Thursday 26 May 2011












All Over Now

Its over, I'm Free! after 5 long years I have finally finished my degree. I am officially a BA(Hons) in Embroidered Textiles and I feel.... nothing.
I am completely numb.I don't know what I expected -relief? elation? some sadness that it was over? (definitely not!). The week of the exhibition was exhausting, traumatic and extremely surreal.

Was it good experience?
I honestly don't know. I have staged or taken part in over 50 exhibitions in my time and I would say they were all a more enjoyable, fulfilling experience. We had a high number of visitors both to the Private View (although about 50 were probably the student crowd trawling the East London galleries for a night out with free wine - we had plenty so why not) and during the week , over 400 in 3 and half days so that was good -mind you we worked our butts off as a group to publcise the exhibition.

Do I think it was worth while?
Again I don't know. I have gained a reasonable degree. I have learnt things esp. about modern art but maybe I would have preferred to learn more about actual embroidery. I learnt a lot about professional practice and the thing I am most proud of was my dissertation. However I have also learnt to pick myself up after being knocked down more times than is good for you (perhaps that's a skill in itself), I have gained confidence and lost it again and I have learnt that an academic qualification can mean sacrificing technical skill on the alter of concept.

Perhaps when I look back in 6 months time I will have a clearer vision and can look back with some sense of pride but for now all I want to do is make things that I believe in and actually bring things through to a conclusion without having to change them to tick educational boxes and please tutors. And to sleep for a long, long, time.........

Sunday 15 May 2011



E-Day commeth

So its here! by this time tomorrow my degree show will have been hung, to be followed over the course of the following two days by VIVAs and marking. The result of five years intensive study and work all hinging on the next 3 days.
The last couple of weeks have been an odd mix of feelings like waiting for the dentist and Christmas all wrapped up together but now there is no more I can do to prepare,I just have to trust that I will get the work displayed correctly and that I don't go mute during the VIVAs and then -who knows....

Sunday 1 May 2011













16 days and Counting

The last month has disappeared in a blaze of last minute work and exhibition planning. There are so many little (or not so little) extra things to be done that it becomes very time consuming and if I have to read one more e-mail about wine for the PV I think I will scream - wet ,white, not too expensive other than that I don't care!!!!

I think I'm nearly there though-still a bit of sorting to be done with the support work and I really need to finally sort my thoughts out for the VIVAs (there are two official and one extra one). I think the next 2 weeks are going to be all go. On Wednesday I'm getting together with my 'assistant' which sounds posh but is a good friend and fellow student who will keep me sane on the day for a planning lunch (probably more lunch than planning)

On the home front, as that of course goes on regardless,- small dog's operation was a success although getting it to heal (it was a BIG wound on a little foot) has been a bit problematic as he has hated his 'cone' and he is on his second lot of antibiotics. The very good news though was that it was benign and he has been so good with me dressing it everyday for over 3 weeks without even a growl even when its looked very sore. My foot has come out in sympathy and I've been hobbling for a week, it feels suspiciously like it did when I cracked a bone in the past but I'm trying to rest it as much as possible as I want to be fully functional for mounting the exhibition. It was a good excuse to just sit and watch the royal wedding- so lovely and what a dress.Really glad to see the RSN prominent and embroidery a key feature!

The ERTF conference was interesting although rather full on- too much info. in too little time and I've taken on the role of area rep. for Essex for the next 3 years although I know I'll have lots of help from the retiring rep. Hopefully we'll get things in Essex really motoring over the next couple of years.

So now its a case of holding my nerve and getting through the next 16 days- argh!!!!