I received the amendments required for my essay. I was astonished at how few there were! A couple of typos, and page numbers to be added for the list of illustrations. Oh My Word! No re-writing at all. Hurrah! This led to a considerable increase in satisfaction with my essay, and a huge increase in self-esteem.
I find it odd that my self-esteem is so dependent on the assessed outcome of my essay. I wish I could have the self-belief to be confident of the value of my work, without needing external verification. But that's how I am.
So I went to the swimming pool and had a productive thinking session while doing my 74 lengths.
1. Jim finds me easier to live with when I am studying. Even when I am tetchy while writing my essay. He prefers to live with someone who is thinking, visiting, drawing, looking, making, then thinking some more, rather than live with someone (ie me!) who is a nightmare when she is bored.
2. We have no issues with funding more education.
3. Jim wants to support me in my studies while he is able. We are both aware that our/my ability to travel may be curtailed in the future, most likely by care requirements for him. Mobility restrictions are not apparent now, but we both look to the future and can see we are as able now as we will ever be, and this can only reduce with time.
4. I've been thinking about what I'm interested in. I'd categorise it as Art & Politics, because I'm interested in who gets represented and why. I've had a good look at Women, but now want to move on to manual workers and skills. I'm still interested in museums and galleries and who they choose to represent in their collections. I'm still reflecting on the NPG Collections policy that said they were aware of an over-representation of white men, in oil on canvas, and an under-representation of women and ethnic minorities, and other art forms. They ran the Who Am I? exhibition by Grayson Perry showing art about diverse people in under-represented media ... but nothing since! This policy also defined what they thought were 'significant' achievements - all of which were more likely to be masculine! My experience (to quote Matt Smith) is that 'the museum is not neutral'!
5. I'm interested in 'lesser' art forms. I went to the Cartoon Museum and found their reflection of social events, simple drawings, simple captions/uncaptioned works led to a different way of understanding - which might be an entree to a less stuffy form of art. I'm still thinking about narrative art, concertina sketchbooks and how to make art that is accessible to ordinary people (those who don't see themselves as artists). I'm not making art for artists. I'm making art that is insightful to an ordinary viewer. I'm interested in making work that can be understood by particular audiences - without a scripted narrative.
6. I know I am reacting against STEM subjects with all their thinking/computer/ deskbound attributes. I'm interested in what people actually do - the roles in our society that are essential but seem not to be respectable or desirable - shop work; field/farm work; care work; night work; building/labouring; delivery work. I think my liking for and desire to represent these largely manual workers indicates my work has a political element.
7. I'd still like to do a body of work with Finch's Gravel Quarry. I'm into linocuts at present. There is a resonance between carving a Lino and how gravel extraction carves a landscape. Driving a gravel lorry is a skilled job that I'd like to represent.
8. I've wondered about talking to Mary Schoeser (textile historian) and Kate Wigley (former Curator Warners Textile Archive) about running a Local Workers art exhibition at Braintree Museum. They would have the contacts at the council to make this successful. This could be done by a call for artworks put out to all local art groups, with selection by museum professionals/council staff, hopefully with my work being included. I think the council would buy into this as it would positively promote employers/employment in the Braintree area and support many policies about 'local'.
9. I've had a brief look at places that might do a higher level Art & Politics qualification. Places to consider include: Coventry; Goldsmiths; UEA. I'm not clear yet what the most appropriate next qualification might be. It needs to be practice based, rather than essay based.
Coventry: Pros - I know and like Jill & Imogen. Jill's enthusiasm (the look on her face!) for my stitch verified that my samplers really were art - hugely important for my self-belief. Imogen's editorial skills were what got my essay into line. I would not have written anything like as well without her.
Cons - the 3 hour each-way journey wore me down, and led to me being isolated because I was so far from student peers.
Goldsmiths - Pros - only 1-hour journey - at New Cross. Possibility of funding for tuition fees. Interesting one day taster https://www.gold.ac.uk/short-courses/art-propaganda/. Or https://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/mphil-phd-visual-culture/
UEA - Pros ? Cons - poor journey - 2.5 hours.
Not sure where else to consider.
