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Q&A: oNE YEAR oN: SETTING UP AN ARTIST STUDIo
it’s one year since your degree show,
so how are you finding things and
how’s the job/practice balance?
It’s going well. I think practice naturally
takes a hit after graduating, simply
due to time and financial constraints.
Alongside making a few new paintings,
I’ve been working a lot more in video,
and I’ve just finished a performance art
course with Davida Hewlett, which has
been great for instigating some ideas for
future works.
What have been the big issues for
you this year in setting up an artist-
led studio?
one rather big issue was regarding the
lease for the building; when we got it
from the estate agent is was too vague
and had a few vital clauses left out.
For example, the original document
forbid us from subletting the building,
which was the whole point of the
studios. A great learning curve has
been how to work with other people in
more of a business context, because it’s
something that we didn’t really talk
about on my degree. I’ve been learning
on the job with two of my best mates,
so it’s been quite slow and we’re
still learning now. The responsibility
feels like a good thing, although it’s a
tricky dichotomy; having a studio in
a building where your name’s on the
lease means that I sometimes I worry
too much about getting everything [at
the studio] up to scratch.
What would you say to any students
finishing this year who are thinking
of setting up their own studios?
Do it. If there’s enough of you, get
together, do the research, ask your
local council what empty properties
they might have, have a look around.
But make sure you understand the
legal jargon because that can leave
you in a very vulnerable situation.
And make sure you have fun with
it – it’s great having a studio complex
on your own terms, it makes it all feel
worth it.
How do you choose which
opportunities to apply for, and how
do you sustain your own practice and
the studios at the same time?
It depends what I’m interested in
at the time. If I have a curatorial
proposal, I send it to places that I
think will appreciate it and would be
interested in similar ideas. When it
comes to exhibiting my own work, I’ll
always showwork if someone asks
me to – within reason. outside of that
I usually apply for exhibitions that I
would want to be a part of, ideally
without a submission fee. The odd
national exhibition is good to apply
for too, just to gauge for yourself if
there’s good selectors; I applied for the
Eisteddfod this year, not expecting to
hear anything, but it’s always worth
a shot.
In terms of the studios/own practice
balance, I think it’s important to give
yourself enough time to make work.
Since graduating, I’ve had a good few
months where curating has taken
up the majority of my time; for the
rest of the year I’m looking forward
to concentrating on making work.
I’m also looking to push my critical
writing as much as possible. I’ve been
thinking about an MA as well, but it’s
still enjoyable being out of education,
so I might leave that for another year
or two.
Bob gelsthorpe
graduated
from Cardiff School of Art and
Design degree course in 2012.
He immediately went on to set
up artist-led studios,
with
two other recent graduates.
Two months after graduating
Gelsthorpe talked about how
things were going on his
blog: ‘Since leaving art school
approximately two months
ago, work naturally has taken
a hit, to make more time for
all manner of fun things like
paying rent and working out
council tax. However, I have
been a lot more impulsive with
making work.’
We caught up with Gelsthorpe to
find out how the first year out of
university has been and what’s
next for him and B I T.
Don’twait for opportunities tocomealong,makeyour own.Work
togetherwithother recent graduates– there’sstrength innumbers.
Networkasmuchasyoucan, go toopeningsandbeawareof theartist-
ledactivities inyour regionandbeyond.
Elena Cassidy-Smith, artist
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