Sorry, I've been a bit busy

Sorry I've not posted in a while.

Stuff to catch up on.

I'm off to uni in September. Not Glasgow, as they decided that on seeing my eportfolio I was decidedly below their standards.

Huddersfield offered me 2 places, the standard of my work was so high.

Leeds College of Art just didn't like anything about me and turned me down flat, they didn't even ASK to see any work. However, it is my understanding that they turned everyone down. So I'm less bothered by that.

And sorry Lincoln, buit after the 2 offers from Huddersfield and little commuting time, I had to go there. Plus FABULOUS Dahling! facilities.

My time at Hillsborough nears its end. 6 more weeks and its all done and dusted. I'm going to miss everyone, although a couple of them will be joining me at Barnsley Campus of Huddersfield Uni.

I recommend a visit there. You walk in the front doors and the place SMELLS like a real art school, turps, sawdust and sweat. Yummers!

Healthwise I'm still struggling with painful knees, sore back and panic attacks, but hey! I went shopping the other day and managed to do £50 worth of food shopping. Forgot the eggs and the milk but a small triumph I think.

Open Up was good, with a couple of wobbly moments, but lots of visitors and some sales. Plus new contacts and meeting other artists nearby. Oh and a small party at the end.

My project won't be finished for the final show, but as my tutor said, an altered book like that is a lifelong project. Gulp. This may be the final straw that breaks the back of my sanity.

I'm looking forward to having time to catch up with other projects, ideas that have been rattling around my small brain, playing with new techniques and maybe running a couple of workshops from my lovely, messy, cold and draughty studio. Leave a comment with your email address if you are interested in print, textile and collage workshops, or any combination of the three.

Enough catching up now. I'm off for another cuppa tea and possibly yesterday's leftover veggie paella.

Applications, alterations and augmentations

I have applied to university. That, I think, you all know.

I nearly didn't.

I went to uni a few years ago, but only completed 3 semesters. I had a major emotional collapse for many and varied reasons, but couldn't complete the course, didn't get the real support I needed to return and quit completely. It was, in short, a horrific experience.

And now I'm doing it all again. This time, however, I am not naively expecting everyone to be socially and politically aware. Or even intelligent. God forbid we waste education on the clever!

I put off applying, in fear and trepidation. What if I am rejected? OK, so I have put in insurance applications, just in case my first choice rejects me. What if something worse happens? What if they accept me and I fail all over again?

Right, Sam, pull your socks up, stop thinking negatively, you can and will do this, because this is the key to your future, you will be spending 3 years in a fantastic city in a historical building doing exactly what you love to do! How could it go wrong?

So the application went to my college tutor, who sent it back for corrections. Not the personal statement, apparently that was "so you", and was perfect in tone and expression. No some minor numerical details were needing adjusting.

At this point I could have completely chickened and 'just not got it done'. Failed by lack of time.

I made the corrections and sent it back. All that was needed now was a reference from my tutor.

It glowed, throbbing with bright fiery light that burned the eyes that looked upon it and the hands that held the flimsy copy, it was so good. I didn't recognise the person she was talking about. But at the same time, yes, that WAS me.

GULP!

I might actually get in!

Ah but I still have to submit my portfolio. It will all go horribly wrong with that. bluff can only get you so far, but then you have to come up with the goods.

Looking at my work over the past 2 1/2 years I begin to see that, maybe, I may just about be able to squeeze a half decent portfolio of work out of it. Plus I have been printing a series of plates based on one drawing specifically for my portfolio. Just to show what I am capable of. That I can work in lots of different ways. I have ideas. I have skill. I have technical knowledge. I may even have talent.

And here is the latest addition to the portfolio. I really rather like it.