Isolation, Desperation and Inspiration

Its been a funny few weeks and not in the Ha,Ha! way. I have had my head well and truly down trying to get this module up to a reasonable stage before I get my first week away for over a year. I had already worked out that because of this and the fact that my tutor will be away I need to have the completed work to her by 19th August at the latest which severely cuts down the time I have available to complete it (assessment normally is in September).Coupled to this was the fact that I had some problems to iron out with the Uni. which were causing problems and the last few weeks have really driven home just how isolated my life with distance learning had become.
So last week in desperation I managed to get the family to come out for the day. We visited Snape Maltings in Suffolk where I knew there would be the TAGS textile exhibition on and it was a lovely day. I hadn't visited theMaltings before and its a really uplifting place, bright& breezy, as was the gallery and TAGS exhibition. Do visit their website - I didn't take photos as I hadn't asked for permission but the work was very good esp. a piece by Anne Marie Stewart that I really fell in love with. K & M were both kept amused to as we had a walk around the site affording some lovely views of the river and a basking lizard, followed by a trip into the antique shop which has an excellent vintage clothes section. I spend a while wondering if I could afford an Edwardian whitework layette jacket for only £45 (unfortunately in the end I decided I couldn't- Nursing Uni.fees on the horizon!) but Kirsty found a really good condition early 1950s handbag to add to her growing collection of vintage clothes. She really is developing remarkably good taste and a style all of her own (proud mum boast!). We followed this by going a couple of miles further on to Aldburgh. It was so nice to be by the sea again - I felt I could breath for the first time in months.
After that much needed day out I felt more refreshed and actually got my essay to first draft stage this week, got the Uni. problems sorted out, big thanks to JCS ( who now have their website up and running -see link)and as from September I will studying full time(which means I hope to graduate in 2011 instead of 2012 fingers crossed). I also finished my work for the ERTF Cambridge exhibition (small sneak preview above). They are quite large piece measuring in the region of 60 by 150 cms, now I just have to wait to see if they will be accepted.
So one small day out has fired me up again and I feel all inspired - which I will need to be with another exhibition on the horizon plus 2 modules instead of one in the autumn semester.
I probably won't be blogging for a while as I am off to darkest Dorset to do some interviews in the lead up to my dissertation and glean some inspiration for some work - oh and I might even find time during the weeks to dip my toes in the sea.