After the long period of disruption during which I was not able to produce anything worthwhile, I do seem to be getting back to something resembling “normality”. It seems that there is one big hurdle to surmount, however, before I can really say that I have reached that state. The large, missing piece at the moment is the lack of exhibitions for my work.
I do have a piece on show at the moment in the summer, group exhibition at The Gallery Upstairs, in the South Square Centre. It is almost as if that doesn’t count, because in order to find a piece that fits the theme of the show I have actually had to enter a piece completed in 1968! The situation is slightly better in relation to the material I have decided to show during the forthcoming Thornton Art Trail, where the material on display will be from 2006. I am delighted to be showing again, but there is a definite sense that I am still detached from the condition of an “artist”.
I am really pleased to have completed another painting last week, but it still does feel as if the circle has yet to be completed. Yesterday I sat down to put together information about forthcoming exhibitions into which I might enter work. I was horrified to discover how much I seemed to be dragging my feet, held back by the feeling that what I had to offer in relation to the advertised themes of the events in which I was interested was not up to scratch. Two forthcoming events have been earmarked, however, and I am determined that today’s task will be to start the registration process for both of these. Only when I am exhibiting again in venues open to competitive entry, and representing reasonably current activity, will I feel that I am back to “normal”.