In the months following graduation I have been exploring the many options for the next part of my life. It took me at least two to realise that I wasn’t going to be able to make work, to continue in the same area in which I had trained, unless I was able to set up my own workshop or studio.
A lot of thought went into this decision, and it is still always on my mind.
Finding a studio has been frustrating, daunting and at times seeming impossibly expensive. I worried I could not avoid the vicious cycle in which I could either afford a studio space by taking more hours and therefore having no time to use it or I couldn’t afford a large enough space, in which case I would be paying for a space in which I wouldn’t be able to work efficiently or at all.
Sharing a space is now my best option.
After what feels like a very long time, subjectively stretched by the stress it has casused, I met Mica. Mica is a yarn dyer, looking to expand from her garage into a space with electricity, water with good drainage and ventilation. Her add on Gumtree appealed for information or offers of space in the city. I emailed her with the offer of possibly sharing a space and perhaps we could meet to talk it over.
We met and I immediately took to her, no nonsense and straight forward with a very specific space and facilities requirement – which conveniently matched my own.
Together we appear to have found a space at the Arts Complex on London Road. I cannot take any credit for this find, it is entirely down to Mica’s pragmatic and determined attitude and also for her having been in the right place at the right time.
Finding a studio was a hurdle that I did not forsee as being too difficult, coming from a University which specialises so exclusively in textiles it didn’t occur to me that most people looking for studio spaces are illustrators, painters, jewellery makers or graphic designers. They don’t require the sheer size of space that textile printers need to produce any amount of work.
So setting up a studio is my task for the foreseeable future, all thoughts of whether it will make money or not have to be put aside.
In other news I am still working as a bartender and waitress, whilst trying to juggle as many creative projects as possible. Last night I took some photos for the Mike Kearney Ka-tet at Brew Lab Artisan Coffee, today I have been editing them and though it is nigh on impossible to expect 8 men to not blink and focus in unison, I am pleased with the outcome.
On Sunday (though the contact with the organisers has been a little sporadic) my work will be collected for Futures in Excellence, the exhibition at the Borders Textile Towerhouse for which I prepared 5 different postcard designs to sell. More on this soon.
I’m still painting the frames and in the sun they warm and become home to all sorts of critters.