More on artists/writers residences (and residencies). I just read on Beatties Book Blog that the University of Waikato have bought late writer Michael King’s house at Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula, for its staff and students as a retreat to research and write. “Bookman Beattie is certain Michael would have been delighted with this decision. And of course this brings to two the number of university involvements with the late Michael King, with the University of Auckland having earlier become involved with the Michael King Writers’ Centre“
This is great stuff but I do wonder about all the fellowships and residencies and how available they really are. My concern is for women who tend to still be the main child carers. Lots of female writers fit their work in around domestic duties and although maybe be eligible or even offered such an opportunity, it could mean uprooting a family, the husband/partner finding a new job in a new town, kids at new schools and all the associated ’stuff’. “But men have the same issues” you cry. Well ok but then, maybe they ‘go on ahead’ and the family joins later OR in some cases, thefamily stays behind. I have a bias of course but I do wonder about how many women have missed these opportunities because of ‘the pram in the hallway’. Maybe other women are more organised than me :-). Is this why women artists are under-represented or is it something more sinister?
King was associated with the visual arts in several ways too. The catalogue for the John Money Collection “Splendours of Civilisation” (Eastern Southland Art Gallery, Gore) and Moko with Marti Friedlander are two books that come to mind (without thinking very hard).
I dashed madly through the Money collection at the ESAG a couple of years back. It was disjointed (to me) but impressive. It is odd to find such notable art in an ‘out of the way’ place like Gore. “Nic-named the ‘Goreggenheim’ by Saatchi & Saatchi boss Kevin Roberts, this regional public art museum features permanent exhibitions of national and international note” The Ralph Hotere collection there is meant to be one of the best in the country.
Hotere, Walter Logeman
Speaking of art in Southland I wonder if the reason Gopas’ Trawlers, felt so familiar to me is that a 1955 watercolour of his, also named “Trawlers”, is held at the Anderson Park Art Gallery in Invercargill. Maybe its was similar to the 1959 oil?
There has been a lot in the news here lately about ‘affordable housing’ and people not being able to get into first homes. Well I have a good idea. I am happy to never own my own home (well not quite) if they bring in this scheme. “The French government is proposing interest-free loans (up to $10,000) to less wealthy people toward the purchase of art. The idea is designed to entice private individuals who might otherwise think they’re not rich enough to start buying art…Apparently similar programs have been introduced in Britain and The Netherlands”. Hmmm - where should I start???? Perhaps a McCahon before the Americans snap them all up :-)
Anyway off junk shopping tomorrow, always in hope that I’ll find a Frank Carpay vase in the 50c bin or a lost Goldie amongst the broken picture frames
Crown Lynn vase by F Carpay
April 8, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I agree with you about residencies and women with families. I decided last year that now that I finally have a book published and am eligible, I’d better get a move on and try and secure one while my son is 16 months old (so not at school) and I’m not having another baby (which takes a bit out of you writing wise). Many of the live-in residencies available are not family places. I’m thinking of the Sargeson flat, the MK writers centre in Devonport, the Randall Cottage in Wellington… so had to go for one that didn’t require the writer to live anywhere specific. So I applied for a couple and was lucky enough to get the Ursual Bethell writer in residence at Canterbury - an office and a salary but I have to find my own accommodation. I am also lucky enough that I have a supportive husband who sees my writing career as important as his, so he has taken the year off work (with a view to maybe picking up somethjing part-time) to stay home with the baby.
Once we have another baby, and my son is at school, it won’t be so easy.
What I am hoping with my father’s house is that it be a ‘family-friendly’ residency - at least, more friendly than other live in positions. It is a three bedroom house, with the house in two wings, one for living and one for working. the family can make lots of noise in one half, or go to the beach for the day, while the writer works on the other. And maybe if Waikato Univeristy make these available during the summmer holidays, then uprooting the family for 6 weeks might not be so difficult.
On the other hand, maybe we just all have to hold out until the kids have grown up and left home, then we can take off on our own for 6 months. I bet we’d get lots of work done!
April 9, 2008 at 1:29 am
I am so pleased to hear that about your Dad’s house. What bliss a summer writing residency with family in tow (memo to self - must get something published)
April 9, 2008 at 2:19 am
This is such an important point you’ve made. Great that Rachael’s father’s place will be family friendly, gives me hope!
April 10, 2008 at 10:25 am
I am going to respectfully disagree.
This may sound harsh, but why on earth does anyone think they are entitled to both? I don’t just mean women, but everyone.
Like many people I know (including several women), I have chosen not to have kids, nor do I expect to ever be in a position to buy a house, because I have chosen to take a punt on the chance of coming up with some halfway decent work. It’s a choice, a matter of priorities, what you put your energy into.
Making art is hard work. It requires single-minded dedication and focus. You have to make a choice. Either you sacrifice kids and comforts or you sacrifice your work.
Maybe you’ll write me off as an unreconstructed romantic and say ‘oh, but art’s just another middle-class professional career nowadays.’ I would refer you back to the last sentence of my third paragraph.
April 11, 2008 at 8:22 am
Hi dave, I think you’ll find I wrote about this issue back on an entry “Hard Art” about artists who’ve made this sacrifice (or dragged their families through it all) http://artandmylife.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/hard-art/.
Many artists and writers have managed to combine the two but at what cost and eventual outcome? Only a few have managed “art/life” balance. Personally I’d say its easier working in writing around other obligations that say a visual art. I think V Woolf was right though about “a room of one’s own” but then she didn’t have kids either did she?
I’m probably not going to own a home in the near future either but thats nothing to do with art - its other choices I’ve made and priorities I’ve set.
April 11, 2008 at 9:22 am
Oh, very funny, and you made all the same points as well.
On the effect having an artist parent can have, I recommend Musa Mayer’s book about her father, Philip Guston:
http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=eZqsmJPfrcoC&dq=Musa+Mayer&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=musa+mayer&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&oi=print&ct=result&cd=3&cad=author-navigational
When her mother told him she was pregnant with her, he replied with something like ‘What!? How could you do this to me? Don’t you realise I’ve got to paint?’
I sincerely hope he got a suitable response.
April 11, 2008 at 9:22 am
Oh dear, sorry about that link.
April 11, 2008 at 9:30 am
:-) Great minds think alike