Onward

As Somerset Art Week draws to a close, final day today, it feels good to reflect on how that’s gone. It’s been great, it’s been about meeting people, talking about my work and learning about other peoples work, their motivations, passions and journeys. I am an extrovert in part, my energy is lifted through my interactions with others, so this has been an energising experience. It has also meant that I have been distracted from making and this has frustrated me a little. 

I felt a strong need to ‘break-in’ my new studio space so I cut a new lino block and used my press to print it. Another bird, a continuation of my final Uni project and also a measure of where my cutting skills are now. The beautiful and very recognisable Lapwing was the first block I cut for my Birds of Concern project and I’m very aware of that every time I look at that image. Interestingly this was my first sale at the exhibition and I wondered whether the naivety demonstrated in the cut block has some appeal that might be diminished by improvement in my cutting skills. After cutting 12 birds there was a marked difference from the starting point to the final block.

Selling work has felt extraordinary, exhilarating and strange to let the work go, I wondered where these pieces might end up and what questions people might ask of them.

Now, onward, time to take down the exhibition and start the new work in earnest, a little bit of soothing collage to start the journey I think.