2010 Review

So, here for your edification is some edited (be very pleased about that!) highlights from my 2010...

In January I was very excited to exhibit two pieces of work, Tragedy and Every Possible Mistake, at The Forum in Norwich in their exhibition, Man and the Environment.  To add to the excitement my work was used on some of the publicity!

Me, viewing a giant sized poster featuring my piece, Tragedy.

In February, I became an internationally exhibited artist when I had three assemblage pieces exhibited in Putting-It-All-Together: Collage, Montage and Assemblage at Climate/Gallery in New York. 


Separate Burden, one of the pieces exhibited in New York

 During March I unleashed Real Maz on the world briefly!  ;oD  I went to see The Rocky Horror Show at Cambridge Corn Exchange, which afforded me the opportunity to wear my much beloved corset, ridiculously frilly skirt and back laced thigh boots!  Bloody fantastic!

The outfit!  Image by Rob Morris

In April, my friend, Katherine, and I had a fun filled day at Deepdale Farm in Norfolk taking part in their Scrap Heap Art Challenge, part of the North Norfolk Earth Day celebrations.  The idea was that each artist(s) had to make a piece of art from a pile of junk and recyclable materials.  The sun shone down on us and everyone there had a great day of creativity.

Screwdriver at the ready, pondering the job in hand...

In May, I was absolutely thrilled to exhibit in Out Yer Tree, a contemporary outdoor art exhibition, at Lickey Hills Country Park near Birmingham.  I had become enamoured with video tape in the months leading up to the exhibition and it was the perfect opportunity to try the material in an outdoor arena.  I was really excited to install the work, Suspended re:Purpose, and quite moved to see it in situ.  I was very fortunate to exhibit with Out Yer Tree again in August where I also had pieces using cassette tape.

Me with Suspended re:Purpose at Lickey Hills

In June, a group of artists including myself completed a community project for Chatteris In Bloom, painting a huge mural populated by vintage movie stars in a marketplace setting, to improve the frontage of a local disused building.  It was a great project to be involved with and, for myself, quite challenging as painting figures isn't really my bag.  I'm brilliant at stripes though!  lol

In front of the completed mural, artists Richard Savage, me, Yvonne Welsh and Heather Kinnear

In the summer of 2009 I took my grade 4 piano exam and failed by 5 points.  In July this year, following relentless scales and exam practice, I retook the exam and passed with 7 marks to spare much to mine and my piano teacher's surprise! 

Detail of Relentless Anthem from my Washed Up series

This August saw me taking part in the Fenland Visual Arts Collective (of which I am Vice Chair) Summer Open Studios event.  I shared the studio of my friend Rob and we had a lovely week welcoming visitors, working and stuffing ourselves with my home made rock cakes!  ;oD

Part of my display at Open Studios

In September, my lovely daughter and I started visiting wide flung parts of the UK to give the once over to a variety of prospective universities, we had some fabulously fun road trips and some delightful multiple circuits of some towns and cities whilst we were "temporarily unsure of our whereabouts"!  lol

She won't thank me for sharing her Christmas morning bed hair with the world!

October saw me taking on a completely new challenge by making my directorial debut with the autumn production for MADAOS.  I had long wanted to put on a 1940s revue style show and this was my opportunity.  During the rehearsal period of eight weeks for Pack Up Your Troubles there was lots of challenges to be faced but overall it was a fantastic experience and one I'd love to repeat... I think!  ;oD

Backstage fun!

In November, I started blipping!  It's a fun thing to do and I've enjoyed sharing random photos from my everyday life as well as seeing the photos of other's lives. 

One of my favourite blips so far

This month I heard that I have had a piece, A Deeper Incision, accepted for an assemblage exhibition, Spare Parts, at the Renaissance Centre in Tennessee in February.  ;o)  I'm delighted to be exhibiting in the US again, now I just need the funds to jet my piece over and deliver it in person!  ;o)

Detail of A Deeper Incision

I'm very excited for what 2011 has in store, I love New Year, new beginnings, fresh slate, new FOCUS, new opportunities, ideas aplenty!  Bring it on!  ;oD

Happy New Year to everyone!