WORKING STUDIO

I have just got home from a talk at the Sainsburys Centre for Visual Arts where Polly Binns was in discussion with Barbara Taylor and Rodd Bugg about the Artist's Studio, the concepts related to this (e.g. public/private space) and it's practicalities. This was part of Polly's residency at the SCVA and ties in with the current exhibition on display. Polly taught me on my MA and gave me some wonderful advice, which i still maintain is some of the best advice that i am likely to ever receive.

The afternoon was great, it took my consciousness back to that intense place that it occupied during my Masters. I made 14 pages of notes in my sketchbook, and in attempt to sum up my thoughts and ideas from the discussion, i am just going to lift some fragmented words, statements and suggestions from these notes;

Working on the edge.

Studio as a place for discourse.

Studio as a place for ideas to mature and ferment.

Immersing oneself completely in an experience.

There comes a moment when "We suddenly know what we want to do, and we suddenly know how we want to do it" (Polly Binns quoting Agnes Martin)

Accumulation of practice.

Reflect with distance.

Privilege.

Growing into the space of the studio.

5 days of being in the real world and 2 days of practice vs. 2 days of being in the real world and 5 days of practice.

Trusting that it will become clear.

Where is your practice located?

Play.

The making distance (the distance between hand and eye).

The reflecting distance.

The viewing distance.