The infuriating thing about this time of year is that you no longer have ownership of studio space From around the return to college after Christmas we have had a steady stream of visitors. Prospective students with parents; hopeful candidates on the tour having handed in their portfolios for perusal and more recently final year students carving out their territory for the Degree Show.

College has given us two weeks holiday but our tutors have advised us to go in to work as the technicians begin to work their magic the Monday term resumes. This means that all our stuff has to be out of the studio by the last Friday of the holidays. I have just had a very relaxed week in Lower Largo and am ready for some last minute studio painting over the first three days of next week to put in place some of the suggestions Liz and Jo gave me but also to get closure on the year's work.

I also need to get ready my professional practice material which means using Albelli - a Dutch on-line publishing facility which I have used in the past. I reckon there are two more books to produce - one on the joint collaborative printing/book making venture I did with Gezi and the other an edition given over to completed paintings over the year.

Liz is putting on a talk on what is expected of us by way of professional practice and also visit(s) to artists studios in the next couple of weeks. In addition I hope to get down to printmaking to do some more silkscreen printing.

Finally, Tina and I are due a visit to Helensburgh. She is very interested in responding to a competition set by Northern Clyde Yacht Club to produce artwork in response to two given scenarios. She has made contact but wants to visit. Helensburgh is also famous for Hill House, a Charles Rennie MacIntosh house. The weather earlier on this Easter was not conjucive to travel but hopefully it will be.

Surprise,surprise. I went to collect my paintings only to be told the cheery news that there had been a last minute flurry of interest and had sold one of the paintings. Brilliant. This way I have earned my right to be included in the exhibiting artists and may even be invited back.

Leith stood me in good stead so I am very keen to support it. Also regardless of the size of the sale it is always good for my work to be seen.

So this week we have had the deadline for the Printmaking/Book making collaborative work. Well done Gezi for being a wonderful partner. Also on Tuesday we had our year end crit showing all work in 2nd semester. We had to talk for ten minutes then there was a further ten minutes of discussion. This time round I had a crit with Liz Adamson and Jo Ganter. Neither of them knew my work so the pressure was on to convey all that I could in the time given.

Feedback was positive. Use of colour was the main thing. Too much white :(. Also advised to refer to drawings/stimulus more to keep to the concept rather than let the painting take over. Rather worryingly - probably misplaced - I was commended for being a prolific producer of work and for being constantly in studio. I was told that this would set me in good stead. Wonder if that was to be a salve?

On to cheerier subjects. The Inexterior show is currently advertised in Artmag - well done Fiona and Mark for arranging this. Exciting times ahead.

http://www.artmag.co.uk/ezine/index.php#/52/

Off this afternoon to collect unsold paintings from Leith School of Art. Apparently not so many sales this time round. Hope this is not a sign of things to come.