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.........
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
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