomorrow for another go!

This is the frustrating thing about exhibition in a non gallery space - the walls are not gallery quality! I am now going to be using a very dirty wall to hang one of my paintings. So I am pondering whether to paint that wall or just suck it up and accept the flaws.

And there is a grouping of paintings that were never going to be grouped together.. and I am not sure they go! So am pondering them.

Also, we took down almost a wall of books and shelves that now need to go back.

So...

really and truly...


EEEEK!!

Art infection.

My exhibition is starting in less than a week and I am starting to get scared.. and excited! 

I hate the period just before hanging a show, where all you can do is tie up loose ends. Which actually often means waiting for other people to tie up loose ends (i.e. wait for things from the printers). Or you are waiting for the weather to change (I have some half sprayed bunting waiting to be finished).

So there is a lot of waiting around.

But I know that on the day of the hang I will be beside myself with nerves and everything will take twice as long to do than expected. So I have started sneaking into the shop, putting up my 'down-cycled' bunting. So this will slowly spread across the shop, like some sort of art infection. 

The idea of this pleases me.

Black Dog

So my depression has really taken hold over the past week, which is making organising an exhibition really difficult!

But I am keeping on keeping on.. even with custard for a brain..

Also... strangely.. I tend to be more creative when I am depressed... so have had a bit of a painting surge... and I really, really like what I have created. 

Not sure they will be dry in time!! eek! 

But I am so excited by them. I couldn't sleep with excitement after I painted the first one! Stupid really. 

But, because I am depressed I am also beating myself up for not having this breakthrough sooner!! This is definitely stupid! My inner voice really is a dick. 

Shame you can't change your inner monologue like the voices on a satnav...

#usingbloggingasprocrastination

(Small) to do lists are awesome!

I have already found out where I can get my large mixed media paintings scanned (and stitched)... the lovely Martel Colour Print in Hastings have offered me an awesome price. And I have arranged a lift up there tomorrow... yay!


And I have gotten the measurements for my mounts so can go to the lovely Picture Crafts in Bexhill to order those. Yay!


Now I just need to write a press release..


*sigh*

I think it was this chore that I was avoiding!

Rough draft... rough draft...

Come on Rebeka... you can do it...


GO!

Eek!

I am at that stage of the exhibition where I have to start tying up loose ends. And I am struggling with motivation. I am also struggling with that little voice in my head that thinks the exhibition is going to be shit and I might as well not bother.

But I know in a couple of weeks time when I hang the show... that same voice will start moaning at me... asking why I didn't do more.

That voice is a dick! 

So dammit... let's get shit done!

Today's to do list:

Get mounts cut.

Find out if I can get my large work scanned.

Rough draft press release.

To keep you entertained whilst I do my to do list, here is a photograph of my most recent work in progress (mixed media collage): 

Collage

Today I have been playing with collage. 

Love this beach hut. I love that it has been patched up with all these panels... especially since it is so close to quite a patched up paving. I love geometric shapes, so this is my idea of heaven. 

I will add some paint to this.. but not much....

PANIC!

Starting to have a little bit of a panic now about my upcoming show.

Firstly, I have been quite ill. So haven't been able to get much painting done.

Secondly, whenever I have a show I really start to question my work. When you are creating so much work in a short period of time it is really hard to get distance from it and I just can't tell if it's any good. 

And the work for this show is really triggering my low artist esteem button. I think because the changes to many of my photographs are very subtle. And someone in my past told me that what I created wasn't valid because I wasn't changing the original photographs 'enough'.. whatever the magic 'enough' is. 

But the work for this show seems the most authentic work I have done. They are views and objects I see on a regular basis and they are truly things that please me. I am making the photographs 'right' for me. Cutting out the things in the image that don't interest me and highlighting the objects, lines and positive/negative spaces that do. 

I think that is enough. 

So here is a photograph of a happy boat!