Reality Check or Reality Bites or Living on a Prayer.

Instead of writing about my interm show (translation: the show you do half way through your course), I thought this would be a good time to do an interm blog entry. It has been about 6 months since I left New York, ie I am half way through my course. Reality does bite a little bit in some ways (doesn't it always?), but other things besides school are better then they were. For instance, as much as working is not that fun, I have an income. Woohoo! Plus 5

I am appreciating London more. The weather is getting warmer, the sun is out once in a while, and the markets are amazing. Seeing and experiencing more of the city with visitors was a plus. It does have a lot to offer (Plus 10) it is just harder to find (literally- have you looked at a map of London lately? Its like someone drew some lines on paper then put it in a blender and based the streets on the result). Minus 5


I miss New York, obviously, but less often and less badly than I did. Plus just 1 because New York is the best. I don't miss people any less though, that hasn't changed, I am just more used to it.

I have friends here now that I would miss as well, which is a nice feeling. Plus 25
I do spend more time alone here than I did at home and have gotten better at it. Everyone in London is more spread out, so even when you have friends, they may be far away (you think Brooklyn to Manhattan is far, try Hackney to Brixton on a weekend evening. 2 hours). Minus 10

As for school, that is the downer. While after the break things were busier, my program still proves to be pretty lacking in many respects. There is not enough support and no one ever has much of a clue what is going on. I have a draft of my thesis due in a couple of weeks that I have basically spoken to no one about because there is no one to talk to. I could go on and on but I won't. At a recent meeting with external examiners of our course it came out that we all feel the same way, so 1. I am not crazy and 2. We are more motivated to help each other. Plus 5 for now because we have to follow through on using each other more.

I am also still pretty blocked with my work, though am back to painting, which still feels like the right move (medium: CHECK, content: working on it). I just started seeing a counselor to discuss the emotional block who said "I feel like if your course was better you wouldn't need me." Um yeah. Plus 10 for Jane!

Here is the first painting I did here, being coupled with my sofa. It was the most literal interpretation of trauma I could think of- see blog entry art update.


My current assignment is to make one masterpiece. Wish me luck.

With interm show over and visitors gone it is time to get focused. Onward and upward!