Possible Studio Space

Last week I excitedly went and visited a possible studio space in Ipswich which looked great! It's across the road from Suffolk New College near The Dove. There's plenty of storage with a kitchen and a toilet too.

I just need 2 or 3 other people to want to share the space with me...

So if any of you are looking for one and Ipswich is where you'd like it to be, then get in touch!

Soapbox Press

GUYS, LOOK! I'M FAMOUS!

Ok, maybe not that big, however, this was and still is so exciting for me! I promise this is the last time I will mention it (not!). It was published online a couple of weeks ago and I can't thank Soapbox Press enough for contacting me to do this; it really does look great!

I was sent a preview of what it was going to look like the week before and I hate to admit it, but I completely forgot about the whole thing until I was notified on Instagram! A lot had happened that week with one of my day jobs and my head was all over the place.

Of course I had to share the link on my Facebook page as soon as I could and according to their statistics the post reached 560 people because of the likes/comments it recieved. My page only had 56 likes at the time, so I would definitely call that an achievement of some sort!

All of this would never happened if I had never replied to their first initial message to me! I thought it was fake because good things like this never happen to me and I even asked them is this for real haha!

I ended up sending them an email with a few images of my recent sketchbook work and a rambling piece about me. I always find writing about myself difficult, probably always will and it's typical, but I've thought of more I should have said!

To read the full feature click on the link below:

www.soapboxpress.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/jade-probitts-visualisation/

Website Changes

The homepage of my website currently look like this:

Recently I was thinking that it doesn't feel very creative... Yes, it has photographs of my art work, but it is still very... I'm not sure how to put it... Not very personal?

Plus, it only has links to my Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram, because they're the only one's I could copy code off of the internet for. I haven't been able to work out how to get a set of social media icons onto my site; I get as far as downloading them to my computer and that's it. I'm really not good at things like that.

Instead I planned to create my own and that's what I did, with paper, watercolours and a scanner!

I sketched out the symbols I wanted in circles (I love a good circle) and with a few little testers, used my Winsor & Newton watercolours for the first time to fill them in. Next thing to do was scan them on to my computer and crop them. Once they were on my website I just had to make them into links and I can actually do that bit.

Also, I have made the decision to change my name into a handwritten type to match some of my social media profile pictures. I haven't fully made up my mind on it, so at some point I may have to redo it , but we shall see.

The next plan is to add more of my work, instead of just having my paintings. I will probably change the Paintings tab to Work and have a list that comes down with the options of Paintings, Drawings, Watercolours. However, I just need to make work for those new sections before I can add it... Maybe have a change of colour scheme too?

Looking at my stats it says people seem to be still finding my website even now, I plan on publishing my changes tomorrow and hopefully, it will still get the visits.

It will end up looking more or less like the above image - let me know your thoughts! Feedback, good or bad, is always welcome!

Epiphany

Yesterday, I had an epiphany - that's right, an epiphany! (Not in a religious sense).

I was driving on my way to Banham Zoo to volunteer in their Charity Shop like I do every Monday, however, this time my usual way was blocked with a road closure and I had to follow the diverson signs. My new route was so open, surrounded by fields and a mass of sky. I don't know what happened; something just clicked inside my head.

Work has been a nightmare recently, well half has and it's becoming more of a chore than it used to be and I seem to be tired all the time since taking on my second job. Very few of you will know that I clean at a pub in the mornings and then clean at a doctors sugery in the evenings. That's the day job. I realised that I need to change my mindset and get on with the things that I enjoy!

I hardly read books anymore. I don't visit museums or gallries. I haven't picked up my sketchbook and pen in a couple of weeks. I don't paint. I don't see people. Maybe that's why I have very, very few friends. I rarely leave the house for anything other than work everyday and that's not good. Instead I spend my time being a TV zombie and taking pictures of my boys (who are cats). Don't get me wrong, my boys are my world!

What I need to do is get creative every few days at least! Have a regular go at blogging like I used to. Plus, work on my online courses that I purchased last year. Maybe go out for fun once in a while and have a serious think about a different day job. I don't know why it's taken so long for me to see sense.

I know I'm going to really struggle getting on with all this; I'm the type of person who's all talk and little action. Any suggestions on ways to help change my mindset would be wonderful!

Wish me luck!

(I wrote this blog post the other day and forgot to post it, looks like I'm already off to a great start...).

Right Decision

Some of you may have noticed that near the end of November last year I had a brand change on my social networks. Brand change - is that even what I should call it?

I reverted back to 'Mosely & Co.' which is an imaginary factory I created back in college.

I was really nervous about doing it; there's always a part of you which feels anxious in case you are making a big mistake, like I did before when I changed from it, but so far I am rather happy about it all. I still need to work on putting my new Facebook page out there and getting the likes up. I had to start it from scratch due to Facebook and its rules... Blah, blah, blah!

Anywho, it's a new year, I have things planned and ideas that I want to achieve and hopefully I will get back into making art work. I have already started on a new project, but I need to get back into some sort of creative routine like when I was at university!

Imaginary Factory

I have been thinking (again - I know that's all I ever do) about my presence on social media as creative outlets. Some of you may remember I used to be known as Mosely & Co. which I created in college as an imaginary factory. Near the start of this year for whatever reason I changed to Befriend A Whale; it made sense to me at the time.

Now that I have finished university and am out in the big wide world, even though that only consists of my house at the moment, I think I want to change back to my previous title. I feel it was a mistake to change it. I could simply use my name, I know that, but who doesn't want to be a little different. Different is good.

However, Facebook has this rule that you can only change the web address once, which I have done. This means that I'm either stuck with this label I have now or I have to start all over again. I have put a lot of work in to my Facebook page, over 3 and a half years in fact. A part of me doesn't want to get rid of that history; the documented journey of my creativity and the other half of me wants to make a new start. It would give me something to work towards whilst I attempt to find a job of some sort.

Mosely & Co. seems more professional and people might take me seriously. I really should make a decision before looking into opening an online shop, which is one of my many plans. I know it will take a lot of time and effort to get it out there and to gain likes; it could be worth it...

I want my imaginary factory back.

I would love to know what you good people think about all this - it would really help! Which brand appeals more to you? What should I do? Any advice?

Thank you in advance!

What I would like to do...

Sketches from when I used to go Life Drawing.

I've been thinking a lot recently about what I would like to be able to do.

Since finishing university, returning back to living with my parents and not earning much at all, I've noticed more that everything revolves around money and it saddens me. I need a job, any job that will enable me to be able to start saving up. However, getting one is not as easy as it sounds. I'm still stuck in the vicious cycle of needing experience to get a job, but I need a job to get experience.

I would love to be able to volunteer in a gallery; preferably at The Freudian Sheep because I adore the place, although they don't know about this wish. I already volunteer at the Banham Zoo Charity Shop and I really enjoy it. Volunteering can be good experience and at the moment that's the only way I can get any.

A big hope is that I want to have my own studio so I can paint and be creative without having to worry about making a mess or having cats get in the way. I'm finding it quite difficult without a space to go to like I had at university. If I could move out that would be a step towards having a place to work; I just can't afford to.

Now I'm also toying with the idea of creating my own zine, or maybe even a colouring book! What about a zine that you can colour in? Hmm... I'm going to need to look into this. I think that I would create an animal themed one; maybe animals that are at Banham Zoo and maybe donate some of the money made from it to them? To have any chance of this plan working, I have to get back into drawing!

Possibly would like to make small pots or something creature based as well (however, would a kiln be needed for this?). Just making something with my hands, that I could easily make and sell would be good... I don't know.

In short:

1. Get a 'proper' job to enable me to afford to do these things.
2. Volunteer in a gallery.
3. Have my own studio.
4. Create a zine.
5. Make little sellable items.

Right now I can only keep applying to jobs, keep hopeful and attempt to keep creative.

Plexus at Free Range Shows

Photo by Sarah Anderson

Plexus, University of Hertfordshire, F Block G5

Free Range Shows, The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

2nd - 6th July 2015

It was a great show! I hope everyone who saw it enjoyed it!

I didn't manage to get photos of our space at the graduate exhibition, however, Sarah Anderson, a fellow artist, has put some installation views on her website, which you can check out here. Plus, to find out more about the work and what the artists were trying to show the viewer take a look at our section on the Free Range Shows website.

Below are photos which, another fellow graduate, Charlotte Walters took of most of the work and shared with everyone - so all the images listed below were taken by Charlotte...

(Leave a comment and let us know what you think).

My Space at Free Range Shows

Me and my other half on the first evening it was open.

I started this blog post a few days after the show was finished, taken and stored away. I didn't get very far with it as I am about 2 months behind on you all being up to date... I really haven't changed since moving back home...

Definitely an experience to remember and a lot of hard work was put into the exhibition. It was very tiring setting up and traveling with obvious stress, but fully worth it (even though I fainted on the opening night - meh). I was glad that my parents and other half managed to travel down and see my work in such an environment. The show marked the official end of our three years at University of Hertfordshire and celebrated it. The Old Truman Brewery was a great space to work in and the other universities did a wonderful job in their areas too.

I have gratefully recieved many emails in response to my work from people who have seen it at shows or online and enjoyed it. That makes me happy!

Headlines Degree Show

Me at the Private View of the show.

Boo! A blog post from me has been well over due once again. These past couple of months have been very busy; it all seems like a blur now... Our Degree Show went well, but I'm glad that is over and I have returned home in Suffolk for a few weeks. Back to family, friends (well a friend) and cats!

Check out the paintings I put on display here.

Below is a video of the Fine Art exhibition, wonderfully created by Leyla Mojtahedi. Check it out!