Round Robin (this is how we got to here)

Round Robin (this is how we got to here), 2011, Hand drawn wrapping paper, printed on A0

Round Robin (this is how we got to here), 2011, Hand drawn wrapping paper, printed on A0, cardboard, satin and velvet ribbon.  Office Christmas Party, Ahmed & Carpenter, 15th Dec 2011

It has been a good, productive year.  I do not want to list month by month all that I have done, rather a few highlights. I also outlined these in the wrapping paper I drew for the Round Robin (this is how we got to here) sculpture for Ahmed & Carpenter's Office Christmas Party.  On the paper, each bauble represented a month and its major or sometimes minor events.

So 2011 was: moving from London to Manchester with China and Cheshire in between, obtaining a Grants for the Arts, living and making for 6 weeks in Chongqing, exhibiting more this year, and getting engaged.

Here are my guidelines for living (to myself) for 2012, I would like to share:

- Exercise 3 times a week.
- Eat lots of fruit and veg, cut down on meat.
- Always have a book on the go, read before bed time as much as possible.
- Listen to music more too, but remember the benefit in sensorial silence.
- Remember the past is practice, no one jumps straight into the director's seat.
- When I do not achieve my goals, evaluate what I can learn from my mistakes that can help me be successful in the future.
- Treat others as I would like to be treated myself.
- Strive to improve my time management between paid work, creative exploration and making, and seeking and administering new opportunities.
- Enjoy the making!

Best Wishes for 2012!

Is part time lecturing still a viable employment for practising artists?

This month, I wrote an article for The Rant series of Axis - the online resource for contemporary art.  The piece explored the current situation of cuts to part time and visiting lecturers hours on foundation diploma courses, which leads me to question the validity of this employment for practising artists, and the future quality of this course.

To read the article, and have your own say on this matter, click here.

Truth and Lies (Part 2) - Certainty and Fallacy....

Part 2 of my series of blog posts, 'Truth and Lies' is now online on the or-bits.com blog.  This post explores ideas of certainty and fallacy in relation to physical and digital architectures.

To read click here.

 

CUBEOpen 2011 Exhibition

One of my drawings, 'Network Community Towerblock', has been selected for the CUBE Gallery Open Exhibition, which opens this coming Thursday from 6-8pm.  Hope you can also make it along to see the show!

Participating artists:

Andrew Brown, Samuel Capps, Mark Clare, Justine Cook, Aideen Doran and Fionnuala Doran, Kelda Free and David Brazier, Becky Gee, Isabelle Hayeur, Flis Holland, Philip Kennedy, Seulki Ki, Ian Kirkpatrick , Elizabeth Kwant, Hannah Leighton–Boyce, Manchester Modernist Society, Fabien Marques, , Katie McGown, Rosalie Monod de Froideville, Charlotte Mortensson, Lauren O'Grady, Simon Parish, Nathan Pendlebury, Kristin Posehn, Rosey Prince, Robin Pugh, Amanda Rice, Ailie Rutherford, Jennie Savage, Shift (from Shift//Delete), Jon Spencer, Jenny Steele, Matthew Thompson, Tristan Thomson, Pamela Valfer, Mary-Ruth Walsh, Peter Ward, Jiho Won.

Preview 15th December 2011, 6- 8pm
Exhibition runs 16th December - 4th February 2012

CUBE
113 - 115 Portland Street
Manchester
M1 6DW
tel: +44 [0] 161 237 5525
fax: +44 [0] 161 236 5815
email: info@cube.org.uk

Admission FREE

Opening times:
Mon-Fri 12-5:30pm
Saturdays 12-5pm
Sundays closed
Centre for the Urban Built Environment is a registered charity no. 1063177

Getting to CUBE
By Metrolink: Cube is 2 minutes walk from St Peter's Square - with 5 minutes tram connection to Victoria and Piccadilly main line stations. By Car
Pay and display car parking is available at the Novotel on Dickenson Street (M1 4LX), off Portland St, which is located directly opposite to CUBE.
Alternatively, 24hr parking at Chorlton Street, GMex/St Peter's Fields or Palace NCP are all 5 minutes walk from Cube. FREE on street parking from 6pm.

By Foot
Cube is situated at the Oxford Road end of Portland Street.

Office Christmas Party - Thursday 15th Dec 2011, 6-9pm

I am showing a sculpture at the 'Office Christmas Party' exhibition at Ahmed & Carpenter, at Rogue Studios next Thursday from 6-9pm.  Other exhibiting artists include Annie Carpenter, Nick Crowe &  Ian Rawlinson, Daniel Fogarty, Dave Griffiths, Fran Blythe, Hannah Brown, Hilary Jack, Ian Hartshone, Jenny Steele, Kevin Burns, Liz West, Mark Kennard, Matt Bamber, Mike Chavez Dawson & Len Horsey, Ross McCarry, Taneesha Ahmed and Unravel - the longest hand painted film in Britain.  Hope to see you there!