It's been a little while since I've written anything, that's because I've felt like there hasn't been anything worthy of writing about. It's coming up to a year since I finished my MA at Winchester School of Art, in that time I've worked full time in an office, moved in and out of a studio, been a Signature Art Prize finalist and held my first solo exhibition. I have also been lucky enough to visit Amsterdam, Iceland and made several trips to Cornwall in the last year.
I'm still making work however with only evenings and weekends spare I've not been as productive as I'd like to be. I'm too aware that time is so precious that it prevents me from being experimental and venturing outside my comfort zone because I'm too afraid of making bad work and then feeling like I wasted time.
I've continued to draw and have a project on the go which in a way documents the walks I've being doing in my home county of Hampshire. I've been following a walking guide, ticking one off every weekend or so. On each walk I photograph the journey, I'm then picking a photograph to draw from and I title the work with the walk title from the guide and the date the walk took place.
Inspired by a walk in Cornwall, I have a separate project in mind which will bring together photography, drawing, painting and map cuts. Unfortunately a lack of confidence has meant that the project has gone on the back burner - as mentioned, I've been too afraid of getting it wrong or messing it up and making bad art.
It's only when you're in the 'real world' (outside of university) that you realise how difficult it can be making art, time restraints, a job to pay the bills getting in the way and a lack of people around you to help guide your work and give you direction can make for a tough time creativly.
But, I'll keep going, keep drawing, keep thinking, keep making because it's what I do and I can't be without it.
Hartley Wintney and Elvetham - 14th June, 20.5cm x 20.5cm, pen on paper.
