Jill Skulina's Blog

Archive for the ‘Misc’ Category

07.31.2008

Work for sale

I have been working away on stuff to sell at the WASPS, Meadow Mill’s, open studio weekend (4th+5th October ‘08), the work so far has been posted in my portfolio so, if you see anything you fancy come along to Dundee in October.

As well as this total embracing of commercialism, I am still working with Mickey Mallet on some video pieces, we have also been doing a bit of writing and submitted work to, Scottish Art Fanzine, Yuck n’ Yum. (see related links)

06.17.2008

An afternoon of play

This is another Mickey Mallet collaboration. I made the house during the Masters and left it for the skip when we finished. Mickey took it home and collaged it for us to, possibly, use it as a prop for our Lars filming. We had a great day filming that day, we just played and had a laugh. Some people would just not understand that this is all part of the creative process. What a day job to have!

Last week I went to a talk on the corpse in contemporary art at the Fruitmarket, it was quite interesting but very short, only half an hour. I was expecting something a bit more indepth, nevermind, I had a good day out anyway. I got to see Louise Bourgeois at Inverleith House at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. She is still totally my hero. Really liked the simplicity of her mark making to create such beautiful work. I found it interesting that she still finds sex, birth and the demands of children to be relevant to her. This also connects with my feelings about my Granny’s internment last week, she wanted her ashes to be buried with her mother rather than my grandpa, whom she was married to for 60 years. Even at 92 she wanted to go back to her mum. Back to Louise, I hope I’m still physically able to create at 96!

It’s been not a bad week, I’m going to meet up with a theatre director for a chat about involving myself with her theatre company, don’t want to say too much at the moment since we’ve not had the chat yet, might not lead to anything, but still a positive step. I may also be doing a lecture at Telford college for my best pals class, that will be weird. She might start heckling me. And I am applying for the Artistic Assistant job at the National Theatre of Scotland, which would be really good.

Well, I think I shall be off, now I have spread positivity through the net.

05.17.2008

Ready for work

My new studio, all clean and ready for work. It’s very motivating space and I find myself wanting to go and do work. I have been in most days since I got the keys. I have a couple of project on the go. The first is a video collaboration with Mickey mallet who I did the MFA with. He is resurecting his alter ego, Lars and is prancing about in the torso costume i’ve been working on since November. I’ve booked out the project space in Wasps and we’ll be geting down to film it properly on Friday. The other project is for a Generator proposal involving all my creative skills; making; artist; designer; researcher and writer. I am still working on the proposal, hope to have it finished and in to Generator Projects soon. I am also hoping my friend and ex MFA classmate Lorraine Besant will put something in with me, working side by side rather than as one. Fingers crossed.

05.8.2008

New studio and parties

It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to update my blog, I’ve been quite busy of late. A huge amount of time was spent preparing for my daughters 4th birthday last week. Next year I will have far more casual approach, I think.
No actual work yet but I’m feeling very positive about the future. I moved into WASPS on Tuesday so that was a bit exciting. Feels really nice to be surrounded by people, even if I haven’t seen anyone yet. I have spent the last couple of days cleaning and moving stuff in, for those of you who are familiar with the studios in Dundee you’ll know that is no mean feat. My legs are feeling the benefits of all those stairs

04.12.2008

Push on!

When did it become acceptable to not reply to job enquiries? When I worked in the theatre industry in 1994-96 you always got a response of some kind. Job or no job they always let you know. I have sent out a few letters to theatre companies recently and got nothing back except from the Scottish Ballet. In this age of technology you would think it would be easier. It’s all gone to hell in a handbasket!

Anyway I am still pushing on, trying not to be dragged down by negative thoughts and set backs. The costume in the photo is a progressing work. After months of looking at it, wondering how to take it forward, it finally came to me a few weeks ago. So i am now getting on with it. I have nowhere for it to be seen yet, but i do have plans and thats the main thing.

04.11.2008

Blething

I am not used to this blog business, until having it on my site I payed it absolutely no attention at all. It’s the name for a start. Blog, blogroll. It’s hellish. Clearly it was thought up by a man. Blethering would be better, thats all i’ll be doing anyway. Working at home is a lonely life, i need to talk to someone so it may as well be me and whoever passes through my site. Speak of which, is anybody out there?

I have been looking through some other artists blogs to see what others write on these things, but, I suppose you’ve just got to write what interests/bothers you and hope that others will join in. Self validation anybody?