Redaction

I have been expunged from Axis. This is fair enough, I have been unable to pay my subs. I expected my profile to disappear but was surprised that all mention of my very existence has been scrubbed from the site. This was probably not a deliberate act, rather I think I have been edged out by newer, hungrier artists.

Enclosures

I am visiting my daughter in Worcester Park she lives in a strange community modelled on, and named after, the Hamptons. It is a little like waking up on the set of Stepford Wives and I hold myself lucky not to have been stopped as I trundled my flat packed apparatuses along its perfectly manicured roads yesterday afternoon. I must repeat the journey this morning as I am heading to set up Enclosures at Canal in Haggerston. As is usual when I transport work to London it is a little worse for wear and I must first perform some repairs. As I entered the underground yesterday I somehow became entangled in a large wooden stand I was carrying. It's leg snapped off just below the joint. In retrospect I think perhaps I cut a strange figure brandishing a pointy stick and swearing, at least I had a lot of space around me. 

The Thin Letter

Back in the seventies I was in the local Cubs' football team, actually I was the substitute. The first match of the season took place on the day the family Pearl were to set off on holiday. So, the car all packed, my parents dutifully took me to the match in my strip and boots. Standing on the sidelines I was the only sub and, as we were well ahead at half time, I was hoping to be called upon in the second half. Later the score being something like 10-0 with ten minutes to go I told my father I thought we should hang on as I might be needed. I stood hopefully, shivering a little. Then the final whistle came. We had won, of course. I went back to the car where mum and brother had been waiting. It had been raining the whole time. 

Yesterday I received a phone call appertaining to my application for a commission in Bedfordshire. There were eleven artists in the running for eight places, good odds I thought. 

This morning  a letter arrived from Norwich with the results of my interview to become a lecturer (part time, one year, fixed term, hourly). I believe there were four or five of us and two posts. 

It is raining. 

There and back again

I have had an interview in Norwich for a lecturing post. As is usual I have no idea how it went. There were people, it seems quite nice people, and they asked me questions. Throughout I was more worried that they might notice that Annabel had dusted my hands with foot powder in order to make them less clammy. I was concerned I may have left a white handprint on my trousers. It would have shown up well as Annabel had made them blacker than black by running a sticky roller over them outside the building where the interview was to take place. When I remembered this I could only think about the chance that this humiliation had been spotted. 

I did notice that the interviewer that had shaken my hand at the start did not at the end. 

When we got home Annabel made me wear stockings in the back garden. She said it was for art. 

FLEA

I've got an interview - actually I have two, one for an art opportunity (again) and one for a lecturing post at Norwich. I am wondering about having another haircut. I am thinking there must be an ideal hair length at which you become irresistible to employers.

At the same time Annabel and I are just about ready to open our project space. This has been quite a well kept secret as it has taken me about 18 months to paint a room so it looks a bit like a gallery. It is to be called FLEA, which is ironic because we chose the name before being overrun by the little bastards. Our legs have sores resembling late stage plague victims.

So our plan was, in a really relaxed way, to start inviting people whose work we like to put on little exhibitions in a room in our house. We want to invite people who wouldn't otherwise show work in Ipswich and see if anyone turns up. Being naturally introverted we don't really mind if no one does. To break ourselves in gently our first show is work by four friends that might look good together. they are:

Hayley Lock

Justine Moss

Jamie Clements

David Kefford

and the show is called

Our Friends in the East...

more info to come.

oh this is a stab at a poster. The info might be wrong but if you turn up I promise to put the kettle on.