Studio Update: July/August
Hello everyone,
It's going to be a hectic few months for me so I wanted to give a bit of a studio update a cheeky apology for likely being a bit absent over the next 3-4 months.
So - what's going on?
In July, I:
Continued my work on Corner Country by visiting a Dingo sanctuary and taking photos that showed the animals as alive, intense and real.
Organised a month-long residency in Broken Hill in 2024 - through emailing and calling several organisations I now have a month's worth of accommodation, permission to visit several off-limits places within National Parks and a scheduled workshop/open studio.
I also began a large grant application with the help of some wise friends - this is taking a good amount of time and I feel that it is stronger than last time. As long as I keep getting better I think I can live with the wins and losses associated with rejection.
Pitched The Killing Sink to a gallery in Sydney - I want to exhibit this work in a VASTLY new way so am trying to find a good space to do that with
Launched Tall Poppy's 5th book Beware of People Who Dislike Cats at the Centre of Contemporary Photography in Melbourne. It went well and we have sold 120 of the 150 books. Almost done and we've just started.
Continued working on Tall Poppy's 6th, 7th and 8th books - due out in October and March.
Was accepted to Polycopies book fair in Paris in November. I'll now be in London for a week and Paris for a week in October/November. I'm now sorting out who I'll meet: my aims are to get Tall Poppy books in loads of stores, sell loads of copies and show my own work to some galleries/curators. And see old friends.
Completed my tax return - which returned to me quite a lot of money this year. Over $10,000 - an under-rated way to be more financially stable as an artist.
But there's LOADS coming up.
In August + September I am:
Entering a very busy time at my day job, with lots of weekend work and just general flat-out-ness.
Heading to South Australia for a week between 13th-20th - this is to visit the southern reaches of the Dingo Proof Fence and continue taking more photographs.
Visiting my collaborator - Professor Mike Letnic - at his office in Sydney to photograph lots of his research, curios and archives researching the ecological destruction caused by dingo exclusion/extermination
After these two trips, and the photos I make, submitting that huge grant (fingers crossed for me please).
Finishing up work on Tall Poppy book 6 and 7 - they should be more or less complete by the end of August and ready to print.
Working on Tall Poppy book 8/9/10 - I want all three of these ready by March 2024, AND I want a summer break - so the aim is to get them print ready by December.
Heading to Vietnam towards the end of September - my gf's cousin is getting married and we've got a little trip planned.
Attending a small, local, fun book fair representing Tall Poppy Press.
Organsing my Europe trip by co-ordinating some shops to visit (to sell books to), curators to meet, universities to talk at AND old friends to visit.
Attempting to find some down time
It's a busy time for me - in some ways I think it's a bit too busy. This was a year where I've really striven to take on a lot and get a lot done. I felt like a big year and my god do I have one. I actually feel like I'm 5-10% over-committed as I get really worn out each week, but that's ok - once we get past November I am taking December-February VERY slowly, perhaps only organising local shoots, no book launches and a generally much more relaxed time.